Keely's Korner

Bonnie Hammer will lead the newly combined Universal Television and Universal Content Productions, under the new moniker NBCUniversal Content Studios, as part of sweeping changes at NBCU. In moves that realign the company’s broadcast, studio and digital operations, Matt Strauss is seguing to NBCU from Comcast as chairman of Peacock, the company’s forthcoming streaming platform, previously under Hammer’s purview. As well as being chairman of Peacock, Strauss will oversee the Digital Enterprises group. George Cheeks, co-chairman of NBC Entertainment, now becomes vice chairman of NBCUniversal Content Studios, reporting to Hammer. Cheeks also will continue to oversee late-night programming for NBC. Pearlena Igbokwe and Dawn Olmstead will continue in their roles as head of Universal Television and Universal Content Productions, respectively. Paul Telegdy, most recently co-chairman of NBC Entertainment alongside Cheeks, will now be the sole chairman of NBC Entertainment.
(Source: Cynopsis)

ESPN will serve as the exclusive US multisport content provider for Quibi’s curated news and information show, Daily Essentials. Original mobile-only daily sports show will be available at launch in April 2020.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Showtime has emerged victorious…for now. A federal judge granted the network’s motion to dismiss a copyright infringement case from performance coach Denise Shull against Brian Koppelman David Levien and Andrew Ross Sorkin—creators of its hit series Billions, the network itself and parent CBS, and executive David Nevins. But an appeal reportedly is in the offing from Shull.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Facebook agreed to pay advertisers $40 million to settle claims that it inflated video viewing stats. The settlement provides up to 40 percent of the estimated $100 million affected advertisers “may realistically have been able to recover” had they won the case in court, according to plaintiffs’ attorneys. At dispute was the method Facebook used to calculate video viewing time, which enabled it to arrive at higher watch times and, according to the suit, led to the company inflating average watch metrics by as much as 900 percent.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Prodigal Son landed the first full-season pickup of the fall from Fox. Just two weeks into the season, Fox ordered nine additional episodes of the serial killer family drama, bringing the show’s run to 22 eps. Series was the top new program during Premiere Week in A18-49, Live+Same Day, Live+3.
(Source: Cynopsis)

CBS and Al Roker Entertainment are teaming for the Musial Awards for sportsmanship, a one-hour live special showcasing the event the National Sportsmanship Foundation will preside over in November in St. Louis. Airing Saturday, December 21 at 2p on CBS and CBS Sports Networks and presented by Maryville University, the Musial Awards are named for baseball great Stan “The Man” Musial, who played 22 seasons for the St. Louis Cardinals. This year’s recipients will be announced later this month; past honorees include golfer Arnold Palmer and Olympian Jackie Joyner-Kersee.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Broadway bound: Martin Scorsese is bringing his Netflix film The Irishman to the Schubert’s historic Belasco Theater. The film, starring Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci, will screen November 1-December 1 and is a nod to the way New Yorkers once viewed films in ornate theater environs. Netflix is supplying equipment for the screenings.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Showtime picked up a second season of docuseries Couples Therapy.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson will produce scripted docuseries on the legal dramas of celebrities including Snoop Dogg, Christina Aguilera, imprisoned Brooklyn rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine—and his own—through his production company G-Unit Film & Television. Series will comprise six to eight hourlong stories, two stories per season.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Original six-ep series Ultimate Cowboy Showdown debuts on INSP on Monday, October 14 at 9p.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Truth About Murder With Sunny Hostin premieres Tuesday, October 22 at 10p on Investigation Discovery. The View cohost and ABC News senior legal correspondent interviews detectives, prosecutors, coroners and victims’ families to piece together the truth behind perplexing cases in the US.
(Source: Cynopsis)

In more ID news, Saturday October 26 at 10p is the premiere date for Destination Fear, starring paranormal explorer Dakota Laden, his sister Chelsea and friend Tanner as they road-trip to some terrifying abandoned destinations… The Alaska Triangle, which premieres on ID on Sunday, November 3 at 10p, probes the area that’s been home to so much unusual activity, it’s struck fear across Alaska and beyond… and in partnership with People, ID will bring back People Magazine Investigates for a new season on Monday, November 4 at 10p.
(Source: Cynopsis)

PBS goes beyond the horizon to reveal a new vision of our home planet in new four-part series Life From Above. Made in conjunction with BBC Studios’ Natural History Unit, series—which debuts Wednesday, October 23 at 10p—tells the unique stories of our planet from the perspective of space.
(Source: Cynopsis)

History’s Vikings will take its final sail this season, beginning with a two-hour season premiere Wednesday, December 4 at 9p. The network released the first trailer for the last season of the acclaimed saga about the lives and epic adventures of Dark Ages explorers. The 20-ep sixth and final season will air in two parts. The final 10 episodes are slated to drop in 2020.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Drive-in movie critic Joe Bob Briggs returns to AMC streaming service Shudder on October 25 at 9p with a special, Joe Bob’s Halloween Hootenanny. The hosted triple feature also will be made available on demand later in October.
(Source: Cynopsis)

A new trailer for Apple TV+ doc The Elephant Queen provides a majestic peak at the four-year journey of a family of elephants—led by a queen, herd leader Athena—as they search for a new home. From filmmakers Mark Deeble (Voyage of Time) and Victoria Stone’s (The Queen of Trees), title opens in theaters October 18 before debuting on Apple TV+ on November 1.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Holiday movies are headed to OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network. The net is making its first foray into original holiday programming with three specials—One Fine Christmas, Carole’s Christmas and Baking Christmas—slated to air three consecutive Fridays in November beginning November 15. One Fine Christmas stars Rick Fox and his daughter Sasha Fox acting together for the first time, as well as Marla Gibbs and Soul Food alum Vanessa Williams.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Decade of Fire, which investigates why the Bronx burned in the ‘70s, premieres on PBS’ Independent Lens on Monday, November 4 at 10p. Special combines archival footage, testimonials from retired FDNY firefighters, and brass and Bronx historians.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Season 4 of She-Ra and the Princesses of Power will debut on Netflix on Tuesday, November 5. DreamWorks Animation dropped the news of the new 13-ep season’s premiere at NYCC this past weekend.
(Source: Cynopsis)

JAM Media is launching a new co-production with Amazon Studios, Jessy & Nessy, a mixed-media preschool series centered around an innately curious little girl and her best friend, a 5,000-year-old sea monster.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Cake and Amsterdam-based The Dreamchaser Co. developed animated series The Woozle & Pip Adventures (working title). 2D animated comedy adventure series expands the original core cast, who join best friends Woozle and Pip on their adventures.
(Source: Cynopsis)

CBS Studios is casting its miniseries based on former FBI director James Comey’s book A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies and Leadership. Brendan Gleeson is on board to play Donald Trump opposite Jeff Daniels’ Comey. Additionally, Michael Kelly (House of Cards) will play acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe, and Jennifer Ehle will play Patrice Comey.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Starz drama American Gods added Ashley Reyes as a series regular and Herizen Guardiola in a recurring role… Nat Faxon and Nicole Byer join the cast of HBO Max comedy pilot Delilah… John Boyd rises to series regular on CBS drama FBI.
(Source: Cynopsis)