Multichannel News - April 20, 2020

HOW ‘THE FIVE’ LEARNED TO WORK FROM HOME AN EX-FCC COMMISSIONER’S COVID-19 SURVIVAL STORY

VO L U M E 41 • N U M B E R 8 • A P R I L 20, 20 20 • $ 6 .9 5

2020 has been a bit of a horror show, yet viewers seem to want more fright in their lives. Stephen King is happy to accommodate them.

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VOLUME 41 ISSUE 8 • APRIL 20, 2020 WWW.MULTICHANNEL.COM

FOLLOW US twitter.com/MultiNews www.facebook.com/MultichannelNewsMagazine CONTENT VP/Global Editor-In-Chief Bill Gannon, william.gannon@futurenet.com Content Director Kent Gibbons, kent.gibbons@futurenet.com Content Manager Michael Demenchuk, michael.demenchuk@futurenet.com Senior Content Producer - Programming R. Thomas Umstead, thomas.umstead@futurenet.com Senior Content Producer - Finance Mike Farrell, michael.farrell@futurenet.com Senior Content Producer - Washington John S. Eggerton, john.eggerton@futurenet.com Senior Content Producer - Technology Daniel Frankel, daniel.frankel@futurenet.com Senior Content Producer Michael Malone, michael.malone@futurenetcom Senior Content Producer Jon Lafayette, jon.lafayette@futurenet.com Content Engagement Manager Jessika Walsten, jessika.walsten@futurenet.com Assistant Content Producer Chelsea Anderson, chelsea.anderson@futurenet.com Contributor Paige Albiniak Production Manager Heather Tatrow Managing Design Director Nicole Cobban Senior Design Director Rosanna Bulian

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8 COVER STORY FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS

8 COVER STORY

The year 2020 so far has yielded scary times indeed, with TV emerging as a major escape vehicle — and many viewers seeking refuge in Stephen King stories. A look at why the horror master’s tales are setting the right tone for pandemic-era TV.

By Michael Malone

6 AGENDA

Fox News Channel’s The Five is a show that’s fueled by the face-toface banter among its opinionated panel. With hosts now working from home, its staffers are overcoming technological and chemistry challenges.

By Michael Malone

4 AGENDA 14 PROGRAMMING 16 TECH 22 BUSINESS 26 FATES & FORTUNES 28 DATA MINE 32 VIEWPOINT 34 THE FIVE SPOT

18 POLICY

When communications attorney Robert McDowell started feeling a little under the weather last month, he chalked it up to seasonal allergies and related bronchitis — then his symptoms worsened. Here’s his COVID-19 survivor’s story.

By John Eggerton

6 AGENDA Cover: Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP via Getty Images; This page: Brownie Harris/CBS

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AGENDA

Pandemic Spurs Deregulatory D.C. Rules are remade to be broken and bent in fight against COVID-19

with the FCC’s deregulation of ISPs was that the agency had not sufficiently gauged the impact on public safety and the Lifeline program that subsidizes broadband to low income households. (The FCC says it did.)

Obviously, public-safety communications and making sure low-income people still have broadband connections are big issues these days, particularly when there are millions of people suddenly out of work.

The Benton Foundation, which advocates for expanding the Lifeline program, is calling on the FCC to automatically enroll those 10 million jobless in Lifeline’s broadband subsidy, and to boost subsidies from $9.95 per month to $50.

Companies are also taking advantage of delays. Advertisers and agencies have cited the pandemic in calling for California to delay enforcement of the state’s new privacy law, something in the works long before the virus exploded. The same goes for cable operators and the deadline for new truth-in-billing regulations. They told the FCC the rules should be pushed back to let them focus on the new COVID-19 normal, and the regulator agreed, extending the deadline to January 2021.

Definitely Not Business As Usual

By John Eggerton john.eggerton@futurenet.com @eggerton

Ethan Miller/Getty Images

F

4

ederal Communications Commission chairman Ajit Pai’s monthly drip drip drip of process deregulation has become a flood, at least temporarily, as rules for how broadband subsidy money is spent, how spectrum can be used and who can use it are being modified and waived right and left.

The avowed goal is to keep America connected at a time when broadband is a literal lifeline for a homebound populace.

That flood is a pedal to the metal version of the chairman’s aim of clearing out the regulatory “underbrush.” But loosening the rules on how money is spent — many meant to keep tabs on that outflow to prevent waste, fraud and abuse — is not part of the usual game plan for a conservative Republican chairman.

The deregulation is temporary, though how temporary depends on the course of the virus.

But each day brings new word of a waived restriction or perhaps a special temporary authority to allow Comcast and Dish Network to lend spectrum to T-Mobile, for example.

Then there is the money flowing for Multichannel.com

telehealth and distance learning, with restrictions lifted that were put in place to combat the potential of waste, fraud and abuse Pai has long targeted.

Talking about regulating in the age of COVID-19 last Friday, Pai said, “In many ways, we’re still building the plane while flying it.”

Like An Alternate Universe

Democrats supportive of this temporary deregulatory flood sounds like the script from an alternate-universe limited (hopefully) series. But so do many scenarios in the current COVID-19 pandemic.

Bipartisanship over emergency measures does not extend to the longstanding divides over issues like rural broadband, infrastructure spending, funding for closing the “homework gap” and net neutrality, though.

As FCC Democrat Geoffrey Starks put it, in what at a different time would seem hyperbole, “Our longstanding digital divide has morphed into a monstrous new COVID-19 divide.”

Some see leveraging the crisis to try and secure long-held positions and actions as a sort of public-interest opportunism. But it is undeniable that access to broadband, particularly in rural areas already isolated by geographical distance, has taken on a new urgency. It was also not lost on net neutrality activists that the handful of issues a court had

The exigencies of the COVID-19 crisis have prompted FCC chairman Ajit Pai, typically a fan of deregulation, to push even faster.

Media Bureau chief Michelle Carey’s explanation of the extension summed up the FCC’s approach to the new business as usual: “As the nation tackles the COVID-19 pandemic, multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs) and providers of fixed broadband Internet access service are among the entities that are integral to the Commission’s ongoing, nationwide effort to keep Americans informed and connected during this national emergency,” Carey said in granting the extra time. “So that these service providers may focus their resources on this critical effort, we provide appropriate flexibility for MVPDs and providers of fixed broadband Internet access service to fulfill their obligations under the Television Viewer Protection Act of 2019 (TVPA).”

Senior FCC officials told Multichannel News that while the agency isn’t going to issue blanket extensions, there will be case-by-case flexibility.

The FCC also is clearly looking at requests through the lens of an unprecedented national health crisis and of letting broadband operators focus on the business at hand.

Then there are the tech companies, which have pushed back on Trump tariffs for years.

They say now is the time to lift what amount to taxes paid by U.S. consumers on modems, network technology, cable and much more.

Tech association ITI, in seeking the relief, cited its members’ “crucial role in facilitating a comprehensive U.S. response to the COVID-19 crisis, from manufacturing critical healthcarerelated devices and components, to supporting social distancing policies while providing products and services for telework, remote learning and telehealth arrangements.”

But Trump has signaled the China tariffs aren’t going away anytime soon, pointing to them in one of his COVID-19 briefings when asked what the U.S. response should be to China’s alleged downplaying of the impact of the virus there. ●

AGENDA

‘THE FIVE’ LEARN HOW TO WORK FROM HOME On a program built on banter, remote hosts learn to listen better

“It’s a beachy vibe, but it works pretty well,” he said of his home studio.

Besides enjoying going to work, Gutfeld noted how pretty much everything works once he gets there.

Garbage bags are not needed in the windows at 1211 Avenue of the Americas. “Everything is there, and you know it’s going to work,” he said.

In a nod to social distancing, Albano said the show shot on two floors in mid-March. Today, two control rooms dictate the action.

Much of the public has become accustomed to Zoom meetings and social gatherings since the pandemic took over, and the funky delays that make conversing challenging. Albano calls the remote hosts on The Five “a real-life scenario.”

With a two-second delay, the quick retorts don’t translate as well.

By Michael Malone michael.malone@futurenet.com @BCMikeMalone

— Jesse Watters, co-host, Fox News Channel’s The Five

FOX NEWS CHANNEL daily show The Five,

featuring five co-hosts discussing the news of the day, is built on the banter of its personalities. But in this work-from-home time, the remote talent has to work a bit harder to make the banter happen.

“What makes The Five a success is the chemistry, the back and forth,” said co-host Greg Gutfeld. “It’s what people come to see. If we’re not in the same room, it reduces our ability to read faces and moods.”

Co-host Juan Williams sets up in a van parked in front of his home in Washington, D.C. Co-host Dana Perino is working out of a bedroom in her New Jersey home. Jesse Watters, also a co-host, is in a beach house in New Jersey.

Gutfeld is actually schlepping to the midtown Manhattan studio each day. He sports a mask heading into and out of the office every day, washes his hands “like a crazy person,” he said, and does not socialize with co-workers.

“I like to go to the office every day,” Gutfeld said. “I really do enjoy leaving the house and going in.”

Executive producer Megan Albano is also working out of the Fox News headquarters.

Fox News Channel

Keeping Busy at Home

6

Williams mentioned an “ordinary white van” that pulls up in front of his house each day around 2:30 or 3 p.m. Since late March, he’s been climbing in for the 5 p.m. show.

