FIRST LOOK
http://www.eonline.com/news
ON TELEVISION (WEDNESDAY 2/26/20)
LIFETIME: Bride & Prejudice: Forbidden Love (Premiere) at 10pm
SCIENCE: Mega Machines (Premiere) at 9pm
TBS: It’s Personal with Amy Hoggart (Premiere) at 10pm
TRU TV: It’s Personal with Amy Hoggart (Premiere) at 10pm
BRAVO: The Real Housewives of New Jersey (Finale) at 8pm
MTV: True Life Crime (Finale) at 9pm
Bob Iger is stepping down as CEO of The Walt Disney Company. Bob Chapek, most recently Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, has been named CEO, effective immediately; Iger will remain executive chairman through 2021. “With the successful launch of Disney’s direct-to-consumer businesses and the integration of Twenty-First Century Fox well underway, I believe this is the optimal time to transition to a new CEO,” Iger said of the surprise move. “I have the utmost confidence in Bob and look forward to working closely with him over the next 22 months as he assumes this new role and delves deeper into Disney’s multifaceted global businesses and operations, while I continue to focus on the company’s creative endeavors.” Iger had been anticipating his succession for a while, saying at Disney’s investor day last year, “2021 will be the time for me to finally step down.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
An investment group made up of Searchlight Capital Partners, and ForgeLight, an operating and investment company launched by former Viacom CFO Wade Davis, announced it will acquire a 64% majority ownership interest in Univision. Mexican TV giant Televisa will retain its 36% stake in Univision. “We are a re-energized and refocused company, and today marks the start of an exciting new chapter with partners that recognize the excellent position Univision is in,” said Vince Sadusky, CEO of Univision. “Our talented operating team has transformed Univision to be strategically, operationally and financially stronger than it has been in years.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
NBCUniversal announced its new One Platform technology solutions and unveiled its all-audiences transaction model ahead of the 2020-21 upfront season. “One Platform represents the transformation of our business and our roadmap for the future of advertising,” said Linda Yaccarino, Chairman, Advertising and Partnerships, NBCUniversal. “We’re combining storytelling with scale, technology with trust, and innovation with insight – all in service of our viewers and our partners.” NBCUniversal’s One Platform aims to give marketers the power to reach all audiences everywhere they are across the full NBCUniversal ecosystem, and enable every impression to be data-informed.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Kelly Clarkson will return to host NBC’s three-hour live telecast of the 2020 Billboard Music Awards on Wednesday, April 29 at 8p. It will be Clarkson’s third time at the helm of the awards show.
(Source: Cynopsis)
FOX renewed Mental Samurai for a second season, and the casting process is already underway. The Rob Lowe-hosted reality competition series, which debuted last March, will return Wednesday, April 22 at 9p.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Molly Shannon (Saturday Night Live) has signed on as a lead in half-hour comedy pilot Big Deal, starring and executive produced by fellow SNL alumna Vanessa Bayer. Co-created by Bayer and Jeremy Beiler (SNL, Inside Amy Schumer), who will also executive produce, project is produced by Showtime. Bayer portrays Joanna, a character inspired by her own past, who overcame childhood leukemia to achieve her lifelong dream of landing a job as a successful home shopping channel host. Shannon plays Jackie, the host at the network.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Hulu landed Summer Sisters, a limited drama series from writer Liz Tigelaar based on Judy Blume’s bestseller. The project, from ABC Signature, is the first for Tigelaar and her Best Day Ever production company under the overall deal she inked with ABC Studios. Set in Martha’s Vineyard, Summer Sisters explores the coming-of-age of two best friends.
(Source: Cynopsis)
HBO Max signed an exclusive two-year pact with writer Mo Willems. As part of the agreement, HBO Max acquired streaming rights to Willems’ first live-action special, Don’t Let the Pigeon Do Storytime!, from Greg Silverman’s Stampede Ventures. The streamer has also committed to additional live-action Storytime specials, in addition to multiple animated specials based on Willems’ popular children’s books.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Fox Entertainment signed a direct, exclusive, broadcast-only talent deal with writer-producer Kyle Killen (Halo, Awake). Under the agreement’s terms, Killen will develop scripted series for the Fox network. Projects will be developed under the Chapter Eleven banner, where Killen is partnered with Scott Pennington.
(Source: Cynopsis)
LeBron James is looking for a new overall deal for his content company SpringHill Entertainment, reports Variety. The NBA champion and has creative team had called Warner Bros. Entertainment home since 2015, but that deal expired last July. The AT&T-owned shop is still in the running to keep James on the lot; however, Disney Television Studios, Universal Pictures, Amazon Studios, Netflix and other companies have met with James and his team in recent months.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Betty, a series based on Crystal Moselle’s feature Skate Kitchen, premieres Friday, May 1 at 11p on HBO. Set in New York City, the comedy follows a diverse group of young women navigating their lives through the predominantly male oriented world of skateboarding.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Climate Change – The Facts premieres on Earth Day, Wednesday, April 22 at 8p on PBS. One-hour special examines the impact of climate change, while offering possible solutions.
(Source: Cynopsis)
The True Life: Crime finale, produced by ITV America’s Good Caper, airs tonight at 9p on MTV. “Tonight’s finale really tells two stories,” Kathryn Vaughan, Executive Producer & President of ITV America’s Good Caper content, tells Cynopsis. “While diving into the events of a specific crime and investigation, the episode chronicles a family’s tireless fight for justice that ultimately propels new state legislation, helping future victims and their loved ones. This case offers a glimpse at the larger crisis surrounding missing and murdered indigenous women, and the problems plaguing many Native American reservations today.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
Sarah Gadon (True Detective) nabbed the lead opposite Milo Ventimiglia and David Krumholtz in USA Network’s limited series, Evel… Mekai Curtis will star as young Kanan Stark in Power Book III: Raising Kanan, Starz/Lionsgate’s upcoming Power prequel series… Michael Rooker (Guardians of the Galaxy) joined Showtime’s drama pilot The President Is Missing as a series regular… Stella Baker (Tell Me Your Secrets) landed the title role in The CW drama pilot The Republic of Sarah.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Kelsey Grammer is set to guest star on the season finale of CBS’ Carol’s Second Act and will return as a recurring player if the show is picked up for a second season.
(Source: Cynopsis)
The 51st NAACP Image Awards, broadcast Saturday on BET and simulcast across 10 ViacomCBS networks, drew 1.8 million Total Viewers P2+, with 850,000 Total Viewers P2+ tuning in on BET alone. With three hours of live NAACP Image Awards related content, the network drew 2.3 million Total Viewers P2+ (simulcast) and 1.33 MM Total Viewers P2+ on BET. The telecast saw +488% increase in viewers year-over-year and a +149% increase on BET.
(Source: Cynopsis)
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