David Hudson, head of original programming for Scripps Networks, explains the originality and authenticity powering Bounce’s breakout hit series Johnson and what he’s looking for in a potential hit against the intense competition coming from streamers. A full transcript of the conversation is included.
Damian Riordan will head sales for the national networks, while Matthew Hijuelos has been promoted to vice president of distribution partnerships, reporting to Riordan.
FuboTV is now the only virtual pay TV service besides DirecTV Stream to carry Ion, Ion Mystery, Ion Plus, Bounce, Grit, Newsy and Court TV.
A new afternoon show, produced by The E.W. Scripps Co., will spotlight stories of hope and inspiration from across the country. Afternoon Focus will debut on some of its local stations […]
Executives from Estrella Media, NBCUniversal, Scripps Networks, Gray Television, Fox Television Stations and Allen Media will share how they’re maximizing their OTT sales opportunities and cultivating innovative strategies for audience development in part two of a TVNewsCheck webinar event slated for Aug. 25. Register here.
Exclusives
E.W. Scripps’ Scripps Networks division said it will use TVision’s viewer attention data to highlight the engaged audiences of its over-the-air channels during upfront presentations. The Scripps Networks entertainment channels include Ion, Grit, Bounce Laff, TrueReal and Defy TV. TVision’s Attention to Duration Index shows that the Scripps networks average 50% higher than other linear networks for keeping its viewers in the room and engaged with ad content.
She will now oversee the overall strategic vision for African American-focused diginet, including brand strategy, programing, marketing, social media, digital and community relations.
Scripps Networks CEO Ken Lowe may emerge from his company’s prospective sale to Discovery Networks with a $91.6 million golden parachute, an SEC filing Thursday revealed. The company’s board unanimously endorsed the golden parachute, David Lieberman reports.
The Wall Street Journal reports that people who are tired of paying for TV sports channels they don’t watch will soon have a new option. Cable channels owned by Discovery Communications, Viacom, AMC Networks, A+E Networks and Scripps Networks Interactive will be part of a new streaming service expected to have a “soft launch” in coming weeks, people familiar with the situation say. Subscriptions will cost less than $20 a month. Journal subscribers can read the full story here.
TV advertising in the first quarter fell short of expectations and with the second quarter setting up to be slow, CBS and Scripps Networks Interactive could be under pressure. Jefferies analyst John Janedis said the TV ad market in the first quarter was weighed down by key categories and less pricing power. With June starting off slowly, he said there could be risk for advertising/EPS.
CBS and Fox networks have the best multiyear investor outlook, Wall Street research firm MoffettNathanson said in a report for investors today. The report noted that the viewership trends for media companies in the first quarter of 2017 will historically be seen as some of the weakest numbers ever. But the media sector was still “a strong out-performer in the first 100 days of the year,” and MoffettNathanson’s research team raised its EPS estimates for Viacom, 21st Century Fox and Time Warner.
Cable Nets: TV Is About More Than Data
For all the talk about how data’s role in the TV upfronts will continue to be more pronounced, two cable networks, Scripps and A&E, reminded media buyers and advertisers that TV is more than just buying audiences.
Opponents of the FCC’s set-top box market reforms are putting more pressure on Democratic Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, seen as the swing vote on the hotly-contested item. In a filing on Friday, a set of programming companies disclosed that they spoke with Rosenworcel last week and said that “any arrangement in which they are required to allow their content to be distributed on terms or conditions to which programmers would not agree would be tantamount to a compulsory copyright license, which the Commission lacks authority to impose.”
TV broadcasters made an aggressive push in this year’s upfront market to get paid-for commercials viewed within seven days of airing instead of the industry-standard three. But one cable programmer took the opposite approach, turning away from “C7” and “C3,” as those standards are known, to sell ads in what it’s calling the “C-Zero” window: commercials that are seen live or on the same day they air. The idea, from Scripps Networks, stood out in the upfront marketplace.
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Discovery Communications and Scripps Networks Interactive abandoned talks about a merger last week, ending the possibility that two big providers of nonfiction cable programming would combine. The discussions hadn’t advanced beyond the early, exploratory stage, the people said, and Discovery hadn’t made a formal offer for Scripps. WSJ subscribers can read the full story here.
Scripps Networks has a TV Everywhere deal with Time Warner Cable, allowing viewers access to on-demand programming. Content from five networks will be available to the cable operator’s subscribers on an authenticated basis.
Scripps Networks Interactive chief Ken Lowe and Demand Media boss Richard Rosenblatt are in talks about a potential partnership that could unite their respective TV and Web properties to create a digital lifestyle powerhouse.
Scripps Upfront Touts Cross Platform Plays
Scripps Networks Wednesday upfront presentation for a bustling crowd of hundreds of media buyers brought its wares to its customary haunt, Cipriani 42nd Street. The presentation featured a parade of executives and assorted personalities from among the company’s six networks: HGTV, Food Network, Travel Channel, The Cooking Channel, DIY and GAC.
AT&T, Scripps Nets End Carriage Dispute
The new deal was reached two days after U-verse customers lost channels including HGTV and Food Network.