Williams normally spends Monday-Friday in New York to shoot The Five. In the days after the corona­virus took hold, Williams would go to Fox’s Washington bureau each day. Recently turning 66, he said, “I don’t think there’s any reason for me to have unnecessary exposure.”

Multichannel.com

Dana Perino (top) is handling all her Fox News hosting duties from a studio in her home, while her The Five co-host Jesse Watters is appearing from a New Jersey beach house.

Perino has been working from home since March 23. She shoots The Daily Briefing with Dana Perino at 2 p.m., reads to children for the online segment “Story Time with Dana Perino,” shoots The Five at 5 p.m. and records a podcast. She upgraded her house’s WiFi to accommodate both her and her husband working from home.

Some viewers have noticed the train that zooms by near her house, tooting its horn.

“I’ve actually been able to fulfill all of my responsibilities in a pretty seamless way,” Perino said.

Watters began working from home last week. One hitch saw the show start without Watters, who was having WiFi issues. That worked out after a few minutes. Garbage bags are used to keep the sunlight out of the house. Watters got some laughs on the program last week when he revealed his pink shorts along with a suit jacket and tie.

The hosts deal with a one- to two-second delay that can make the quick quips a bit harder to deliver. “It’s just not as smooth,” Albano said.

Watters described not being able to read body language from home. “Our show is built around banter, around our close proximity on the set,” he said. “With a two-second delay, the quick retorts don’t translate as well.”

Perino, for her part, mentioned “verbal bumper cars” at times taking place.

The awkward pauses aside, Williams said the remote setup and its delays have pushed everyone to be a better listener. “We’re forced to listen to each other more intently,” he said.

More Viewers Tuning in

Ratings for The Five have skyrocketed. The 5 p.m. hour is challenging from those who work 9 to 5, but most of those folks are stuck in their homes. “People are home, and they’re invested in the story,” Albano said. “Hopefully they get some comfort in watching The Five.”

The show averaged 3.87 million total viewers in March, up 53% from March 2019. Daily briefings from President Donald Trump have helped ratings too.

Inconveniences aside, the hosts of The Five said they’re happy to be working with so many layoffs across the country. “We’re incredibly lucky to be working,” said Gutfeld.

They hope they add a bit of levity to viewers’ lives at this trying time. “We try to make everyone else’s lives at home a little less boring,” Gutfeld said. ●

AGENDA

THE WATCHMAN

WATCH THIS …

Senior content producer Michael Malone’s look at the programming scene

Accused: Guilty or Innocent?

Accused: Guilty or Innocent? starts Tuesday (April 21) on A&E. The docuseries follows the inside stories of people facing trials for serious crimes. Told from the POV of the accused, each episode follows the person’s journey through the planning of their defense, the trial and, ultimately, the verdict. On Wednesday, Absurd Planet begins on Netflix. It’s a science series with some humor, looking at the most

Let’s Go Crazy: The Grammy Salute to Prince

CBS Goes Crazy with Prince Special

Growing Up Hip Hop incredible animals on earth. On Thursday, Growing Up Hip Hop returns on WE tv. “Angela Simmons and Romeo Miller’s ongoing beef continues to populate headlines as they throw grenades from afar,” WE tv said. Also on Thursday, it’s the drag-themed unscripted We’re Here on HBO. The series recruits residents of small-town America to participate in a onenight-only drag show.

And Sunday, season two of Deadly Cults is on Oxygen. It recounts the horrific homicide cases where cult leaders sway followers within the group to kill.

We’re Here

Let’s Go Crazy: The Grammy Salute to Prince airs on CBS April 21. Maya Rudolph, who plays in a Prince cover band called Princess, will host. The special was filmed Jan. 28; its airing coincides with Prince’s death four years ago.

There’s a tribute concert done after the Grammys every year, but this one stands out, said Ken Ehrlich, executive producer. “I don’t know that we’ve had a more excited or involved audience,” he said. “They just never had a chance to settle.”

Foo Fighters play “Darling Nikki,” Common does “Sign o’ the Times,” John Legend performs “Nothing Compares 2U” and Chris Martin and Susannah Hoffs share “Manic Monday.”

“They do it very intimately,” Ehrlich said of the duet.

The pandemic might make people more eager for a special such as this. “There might be a thirst to see something with a live audience,” he said. “It’s uplifting.”

Ghost Nation

Potent Paranormal Premiere on Travel Season two of Ghost Nation begins April 22 on Travel Channel. The season starts with a two-hour premiere, a first for the series, titled “The Witching Tree.”

“We wanted to have a really big kickoff for the season,” Travel Channel general manager Matt Butler said.

Ghost Nation sees Jason Hawes, Steve Gonsalves and Dave Tango check out paranormal situations. Travel promises bigger, more chilling mysteries. “More emphasis on story,” Butler added.

Audiences respond to the hosts because they are “skeptical believers,” said Butler, their doubtful nature often matching the viewer’s. “Their first instinct is to dismiss,” Butler said. “They challenge what is happening, and I think the viewer responds to that.”

‘Penny Dreadful’ Reboots in Vintage L.A. And Penny Dreadful is back! Penny Dreadful: City of Angels premieres on Showtime April 26. Showtime calls it “a spiritual descendant of the original Penny Dreadful,” which was set in Victorian-era London.

City of Angels takes place in Los Angeles in 1938. A horrific murder shocks the city, and Detective Tiago Vega and partner Lewis Michener “become embroiled in an epic story that reflects the rich history of Los Angeles,” per Showtime. John Logan returns to executive produce.

Daniel Zovatto plays Vega and Nathan Lane plays Michener. Zovatto called City of Angels “a completely different world” from the previous Penny Dreadful.

“That was more about a monster,” he said. “This is about the monsters that live within us.”

Mexican-American folklore flows throughout the series, which touches on how L.A.’s infamous freeways divided up the city and sectioned off poorer neighborhoods. “People get to see how the city was built, and how neighborhoods were gentrified,” said Zovatto.

Zovatto said working on the project was the best eight months of his life. “It’s one of those shows that’s able to capture you, and take you to a whole different world.” ●

Multichannel.com

Monty Brinton/CBS; The Travel Channel; A&E; WE tv; Johnnie Ingram/HBO

By Michael Malone michael.malone@futurenet.com @BCMikeMalone

7

Stephen King stories have long held a prominent place on television, including HBO’s The Outsider, with Ben Mendelsohn and Cynthia Erivo; George MacKay and James Franco in Hulu’s 11.22.63; Andre Holland in Hulu’s Castle Rock and Anika Noni Rose and Pierce Brosnan in A&E’s Bag of Bones.

By Michael Malone michael.malone@futurenet.com @BCMikeMalone

T

he year 2020 has been, by every indication imaginable, a nightmare.

We’ve been hunkering down at home, waiting out the coronavirus, economy freefalling and anxiety skyrocketing as we dream of a return to the normal, perhaps even humdrum, lives we knew before.

Television has emerged as a key escape mechanism. And what sort of entertainment are we seeking out? For many, it’s more horror.

Stephen King, our own prince of darkness, is behind many series on air or in development. Epix, for one, is betting big on Chapelwaite, a drama targeted for a fall premiere that represents the first series from the network’s Epix Productions. Set in the 1850s, Chapelwaite follows a sea captain, played by Adrien Brody, and his children getting on after the death of the captain’s wife at sea. It is based on the King short story Jerusalem’s Lot. “Genre fare has broad appeal, and while it might sometimes be too realistic and scary for some, it can also just as often offer an escapist catharsis for others,” Epix president Michael Wright said. “I’m pretty confident Chapelwaite sits on the latter end of that spectrum.”

Wright has worked on Stephen King adaptations before, including Salem’s Lot and Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King, both of which aired on TNT. He said King’s novels have always worked great on television. “Stephen King is literally one of our generation’s greatest storytellers,” Wright said. “His books are so wonderfully rooted in great characters and great storytelling.”

‘Stand’ Tall

Stephen King is all over television these days. There is The Outsider, starring Jason Bateman as a suburban father who may or may not have committed a murder, on HBO. There is Castle Rock, which has a second season in the works on Hulu. CBS All Access is developing The Stand, about society following the accidental release of a virus that kills much of the world’s population. Mr. Mercedes, about a retired detective (Brendan Gleeson) hung up on an unsolved mass murder case, has three seasons in the can on AT&T Audience Network.

Also in the works is The Institute, produced by Spyglass Media Group, which has David E. Kelley lined up to write and executive produce and Jack Bender to direct and exec produce.

Last week, AMC announced it will air season one of Creepshow, a series on streaming platform Shudder that is based on the 1982 Creepshow movie King wrote. King is not a producer on the series.

In the recent past was the James Franco limited series 11/22/63 on Hulu, about a time traveler trying to stop the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, and Under the Dome,

Call him ‘The Insider’ — Stephen King novels are all over TV, and coronavirus may only increase our desire for frightful fare 8

Multichannel.com

Brownie Harris/CBS; Bob Mahoney/HBO; Sven Frenzel/Hulu; Patrick Harbron/Hulu

COVER STORY

Multichannel.com

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COVER STORY

(From l.): Justine Lupe, Jharrel Jerome and Brendan Gleeson of crime drama Mr. Mercedes.

At right, Anthony Michael Hall of The Dead Zone. about a Maine town suddenly cut off from the world when a giant dome drops over it, which went for three seasons on CBS and Amazon.

Going further back, CBS did a Salem’s Lot series in 1979; ABC had It in 1990 and a miniseries version of The Stand in 1994; and USA Network aired The Dead Zone starting in 2002. A&E premiered Bag of Bones in 2011.

King’s novels have led to dozens of films too, including 1980’s The Shining, 1983’s The Dead Zone, 1990’s Misery, 1995’s Dolores Claiborne, 2017’s It and 2019’s Pet Sematary.

King yarns will likely remain in demand long after coronavirus dissipates. “People like stories that have uncertainty and there’s certainly a lot of uncertainty and unpredictability in the story we’re living in,” said Neal Baer, who was showrunner and executive producer on Under the Dome.

Well-Loved IP

Bryce Duffy/Corbis via Getty Images; AT&T Audience Network

King’s next book, If It Bleeds, comes out April 28, published by Scribner. It is a collection of novellas, including Mr. Harrigan’s Phone, The Life of Chuck, Rat and the title story.

10

In our peak TV world, Stephen King is a bankable trove of intellectual property, network executives and producers agree.

Veteran producer David Friendly, currently working on USA Network drama Queen of the South, noted King’s “preposterously good” batting average in terms of his novels making a mark on popular culture. “When you spend the amount you have to spend [to produce a series], you try to mitigate risk,” he said.

“There are enormous financial risks and Stephen King is a very good bet — and one of the few safe bets.”

When so many shows are clamoring for viewers’ attention, it sure helps to have Stephen King’s name stamped on a project. “In the 500-show universe, a name like Stephen King always carries weight and always carries value,” Old Dominion University assistant professor of communications Myles McNutt said.

That King is still living and writing makes the author that much more desirable to producers. King has 5.8 million followers on Twitter. He’s active on the

There are enormous financial risks and Stephen King is a very good bet — and one of the few safe bets.

— David Friendly, veteran TV producer Multichannel.com

platform, tweeting on March 8: “No, coronavirus is NOT like THE STAND. It’s not anywhere near as serious. It’s eminently survivable. Keep calm and take all reasonable precautions.”

When King talks up a TV show on the platform, it drives viewership. “King is very prolific, and still active,” McNutt added.

First-Class Characters

Producers also note that King, known for his horror novels, is a very diverse author whose work goes well beyond horror. Hit 1986 film Stand By Me was based on the King short story The Body and has no real horror in it, minus a few pesky leeches. The 1994 film The Shawshank Redemption, based on a King novella, is a taut emotional drama much more than it’s a horror flick.

Producers are drawn to King’s singular characters as much as any boogeyman the author dreams up.

“Stephen King creates indelible characters — both Everyman characters and others who are wholly idiosyncratic,” said Bridget Carpenter, who was an executive producer on 11/22/63. “And, of course, terrifying villains and atmospheres! He is also a master of story — his plots move swiftly and unfold inexorably;

COVER STORY

KING’S BOUNTY

A look at some of Stephen King’s works that have been adapted to TV

The Dead Zone

Network: USA Network Years: 2002-2007 Review: “Turns out to be an engaging new hour, boasting crisp writing, near-cinematic production values and an almost failsafe plot.”

— Chicago Tribune

they sweep you along. This is wonderful for TV.” Neal Baer got a good look at King’s storytelling skills when he worked on Under the Dome. “His books are so visual,” he said. “He has all the things you look for when you’re developing a TV series or a movie.”

Popular books can be great TV fodder, bringing in pre-existing fan bases. But King has few, if any, rivals among authors in Hollywood. Harlan Coben has a deal with Netflix to develop 14 existing and future projects, including new drama The Stranger. Agatha Christie, who died in 1976, has her name on Agatha Christie’s The Pale Horse, which premiered on Amazon March 13.

James Patterson had two seasons of Instinct and three of Zoo on CBS.

Brownie Harris/CBS (2); A+E Networks; Shudder; Patrick Harbron/Hulu

‘Dark Tower’ Goes Dark

12

Not every Stephen King novel TV tries to adapt turns into a hit series. The Mist, about a small town infected by a curious mist, lasted for just one season in 2017 on Spike.

Joyland, about a college kid who spends a summer working at an amusement park and who confronts the legacy of a dreadful murder, was in development at Freeform in 2018 but did not make it to pilot.

The Dark Tower, an eight-book series about a gunslinger doing his thing in a magical American West, was a high-profile fail on Amazon. Executive producer Glen Mazzara shared on Twitter that his cast and crew “took big risks” on The Dark Tower, and “delivered big time” on a compelling adaptation. “We worked hard to honor this amazing story and bring it to life,” he added.

The future of Mr. Mercedes is uncertain. Audience Network is transitioning to a preview network for HBO Max. Mr. Mercedes may continue on the streaming network, which debuts in May. Audience Network did not comment.

An Author and a Gentleman

Producers who have spent time with King describe him as a stand-up guy who is deeply invested in his TV adaptations. On Under the Dome, King read and weighed in on all of the scripts. He would not pay a visit to the set in Los Angeles, but took on most everything else he was asked to. “You can’t ask for a better Multichannel.com

Above, Natalie Martinez and Dean Norris in the CBS King adaptation Under the Dome. At left, Under the Dome actor Mike Vogel chats with King on set. collaborator,” Baer said. “I’d love to work with Stephen King again.”

King declined requests to be interviewed for this story, saying through a representative that he was too busy working on his next book.

Having worked with King on a couple projects prior to Chapelwaite, Wright knows how to get the most out of the partnership. “If you’re smart, you run as much of it by him as you can,” he said.

Carpenter would love to work with King again, saying how much fun it would be to bring 1980 pyrokinesis novel Firestarter to series.

Bag of Bones

Network: A&E Year: 2011 Review: “Handsomely shot and deliberately paced, it has a superficially cinematic quality, but it doesn’t have the storytelling juice to keep you engaged in Mr. King’s convoluted multi-ghost story.”

— The New York Times

Great Expectations

While coronavirus can seem like something King might have dreamed up for a novel, producers stress a key difference between a King project and COVID-19.

Frightful as they are, King’s novels offer a resolution at the end. With corona, the resolution has not yet been revealed. “There’s an attraction we have to well told, thrilling stories, stories that have an explanation,” Baer said. “Human nature likes scary things, but where there’s a resolution — you kind of know things are going to be OK.” Epix president Wright said the coronavirus crisis is having “a profound impact” on our entertainment choices. “It’s difficult to say how these current events will impact viewer preferences,” he said. “But interestingly, our post-apocalyptic series, War of the Worlds, which is running right now, is our second highest-rated series to date, and actually growing week over week.”

Wright hopes he has another hit on his hands when Chapelwaite gets to air. He likens King to a modern era Charles Dickens, able to create “relatable and recognizable” characters.

“The real genius of Stephen King is his characters,” Wright said. “That’s the necessary ingredient of every great series or film ever made. That’s why adaptations of King are so effective — they’re unforgettable characters that you care about.” ●

Creepshow

Network: Shudder Year: 2019 Review: “Casual horror fans may not really get the appeal of Creepshow, but it’s not made for them anyway. Horror aficionados, on the other hand, will find a lot to like.” — TV Guide

Castle Rock

Network: Hulu Years: 2018-2019 Review: “In every respect it’s the equal of, and largely superior to, any of the actual King adaptations that have come to television lately.” — Los Angeles Times

PROGRAMMING

Viewers Find Shelter In HGTV’s Shows President Jane Latman’s net emerges as pandemic comfort fare REVIEW

DEFENDING JACOB

By R. Thomas Umstead thomas.umstead@futurenet.com @rtumstead30

H

GTV has emerged as one of the most-watched networks among viewers obeying stay-at-home orders during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Discovery-owned channel has parlayed its popular original content, geared toward home renovation and houseflipping, to become the most-watched entertainment network in primetime for March. It averaged 1.1 million viewers, behind only Fox News Channel, MSNBC and CNN, according to Nielsen.

HGTV president Jane Latman spoke with Multichannel News about HGTV’s ratings success during the pandemic and its long-term programming strategy. Here’s an edited transcript of the interview.

MCN: What has been the secret behind HGTV’s ratings success?

Jane Latman: People are watching more HGTV because it’s a very comforting brand and a great place to go. For people who are home, it's actually very relevant. In March, we created a spot with our talent who were all at home, and we were shouting out to the audience that we’re all in this together.

MCN: Has the network exhausted most of its new episodes in the wake of the coronavirus production shutdown?

JL: We haven’t exhausted it at all. There’s all the stuff that we have in post-production that will still be coming in, and we have some shows that we were able to finish through self-shooting. Shows such as Home Town, Unsellable Houses, Property Brothers Forever Home, Flipping 101 and Celebrity IOU are all still in premieres. We are pretty well-positioned, but now we’re planning for when the gap in production comes down the road. We’re repackaging our shows in a number of ways.

For example, we have Jonathan and Drew [Scott] watching the first couple of seasons of their [Property Brothers] show, and have them talk about how the designs have changed and

16

Multichannel.com

(Premiering April 24 on Apple TV+)

how their appearances have changed since then. Viewers will watch them watch the show. We’re also working with our talent to discover which episodes from their shows are their favorites. We’ll show those episodes with a wrap from the stars as to why these episodes are so important to them in their minds and in their hearts. We’ve also been licensing lifestyles/home content from Canada, the U.K., Australia and other countries. It has to meet a certain bar, but that will help to feed the pipeline as well.

MCN: Does HGTV, with its targeted and loyal fan base, have an audience retention advantage over general entertainment networks at this time?

JL: I think so. That speaks to how HGTV is comforting during these times. People know what they are going to get with HGTV; it feels good and it’s welcoming. That works for both our current and older titles. We had a bunch of premieres of [long-running series] House Hunters that we were scheduling irregularly. We soon discovered that there was some traction of the series since the COVID-19 outbreak, so we scheduled it regularly now at 10 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights after not having a regular time slot in months. We’re now putting promotional materials around it and it's doing great. That speaks to the familiarity of House Hunters and the desire of viewers to get back to programming that’s familiar and not stressful. ●

HGTV president Jane Latman (l.) has found ratings success as viewers shelter at home, thanks to comfortable content such as Property Brothers (above).

Apple TV+ continues to build its scripted series credentials with a new drama/ mystery series, Defending Jacob.

The streaming series features an impressive cast, including Chris Evans (Captain America: The First Avenger) and Michelle Dockery (Downton Abbey), who star as Andy and Laurie Barber, typical suburban parents of a smart, unassuming teenage son, Jacob Barber (Jaeden Martell). Andy is the town’s assistant district attorney, thrust into a mystery when a teenage boy is found murdered in a local park.

Andy’s involvement in the investigation is initially questioned, given his close relationship with the family and the fact that his son knew the victim, but he continues on the case.

Partnered with detective Paula Duffy (Betty Gabriel), Andy begins to question the local teens in an effort to seek information as to the boy’s death.

As clues to the murder begin to surface, they ultimately start to point to one suspect, Jacob, which throws the dynamics of family life for Andy and Laurie for a complete loop as they contemplate whether their offspring could be guilty of such a heinous crime.

The eight-part series will keep viewers on edge as the question of Jacob’s innocence or guilt tips one way or the other with every new revelation about the murder and with the efforts of Jacob’s parents to instinctively protect their son, even though he could be involved. In fact, the series begins with a conflicted and exhausted-looking Andy Barber being interrogated in front of a grand jury several months after the murder, setting the stage for a proverbial roller-coaster ride of a mystery.

Apple TV+ will stream the first three episodes of Defending Jacob — based on the best-selling novel of the same name by William Landay — on April 24, with subsequent episodes streaming weekly. — RTU

TECH

Dish’s 5G Network Plan Faces Doubt Lenders unsure if Ergen can raise $10B for buildout by 2023 deadline

By Daniel Frankel daniel.frankel@futurenet.com @dannyfrankel

A

lready facing some skepticism even before the COVID-19 pandemic crashed the global economy, Dish Network chairman Charlie Ergen’s quest to build a fourth U.S. wireless 5G network has come under serious doubt.

Just as the satellite-TV provider confirmed that it would lay off an unspecified number of workers, The New York Post quoted an unnamed source, identified as a part of Dish’s lending group for the network buildout, damning the project.

“I think whatever rosy projections Charlie had are now very questionable,” the source told the Post. “There is no financing to build a telecom network.”

Last summer, Dish and Ergen emerged as key catalysts in T-Mobile’s ultimately successful $26 billion bid to buy Sprint. Dish agreed to pay T-Mobile $5 billion to transform itself into the nation’s fourth major wireless carrier, thus alleviating U.S. Justice Department concerns about reduced competition.

Dish now owns T-Mobile’s prepaid wireless

business, Boost Mobile, along with its 9 million customers. The satellite-TV operator also received more wireless spectrum, on top of the gobs it already owns. And it now has seven years to use T-Mobile’s broader wireless network, including its emerging 5G infra-

Karl Gehring/The Denver Post

CREDIT FIRM TRANSUNION GETS INTO TV WITH TUBI

16

Credit reporting agency TransUnion is getting into the streaming business, announcing a new partnership with ad-supported VOD outlet Tubi to provide user data that will enable Tubi to “deliver curated content and viewer experiences by establishing a more enriched view of individuals and households.”

Tubi was recently purchased by Fox for $440 million and reports 25 million active monthly users. The AVOD service already had robust, machine-learningbased data-gathering capabilities. Tubi said TransUnion’s data will “add another layer” to its algorithms, as it seeks to make recommendations to viewers

Multichannel.com

navigating the programmer’s library of 20,000 content titles.

“These insights not only benefit the viewing experience, they also improve the way advertisers reach and communicate with consumers,” Tubi chief revenue offi­ cer Mark Rotblat said. “Consumer-level insights lead to more informed audience targeting and media strategies as we are able to identify the best types of content and connect that to relevant messaging for viewers. Incorporating this information often results in better performing OTT service Tubi says data from TransUnion will aid its algorithms.

Dish Network chairman Charlie Ergen's ambitious wireless play could be derailed by the pandemic.

campaigns and more engaged viewers.”

The companies did not spell out what privacy safeguards they are employing.

Tubi is getting unique information about ages, gender, language, the number of people in the household, the presence of children and household income, Rotblat told MCN sister publication Next TV. That

structure, on relatively advantageous wholesale “MVNO” (mobile virtual network operator) terms while building out its own 5G wireless capacity.

Dish also has a tight Federal Communications Commission deadline to build out that 5G network, needing to cover 70% of the country by 2023.

Ergen already caught flack for pegging the cost of the buildout at only $10 billion.

“Verizon spends $15 billion annually to maintain a network that they’ve already built. The idea that Dish might spend $10 billion (their own estimate on previous conference calls) and then somehow be finished is, well, just silly,” MoffettNathanson principal and senior analyst Craig Moffett wrote.

In his staff-wide memo announcing the job cuts earlier this month, Dish CEO Erik Carlson expressed continued commitment to the infrastructure project. “We are committed to entering the wireless business, bringing full, standalone 5G to America, and delivering unparalleled innovation that will benefit U.S. consumers,” he wrote.

Meanwhile, other analysts aren’t so quick to write off Ergen’s determination.

“Two months of severe market uncertainty doesn’t really alter my view of a company to execute on a three-year plan,” LightShed Partners analyst Walt Piecyk told the Post.

If it fails to meet the 2023 deadline, Dish could face $2 billion in fines and the forfeiture of $12 billion worth of wireless spectrum.

But in a note to investors, Goldman Sachs suggested Dish could use an “act of God” clause to ease that commitment.

In December, while testifying in a Manhattan federal court to Dish’s abilities to replace Sprint as the No. 4 U.S. wireless carrier, Ergen included an interesting hedge in terms of what might prevent Dish from obtaining needed capital.

“Where the markets are today — if we don’t have another 9/11, God forbid — the banks are confident,” Ergen told the packed courtroom. ●

data is also useful for ad targeting. Tubi can help advertisers send addressable messages only to homes that have children in them based on the TransUnion data.

“With identifiers such as third-party cookies on the decline and media consumption changing, alternative identifiers such as home IP address are imperative for building a strong foundation of individual-level identity and reaching consumers on devices like connected TVs,” said Matt Spiegel, executive VP of marketing solutions and media vertical at TransUnion.

Spiegel told Next TV to expect more OTT tie-ups for TransUnion.

— DF and Jon Lafayette

POLICY

Robert McDowell: A COVID-19 Survivor’s Story Former FCC commissioner details his harrowing medical journey

By John Eggerton john.eggerton@futurenet.com @eggerton

W

hen communications attorney Robert McDowell started feeling a little under the weather last month, he chalked it up to seasonal allergies and related bronchitis and got the usual antibiotic from his primary care physician. Then his symptoms worsened.

It wasn’t seasonal allergies.

After a trip to the hospital and back home again, the former FCC commissioner was readmitted with what turned out to be COVID-19-related double pneumonia.

Throughout the arc of his escalating illness he was tweeting occasional status reports that had his many friends in Washington communications circles concerned, then emailing each other with many questions and no answers as his tweets stopped for several days.

His silence was understandable in retrospect.

Still regaining his strength (he lost 12 pounds during the ordeal) and with a slight cough and what he calls a “shipwreck survivor” beard — he declined to provide photographic evidence — a gratefully recovering McDowell talked with Multichannel News in an exclusive interview on those harrowing times and how he eventually made it home. Here’s an edited transcript of that conversation.

T.J. Kirkpatrick/Getty Images

MCN: When did you first notice symptoms?

Robert McDowell: It was March 14. I felt like I had my usual allergy-induced bronchitis, which I get every couple of years. I called my doctor and she put me on Azithromycin [an antibiotic] as usual. I took the normal cold decongestants.

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MCN: Walk us through how this escalated from, ‘oh, this is seasonal allergies’ to making burial arrangements.

RM: I felt OK, like I had bronchitis, but I was totally functional March 14 and 15. On March 16 or 17 I sprouted a mild fever, which, again, isn’t unusual when I have bronchitis. But in the back of my mind I was thinking: ‘I’ve been on antibiotics for three days. This shouldn’t be happening if I am on antibiotics.’ But other than that I felt fine, though a little bit slowed down.

On the 17th, St. Patrick’s Day, my son Multichannel.com

reported that his friend, who had been a houseguest of ours March 6 to 8, had tested positive for COVID. I was grateful to him for getting tested and letting us know. He deserves a gold medal for that.

MCN: And then the light began to dawn?

RM: That prompted me to call my doctor back, Dr. Connie Le. She’s fantastic and a hero in this whole story, big time. She saved my life.

She had me come in — it is now March 18 — and they arranged, after a lot of work over a few hours, to get me tested at an Arlington County Health Department drive-through COVID testing center. [Arlington is one of the Virginia counties with the highest incidence of COVID-19.] It was very difficult to get. It was their first day of operation. I got a throat swab like you get for a strep test.

I got more congested and an increased cough, so I Facetimed Dr. Le on March 20 — at this point we were only seeing each other via Facetime — and she saw something she didn’t like.

MCN: So, this clearly demonstrates the value of telemedicine and connectivity?

RM: Yes, this was the mobile internet. Thank goodness for all those spectrum auctions I helped promote.

So, Dr. Le sees something she doesn’t like on Facetime and says, ‘You’ve got to go to the ER.’ I protested, saying: ‘Look, I feel fine. I just have an increased cough and increased congestion.’

But during the week my temperature had been starting to yo-yo from normal to 103, then back down to 99 and then 101.5, then normal again.

MCN: Were you thinking COVID-19 yet?

RM: Yes, but I’m thinking I don’t need hospitalization.

I’m a healthy 56-year-old, I go to the gym. I run, I don’t have any of those compromising conditions. Technically, I guess I was in denial. But thankfully my doctor had an amazing ability to perceive something over Facetime.

She sent me to the ER just before midnight Friday night the 20th. They took a

What former FCC member Robert McDowell thought was seasonal allergies turned out to be a bout with the coronavirus.

POLICY

chest X-ray and found a spot of pneumonia in my left lung. I have never had pneumonia before. And, that’s kind of serious, so you’re thinking, ‘I’ve got COVID-related pneumonia.’

Remember I’m still not officially diagnosed because the test results aren’t back [they would ultimately confirm it was the virus].

The hospital gave me their own COVID test at that point.

So, they put me in a normal hospital room. I was not yet getting oxygen at this point.

On Sunday, March 22, the doctor in charge, they are called ‘hospitalists,’ who I never saw or met and who did not examine me — he was keeping track of my numbers, my blood oxygen saturation level, heart rate and blood pressure — discharged me. I was happy with that, so I didn’t resist and went home.

On Monday, March 23, I was coughing more and still having a lot of congestion. Dr. Le kept asking me [again via Facetime] if I felt short of breath. I said, ‘Well, I have pneumonia so there are times when I feel a little winded, but I am coughing, too, a lot, so what’s the difference?’

She again saw something she really didn’t like this time and so she called 911. She didn’t tell me or ask me. She just did it, then called my wife to say, ‘be ready in two minutes.’

The amazing Fairfax County EMTs came in all their protective gear, absolutely fabulous, and put me on oxygen right away. I felt better right away. It’s amazing what a little oxygen can do. And off I go to the ER again. They take X-rays again, and I have full-blown double pneumonia and my lungs are filling with fluid.

Meantime, the doctor tells my wife that I have less than a 50% chance of survival.

MCN: Did you feel like someone with less than a 50% chance of survival?

RM: I didn’t feel like a dying man.

Thankfully, I remained conscious and had my wits about me. Jennifer, my wife, probably knew more about my condition than I did at that point. But in the ER, I could see very grim looks on the faces of the doctors. … Then another pulmonologist came in who was very alarmed when she saw that I was on five liters of oxygen. The more oxygen you need, the less well your lungs are functioning as they should to transfer oxygen to your bloodstream.

This is where self-advocacy came into play.

MCN: Did they bring up the possibility of intubation?

RM: Yes, after I was out of the ER and up in my room.

But while I was still in the ER, and to give you some background, in 1992 I was kicked by my horse and

I’m thinking I don’t need hospitalization. I’m a healthy 56-year-old, I go to the gym.

I run, I don’t have any of those compromising conditions.

Technically, I guess I was in denial. severely injured, rupturing my kidneys, liver and a lung — it put a hole in my lung.

This is where I learned, when I was in intensive care back in 1992, that the interplay between your blood oxygen level and the amount of oxygen they are feeding you is a very key indicator of whether or not they are going to intubate you or not.

So while I was still in the ER, I convinced the doctors to turn down my oxygen because nobody took ownership as to why I was at five liters. I said, ‘well, turn me down to three and see what happens. If I turn blue, you can turn it back up,’ which you can do in a second in the ER. I said I am going to try some meditation and prayer and see if I can try to keep it above 90%. It was a gamble. At first they resisted, because I think I was in such a nosedive they didn’t want to take any chances. But I think I was sentient enough, and said it in a constructive, collaborative way — I wasn’t glowering at them — that they tried it. I never needed to go back up to five liters again, because my blood oxygen level remained above 90% [with one brief exception noted below].

To get back to your question, eventually I get to the hospital room. It’s a sealed room where you are all by yourself, right. Nobody is allowed in. Your primary care doctor is not allowed in the building. Family is not allowed in the building. I would advise people to bring your [phone] power cord so you can stay in touch.

They asked, ‘Would you prefer Jell-O or broth?’ I said, ‘Well, I can’t have either because they are both full of MSG and I get migraines from MSG. How about something to eat like just grilled fish?’ They said, ‘No, we need to keep you on a clear diet.’ ‘Why do you need to keep me on a clear diet?’ ‘Because the doctor is preparing to intubate you.’

That is how I found out. And that became a pivotal moment because I knew that if I was headed toward intubation, odds are — statistics are all over the place — but odds are I won’t be coming home.

MCN: How did you react?

RM: That was a moment for me to really kind of rally and keep my oxygen levels up. They were preparing to intubate me and preparing to wheel me up to the ICU. I think I was in a stepped-up, sort of intermediate level, not intensive care but not a regular room.

Robert McDowell (r.) in his FCC days, at a congressional hearing with thenFCC chairman Julius Genachowski.

They had this sort of SWAT team of registered nurses who walked around with backpacks. I don’t know if they were defibrillators or oxygen. But once, when my blood oxygen dipped into the 80s, this big, burly guy with a backpack shows up at my doorway to check on me. We had a pleasant conversation and I got my oxygen level back up then, so he was able to go away.

MCN: You said on Facebook you got the anti-malaria drug that has been much in the news?

RM: Dr. Le was fighting for me to be put on hydroxychloroquine. The hospitalist, Dr. Borgschulte, was also seeing very positive results at the hospital when they administered the drug. I was all for it. They had not changed my medication from March 14 to March 23. I was in a nosedive. When I knew I was possibly going to be intubated, I was preparing my family for my demise and giving burial instructions. Keep in mind that my wife had been told I have a less than 50% chance of survival.

MCN: You had to do this over Facetime?

RM: Yes. MCN: Not to give away the ending, but you got better.

RM: I think the hydroxychloroquine was first administered on the 23rd. That was the only change. I had been on the same antibiotic, Azithromycin, from the 14th to the 23rd, when I was given less than a 50% chance of survival. The antibiotic is meant to prevent a secondary bacterial infection. It doesn’t do anything with the virus.

MCN: What happened next?

RM: The next morning [the 24th], I woke to a very gentle yet strangely powerful finger on my forehead making the sign of the cross. So I said to the priest, ‘Hi, are you giving me the last rites?’ He said, ‘something like that.’ It is unclear whether it was the last rites — the [Catholic] church doesn’t call it that any more — but it was a step above the anointing of the sick. The day before I had asked for a priest, so it wasn’t completely out of the blue.

I also got a call from a priest at the Shrine of

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POLICY

the Immaculate Conception in Washington. It turned out that former FCC commissioner Mike Copps’s wife, Beth, works there and Mike and Beth very sweetly had arranged for a priest from the shrine to call. That was incredibly thoughtful of them. Former commissioner Jonathan Adelstein also texted me to let me know he was praying for me in Hebrew.

But on the 24th, I pulled out of my nosedive and began to stabilize. I was no longer deteriorating, but I wasn’t gaining altitude either.

That took a few days, which is why I was there until April 1.

MCN: You talked in a Facebook post about a rainbow.

RM: I came home April 1 and my son had to help me up one flight of stairs. I had to stop three times to catch my breath. We just rebuilt our house last year and there is this suite next to my office that my wife decided was perfect for COVID isolation. So that evening near sunset, I got a call — that’s how I communicate with my family — to look out my window.

There was a quality to the sunlight that was lighting up the trees in this brilliant, color-rich fashion that I hadn’t seen before. And they said, ‘Look. There’s a rainbow.’ I had to kind of look out the window at a steep angle, and It was a double rainbow. So my son, Griffin, went outside and took a picture.

It was really nice to see that. People can say what they want, believe or not believe whatever they want about it, but it was rather remarkable. I’ve lived on this property for 56 years and I’ve never seen anything like that before. It was very inspirational.

MCN: So, how are you now [this interview was conducted April 8] and how long will you have to self-isolate?

RM: I checked with my doctor and I will have to stay a few more days in solitary confinement out of an abundance of caution. I still have a persistent cough, which you can hear, and the doctor says it could take 10 or 12 weeks before I feel like myself again. [McDowell coughed as though on cue.] I do go outside once a day to stroll around, and even jogged up a steep slope only 72 hours or so after having to stop three times to climb a flight of stairs. I had to prove it to myself. I was totally gassed and my heart was pounding, but I did it. I don’t do that every day. I’m not stupid.

But I do walk around every day to pick up sticks and watch the birds and try to get the lungs expanded and the heart pumping.

And I am doing a little bit of work each day

[McDowell is currently a partner and co-leader of Cooley LLP’s global communications practice in Washington], reviewing documents and doing conference calls. I don’t have much stamina. I get very fatigued, but that is all apparently normal. We don’t know if I have permanent lung damage. It’s a possibility, but we won’t know for weeks or months.

A photo taken by Robert McDowell's son Griffin shows the rainbow family members saw on the evening McDowell returned from the hospital.

MCN: You had tweeted in early March about traveling to New York and eating in a favorite restaurant amid the virus ‘panic.’

In hindsight, those tweets sound like you thought the virus might not be the threat it ultimately was. Was that the case?

RM: I was definitely taking all the precautions that were prescribed at the time [March 8]. So, I wasn’t shaking hands, social distancing, though I don’t think they were saying six feet at that point. I knew there was some risk going to New York. I don’t know if that’s where I caught it. I did have to go through Penn Station. But, yes, in hindsight I should not have gone to New York.

MCN: What would you say now to anyone who thinks that we are overreacting?

RM: We’re not.

MCN: Would you have any issue with the government using your personal info to build a COVID database or tracking your movements as part of a mitigation effort?

RM: I have already arranged for all of my

It seems as if most people aren’t horribly affected by this.

But there is enough data showing that it unexpectedly hits some people you wouldn’t expect to be so vulnerable really hard, and kills them.

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relevant medical information to be used for studies. It depends on what they want, but I would be happy to provide all relevant information that could be helpful. And as soon as I am healthy enough I will be donating plasma in hopes that it can actually save somebody.

MCN: Do you have any other advice from your experience?

RM: You don’t know how it is going to affect you if you are exposed to it. So, on paper this should not have affected me this way — a healthy 56-year-old with no underlying conditions. There is something about my makeup. Maybe it is the type-A blood. One theory is that males with type A are hit harder by this and have a higher mortality rate.

There is some evidence showing that.

It seems as if most people aren’t horribly affected by this. But there is enough data showing that it unexpectedly hits some people you wouldn’t expect to be so vulnerable really hard, and kills them.

My other advice is for people who are symptomatic. For me there were two ‘cliff’ days. My doctor said that day seven, after the onset of symptoms, is a cliff day, meaning that if you are still sick and notice any degradation whatsoever, however slight, in your condition, on day seven go to the hospital. For me that was true. Then day 10 was another cliff day.

The point being, you can think you are just weathering a tough case of the flu for a week or more when in reality what’s happening is your lungs are filling up and you can end up in a tailspin all of a sudden.

Let me say one other thing. Knowing there were hundreds of people, maybe more, praying for me, people from all faiths, gave me a sense of comfort, resolve and strength. It was emotionally overpowering. People were texting me, direct-tweeting me, calling Jennifer. So I want to thank everyone, many people I don’t even know who they are. I felt like George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life. ●

BUSINESS

Broadcasters, Nets Brace For Sports Fee Surge Higher retrans, affiliate fees could cover costs, but may price poor homes out of sports-heavy networks

By Mike Farrell michael.farrell@futurenet.com @MikeFCable

S

ports rights are expected to go higher in the next three years despite pressure from COVID-19, possibly driving increased retransmission-consent fees and pushing poorer homes out of the pay TV bundle.

The National Football League, Major League Baseball and the National Hockey League will have national TV-rights deals up for renewal in the next three years. The National Basketball Association, which suspended its season in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, doesn’t come up for renewal until 2024. Some are trying to find ways to salvage their postponed seasons, such as MLB games in Arizona in empty stadiums. And most are expected to get big increases, according to MoffettNathanson media analyst Michael Nathanson.

The NHL also suspended its regular season in March. The NFL, which doesn’t start its season until September, hasn’t made any decision regarding suspensions, and most are hopeful the lockdowns currently associated with the COVID-19 outbreak will be lifted before then.

A Spike in NFL Rights

So it shouldn’t be any surprise that Nathanson believes the NFL will have the biggest increases in rights fees — as much as 75% for Sunday games aired by the three broadcast networks (NBC, CBS and Fox) when they come up for renewal in 2022, he wrote.

The NFL has renegotiated its collective bargaining agreement with the NFL Players Association, agreeing to increase players’ share of revenue from 47% to a minimum of 48% beginning in 2021. At the same time, the league has increased the number of regularseason games to 17 from 16 and changed its playoff format. The league will now send seven teams to the playoffs, up from the previous six.

The extra games should boost league fees come renewal time. In a separate research report, Barclays Global media analyst Kannan Venkateshwar wrote that rights fees could rise even higher than 75%.

In his note, Venkateshwar said players’ shares reach 48.5% if TV revenue rises by 60% and hit 48.8% if revenue increases by 120%.

“Based on our conversations, the higher 22

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FEES, FI, FO, FUM Broadcast and cable networks should be prepared for big increases in sports-rights fees as deals come up for renewal in the next three years, according to MoffettNathanson.

League Network NHL

Avg. Cost/Yr

NBC Sports

($ in millions) New Contract Start New Avg Cost/Yr.

% Increase

$188

2021

$375

100%

MLB Fox*

$495

2022

$722

46%

ESPN

$700

2022

$1,015

45%

TBS

$325

2022

$471

45%

NFL

ESPN (MNF) $1,900

2022

$2,400

26%

Fox (TNF) $660

2023

$1,060 61%

NBC (SNF) $960

2023

$1,680

75%

Fox (NFC-Sunday)

$1,100

2023

$1,925

75%

CBS (AFC-Sunday)

$1,000

2023

$1,751

75%

*New deal done; SOURCE: MoffettNathanson research

end of this range (+60% to 120%) isn’t too far off from current Street expectations for rights increases when the NFL’s deals come up for renewal in 2021 and 2022,” he wrote.

The question for cable networks and broadcasters is where those fees will come from.

Nathanson believes that with the COVID-19 pandemic pressuring ad sales, programmers — especially smaller ones — will be forced to dip into the retransmission-consent and affiliate-fee well more deeply than ever. “In all, the combination of COVID-19 economic fallout and sharply higher cash payments for sports should pressure free cash flows of the smaller ViacomCBS and Fox forcing them to push for higher retrans and reverse retrans while pressuring their non-sports programming investments,” Nathanson wrote.

ViacomCBS’s sports rights costs would increase from $1.7 billion in 2019 to $2.2 billion (up 30%) in 2024, Nathanson estimated, while affiliate fees (revenue) will rise 75% from $2 billion to $3.5 billion. Fox, which has restructured its business to focus mostly on live news and sports, will see affiliate fees rise 50% from $3.2 billion in 2019 to $4.8 billion, while sports rights costs will increase from $3.3 billion to $4.4 billion (up 33%) by the end of 2024.

Not all of those affiliate-fee increases will be due to sports costs, but Nathanson pointed out that for both large and small programmers, sports accounts for between

Analyst Michael Nathanson (below) wondered if sportsfee hikes would lead to a chain reaction of higher rates and greater sub losses.

60% and 90% of the total affiliate-fee haul.

The analyst wondered if higher sports fees could start a chain reaction: higher retrans fees could mean higher pay TV bills, possibly pushing poorer homes and non-sports watchers out of the bundle and leading to even higher pass-alongs to offset customer declines.

“In the long run, we think this will create a world where the traditional bundle serves only wealthier sports fans while non-sports fans seek OTT options like Netflix, Amazon, Hulu Disney+ and HBO Max,” Nathanson wrote.

At Kagan, a unit of S&P Global Market Intelligence, sports business analyst Adam Gajo said that sharp divide doesn’t yet exist but it could happen, especially as traditional pay TV continues to lose subscribers and streaming services offer more customized packages.

“With the next round of sports rights renewals coming up, the bidders will have to be aware of the market value, and make sure that they are able to pass the sports rights payments through to reach the subscribers,” Gajo said. “If — when — the price for sports continues to go up, with less people paying into it, I think we could get to the point where interested households can’t afford it.” ●

BUSINESS

Debt-Troubled Frontier Hits Reset Chapter 11 filing eases debt, DIP financing to provide capital for network rebuild

of its $11 billion in unsecured bonds on the deal, which is expected to reduce its debt by more than $10 billion. In addition, the company said it has secured about $460 million in debtor-inpossession (DIP) financing, which coupled with its $700 million of cash on hand give it about $1.1 billion in liquidity. Frontier said it filed for Chapter 11 protection with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York on April 14 and will continue to operate normally as it goes through the process.

Frontier expects to emerge from Chapter 11 with about $7.5 billion in debt, considerably less than the $17.5 billion in leverage it had carried previously. The company has admitted it has underinvested in fiber over the years, and in the 10-K it said it would need to invest only about $1.4 billion to build out its network — part of that possibly coming from federal programs — through 2024.

In a presentation to bondholders that was made public last month, Frontier admitted its broadband speeds are lacking compared to competitors, and that only 3 million of the 14 million residences able to access its internet service are passed with fiber. Most of Frontier’s broadband customers have slower speed digital subscriber line service. About 30% of its customers have service with download speeds of 0-12 megabits per second; 35% have download speeds of 13-24 Mbps and only 6% have download speeds of 24 Mbps or higher. The company has managed to survive mainly because in many of its markets it is the only provider.

By Mike Farrell michael.farrell@futurenet.com @MikeFCable

A

bout four years after a major purchase that many believe was the source of most of its problems, Frontier Communications is attempting to solve them through a prepackaged Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing and a debt-for-equity swap that will erase about $10 billion in balance sheet obligations.

Frontier had been expected to file for bankruptcy protection for months. The company, which has about 3.8 million residential customers in 29 states, many in rural areas, has been struggling to make payments on its $17.5 billion debt load, the majority of which is tied to its 2016 purchase of Verizon Communications Fios assets in California, Florida and Texas.

That $10.5 billion deal doubled the size of the small-market carrier, but brought with it a world of operational problems. For weeks after the deal was closed in April 2016, the switchover from Verizon’s network to Frontier’s was riddled with outages and increasingly poor service. Frontier later blamed the spotty transition partly on insufficient customer data supplied by Verizon.

“With this agreement with our bondholders, we can now focus on executing our strategy to drive operational efficiencies and

position our business for long-term growth,” Frontier CEO Bernie Han said in a press release about the bankruptcy filing. “At the same time, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact the entire business community, and our team is focused on ensuring the health and safety of our employees and customers. The services we provide to our customers keep them connected, safe and informed, and I would like to thank our team for their continued dedication, especially in light of the current environment.”

Frontier had been expected to file for bankruptcy for months. The company said late on April 14 that it had reached an agreement with bondholders representing more than 75%

Frontier has struggled with a debt load that has ballooned after several asset purchases, including systems from Verizon in 2016.

The services we provide to our customers keep them connected, safe and informed, and I would like to thank our team for their continued dedication, especially in light of the current environment.

— Bernie Han, CEO, Frontier Communications

With the DIP financing and the planned sale of its systems in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana for $1.352 billion to Northwest Fiber — a deal it agreed to earlier last year — Frontier should have more than enough capital to go through with the rebuild. The Northwest Fiber transaction is slated to close on April 30.

The FCC said it would make sure Frontier continued to fulfill its obligations to keep its customers connected, which has become especially important during the pandemic. “As the company undertakes this process, we expect it to comply with all Commission regulatory obligations,” Kris Monteith, chief of the FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau, said. “We will be vigilant in ensuring both that Frontier’s customers stay connected to vital 911, voice and broadband services and that Frontier continues to put the federal funds it receives through the Connect America Fund and other universal service programs to work for the American people.”

In a statement, the Communications Workers of America, which represents some Frontier employees, hoped that workers would have a voice in the reorganization. “Frontier’s front-line employees have a unique insight into the challenges — and opportunities — that the company faces. Unfortunately, Frontier’s management did not engage with CWA members or leadership as part of their negotiations with creditors, denying their workforce a much-needed voice in the future of the company,” it said. “CWA members expect to have input in the direction of the company as the bankruptcy process goes forward.” ●

Multichannel.com

Mike Mozart/Wikimedia Commons

Fueled for a Rebuild

23

FATES & FORTUNES

People Notable executives on the move BRIEFLY NOTED Other industry execs making moves

26

AT&T

CURIOSITYSTREAM

CURIOSITYSTREAM

DIGITALKITES

Ed Gillespie has joined AT&T as senior executive VP–external and legislative affairs. Most recently with Sard Verbinnen & Co., he was chair of the Republican National Committee from 2003-04.

Jason Eustace has joined Silver Spring, Maryland-based CuriosityStream as chief financial officer. He was head of finance at Bluemercury, Pet360 and Discovery Networks U.S.

CuriosityStream has also tapped Damone Jones as senior VP of corporate and education partnerships. He was senior director of marketing partnerships for MaxPreps at CBS Interactive.

Digital advertising firm DigitalKites has added Amit Lall as senior VP, partnerships, leading its Audience Prime Partnerships team. He was VP, digital, at media agency OMD.

MEREDITH

PBS

RAINE GROUP

SNAP

Broadcaster Meredith has named James (JD) Sosnoff as VP and general manager at KMOV St. Louis, succeeding the retiring Mike Murphy. He had been the CBS affiliate’s director of sales.

Tina Sharkey was named to the board of directors of PBS. A veteran media and commerce executive for more than 20 years, she was co-founder and CEO of Brandless.

The Raine Group, a global merchant bank focused on technology, media and telecommunications, has added David Levy as a senior adviser. Levy is the former president of Turner.

Peter Naylor has joined Snap as VP, Americas, responsible for driving growth in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. He had been senior VP and head of advertising sales at Hulu.

SNAP

STARZ

WARNER BROS.

WARNERMEDIA

Also at Snap, Kelly Coffey was named to the company’s board of directors. Coffey is the CEO of City National Bank, a subsidiary of the Royal Bank of Canada.

Alison Hoffman advanced to Santa Monica, Californiabased president, domestic networks, at Starz, responsible for domestic networks operation. She had been chief marketing officer.

Tom Ascheim has joined Warner Bros. as president of Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics, leading global strategy for Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and Boomerang.

He was president of Freeform.

Jason Kilar has been named CEO at WarnerMedia. The founding CEO of Hulu and a former Amazon executive, Kilar most recently was co-founder and CEO of streaming service Vessel.

Multichannel.com

Nexstar Broadcasting has promoted John Lewis to VP and general manager of CBS affiliate WNCN Raleigh, North Carolina, CBS17.com and related social media channels. He had been VP and GM of Nexstar’s WNCT Greenville, North Carolina. … The Paley Center for Media added three members to its board of trustees: Eddy Cue, senior VP, internet software & services, Apple; former Major League Baseball player Alex Rodriguez; and Andrew Wilson, CEO, Electronic Arts. It also added three to its Los Angeles Board of Governors: Charles D. King, founder/CEO, Macro; Keith Le Goy, president, worldwide networks & distribution, Sony Pictures Television; and Michelle Sneed, president of production and development, Tyler Perry Studios. Finally, Paley trustee Shari Redstone, chair of ViacomCBS, was named to the board of trustees’ executive committee. … Heather Ace has joined Qualcomm in San Diego as executive VP of human resources.

She comes from medical device company Dexcom. … Chad Conklin was named general manager of Sinclair Broadcast Group’s Seattle properties, including TV stations KOMO and KUNS. He was GM of Sinclair’s WSMH Flint, Michigan.

FATES: OBITUARY

RAFAEL ELI, HISPANIC MARKETER, SOCCER SPECIALIST, DIES OF COVID-19 PNEUMONIA Was partner and COO of Schramm Marketing Group, co-producer of Hispanic TV Summit

MCN Staff

R

afael Eli, partner and chief operating officer at New York based Schramm Marketing Group, lost his five-week battle with coronavirus pneumonia and died Thursday (April 16). He contracted the virus in mid-March and for the prior 18 days had been under the care of the dedicated medical team at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. He was 68 years old.

Eli was known in business as a specialist in the areas of Hispanic marketing, sponsorship sales and international soccer promotion. His business partner and close friend of 30 years, Joe Schramm, said: “Rafael was proud of his active role in promoting sold-out international soccer events featuring world-class soccer teams at great venues like Giants Stadium, MetLife Stadium and Citi Field.”

Eli is familiar to those within the Hispanic TV, digital, print and radio communities and has been the behind-the-scenes co-producer of the annual Hispanic Television Summit for the past 18 years. The summit is presented annually by Future’s television industry magazines, Broadcasting+Cable and Multichannel News. Eli often influenced the selection of the summit’s award recipients, notably Hispanic TV talent and celebrities with whom he had a personal relationship, including talk-show host Cristina Saralegui, sportscaster Andrés Cantor, news anchors José Díaz Balart and Jorge Ramos.

Ten years ago, Eli leveraged his relationships with noted on-air personalities to successfully conduct a pro bono, Spanishlanguage, mass-media campaign to encourage organ donation on behalf of website Matchingdonors.com. Eli benefited personally from this campaign when he became the recipient of a kidney from a live donor.

Hispanic Marketing Vet

Prior to becoming a partner at Schramm, Rafael Eli was employed in content distribution sales for ABC Radio, and earlier in Hispanic marketing for AT&T. He made lifelong friends with coworkers and with many in the Hispanic media and advertising industries. While at AT&T, he played a role in helping the company initiate its sponsorships of televised boxing championship bouts featuring gold medalist Oscar De La Hoya and of Major League Soccer (MLS). “Rafael was especially excited to represent AT&T at the soccer league’s launch event in New York City by making a speech in both English and Spanish,” Schramm said. “It was an opportunity for him to emphasize that soccer is a sport inclusive of all Americans.”

Eli was a member of the New York chapter board of directors of the American Jewish Committee (AJC) and was proud of a special event that he orchestrated at the New-York Historical Society that partnered an exhibit from Mexico with the Mexican consul in New York and had the support of AJC. Rafael Eli was born in Havana, Cuba, on Feb. 20, 1952. In the early 1960s, at age 10, he migrated with his parents and sister first to Beverly, Massachusetts, then Brooklyn, New York, and ultimately settled in San Juan, Puerto Rico. At age 18, he moved to the New York metro area to attend Rutgers University in New Jersey, and later earned an MBA from Fordham University.

He remained a loyal New Yorker ever since. He enjoyed summer days on Fire Island, scanning through old books at the Strand Bookstore, learning foreign languages, exploring historical sites, sharing facts about Jewish culture and stories of his childhood in Havana, attending movies, writing fiction in Spanish, Broadway, spiritual journeys, personal

Rafael Eli (above left, with longtime business partner Joe Schramm) was a fixture in the Hispanic TV community.

development and photography.

Schramm said: “What Rafael enjoyed most was being with others. He stayed in communication with many people he met through business, volunteerism, family or his personal interests. As a result, Rafael Eli is a man with many friends.”

Eli leaves a sister, Myriam Eli; a brother-inlaw, Joe Zeytoonian of Margate, Florida; and many relatives in his native Cuba, Florida, New York, Israel and Spain. Rafael is also an “official” member of the Schramm family.

In closing, Schramm said: “Rafael is a loyal and beloved friend. He would treat others with kindness, conduct business with integrity, mentored our staff, and he believed in me and what we could accomplish together. I recognize that close friendships like this are rare in life.”

Burial will be in Florida and is limited to a small gathering due to the restrictions of the current pandemic. A memorial service to celebrate his life will be planned for a future date in New York City.

Condolences may be sent to his sister Myriam Eli at 3210 Holiday Springs Blvd.

307, Margate, FL 33603 or email at myriam@harmonicmotion.org and to Joe Schramm at his home, 222 Ocean Avenue, Northport, NY 11768 or by email to jschramm@ schrammnyc.com.

Contributions may be made in his name to Matchingdonors.com at ceo@matchingdonors. com or to the New York chapter of the American Jewish Committee (AJC) at newyork@ajc.org or (212) 891-1443. ●

Multichannel.com

27

DATA MINE

Data provided by

Ad Meter Who’s spending what where

PROMO MOJO Our exclusive weekly ranking of the programming that networks are promoting most heavily (April 6-12)

BIG SPENDERS

MOST-SEEN TV ADS

Brands ranked by the greatest increase in TV spend (April 6-12)

Brands ranked

by TV ad impressions (April 6-12)

1 American Red Cross

1

Spend Increase:

CDC

▲ 311%

$5.8M

Est. TV Spend:

Attention Score:

Top Network:

NBC

Top Show: ABC World News Tonight

Liberty Mutual ▲ 265%

$5.6M

Est. TV Spend: Spend Within Industry: Top Network:

16%

Discovery

3

Spend Increase:

1. Celebrity IOU, HGTV

Est. Media Value: $2,349,505

2. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,

HGTV

Estimated media value of in-network promos On the strength of 577.6 million TV ad impressions, a promo for HGTV’s Property Brothers spinoff Celebrity IOU tops the chart, moving up from third place last time. ABC grabs second place to hype Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and fifth place for The Bachelor: Listen to Your Heart. Meanwhile, CNN promos for its podcast Coronavirus: Fact vs. Fiction finish in third place, and fourth place goes to Fox News Channel using its on-air talent to deliver a “stay safe” PSA. Notably, the CNN promo earns the highest iSpot Attention Index (139) in our ranking, getting 39% fewer interruptions than the average promo (interruptions include changing the channel, pulling up the guide, fast-forwarding or turning off the TV).

28

Multichannel.com

TV Ad Impressions Est. Media Value

ABC TV Ad Impressions Est. Media Value

577,604,183 $2,349,505

382,999,639 $4,261,024

3. Coronavirus: Fact vs. Fiction podcast, CNN TV Ad Impressions Est. Media Value

347,694,325 $891,282

4. Coronavirus coverage, Fox News TV Ad Impressions Est. Media Value

331,442,257 $443,346

5. The Bachelor: Listen to Your Heart, ABC TV Ad Impressions Est. Media Value

288,561,134 $3,604,553

Est. TV Spend:

TV Ad Impressions:

1.3B

Est. TV Spend:

$9.4M

Attention Score:

91.84

Top Show:

NBC Nightly News

3

Noom

Total TV ad impressions within all U.S. households, including national linear (live and time-shifted), VOD plus OTT and local

89.33

2

Spend Increase:

TOP 5 PROMOTIONS

$11.8M

51%

Lexus

TV Ad Impressions: 577,604,183

Est. TV Spend:

1.4B

Spend Within Industry:

2

Celebrity IOU, HGTV

TV Ad Impressions:

GEICO ▲ 212%

$3.1M

TV Ad Impressions: Est. TV Spend:

1.2B $16.1M

Spend Within Industry:

48%

Attention Score:

Top Network:

NBC

Top Show: Good Morning America

4

4

Honda Spend Increase: Est. TV Spend: Spend Within Industry: Top Network:

94.77

U.S. Census Bureau ▲ 171%

$4.2M 12% HGTV

5 Entyvio

TV Ad Impressions:

1.1B

Est. TV Spend:

$8.4M

Attention Score:

96.03

Top Show: ABC World News Tonight

5

Progressive

Spend Increase:

▲ 89%

TV Ad Impressions:

Est. TV Spend:

$2.2M

Est. TV Spend:

Spend Within Industry:

28%

Attention Score:

Top Network:

CBS

Top Show:

1B $13.7M 93.55 Friends

DATA MINE

PANDEMIC LEADS TO UPTICK IN PASSWORD SHARING A NEW STUDY OF 2,000 AMERICANS with access to streaming services has found that 42% of them have either shared or received passwords since COVID-19 social distancing started in mid-March.

The survey, conducted by OnePoll on behalf of ad-supported streaming service Tubi, implies that this sharing most commonly occurs with romantic partners, with 54% of password sharers identifying that as the relationship wherein digit-swapping occurs. “Friend” (53%) and

MCN’S MOST VIEWED

“sibling” (42%) were other popular categories.

In fact, mere “acquaintances” registered ninth on the list of most popular people to share a password with (17%).

All of this password-sharing is coming as viewers, stuck at home with family members and roommates, stream on average eight hours of video a day, according to the survey. — Daniel Frankel For more stories on the streaming space, go to nexttv.com.

TOP PEOPLE TO SHARE STREAMING PASSWORDS WITH 60

Top stories on multichannel.com, April 6-16 1. AT&T Offers Free Cell Service to Doctors, Nurses 2. Fox News Leads News Domination of Weekly Cable Ratings 3. Robert McDowell: A COVID-19 Survivor’s Story 4. Trump Threatens to Adjourn Congress and Make Recess Appointments 5. BET, REVOLT TV Set COVID-19 Themed Specials To read these stories, go to multichannel.com/April20.

40

20

0

Partner 54%

Friend 53%

Sibling 42%

Mother 31%

Father 29%

Cousin Co-worker 29% 22%

SOURCE: OnePoll on behalf of Tubi

Aunt/ Uncle 20%

Acquaintance 17%

Grandparent 14%

Someone Else 12%

Ratings Rank

Telecast (Week Ending April 5)

Network

Stickiness Index*

1

77

The Walking Dead

AMC

153

2

58

You're Bacon Me Crazy

Hallmark Channel

153

3

89

Ruby Herring Mysteries: Prediction Murder

Hallmark Movies

148

4

49

90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days

TLC

147

5

51

The Curse of Oak Island

History

141

6

580

La Rosa de Guadalupe

Galavisión

140

7

84

Love & Hip Hop Atlanta

VH1

138

8

234

Mommy is a Murderer

Lifetime

138

9

92

When Hope Calls

Hallmark Channel

137

10

87

Love & Hip Hop Miami

VH1

135

Stickiness Rank

Getty Images; Jace Downs/AMC

STICKIEST SHOWS Top 10 broadcast programs ranked by viewer engagement

* TV Engagement ratings powered by Comscore’s TV Essentials. (Sorted by social media activity.)

Multichannel.com

29

DATA MINE

STICKIEST SHOWS Top 10 broadcast programs ranked by viewer engagement Ratings Rank

Telecast (Week Ending April 5)

Network

Stickiness Index*

1

80

Amor Eterno

Univision

147

2

7

Hawaii Five-O

CBS

143

3

5

FBI

CBS

142

4

2

NCIS

CBS

141

5

4

The Voice

NBC

140

6

10

Blue Bloods

CBS

140

7

76

Pequeños Gigantes

Univision

140

8

23

Grey's Anatomy

ABC

136

9

96

Exatlón Estados Unidos

Telemundo

135

10

12

FBI: Most Wanted

CBS

132

Stickiness Rank

Hawaii Five-O

* TV Engagement ratings powered by Comscore’s TV Essentials. (Sorted by social media activity.)

THE WEEK OF APRIL 6-12 TV Time users track the shows they're watching on TV via the TV Time app.

That data is then used to determine the most-binged shows of the week.

1

Money Heist

Share of binges: 9.24%

2

Grey’s Anatomy

Share of binges: 1.74%

3

Friends

Share of binges: 1.71%

4

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Share of binges: 1.69%

5

Elite

Share of binges: 1.53%

6

The Office

Share of binges: 1.28%

7

Community

Share of binges: 1.23%

8

The Walking Dead

Share of binges: 1.20%

3. AT&T, DirecTV Set to Be Hit Hard by COVID-19 Recession: Analyst

9

Ozark

Share of binges: 1.13%

4. Tough First Day? Quibi Generates Only 300K App Downloads, Gets Battered by Critics

How I Met Your Mother

Share of binges: 1.04%

5. Apple TV Plus: Nearly Six Months in, Is Anybody Watching?

LAST WEEK: 1

LAST WEEK: 5

LAST WEEK: 4

LAST WEEK: 3

LAST WEEK: 2

LAST WEEK: 8

LAST WEEK: —

Karen Neal/CBS; Merie W. Wallace/HBO

LAST WEEK: 7

30

LAST WEEK: 6

10

LAST WEEK: 10

To receive "The Binge Report" and otherTV Time reports, visit https://www.whipmedia.com/subscribe/

Multichannel.com

HBO's Insecure

NEXT TV’S MOST VIEWED Top stories on nexttv.com, April 6-16 1. AT&T TV, DirecTV Add Free Year of HBO 2. AT&T Stops Selling U-verse TV

To read these stories, go to nexttv.com.

Data provided by

DATA MINE

Ad Tracker: Watchful Eye Overall TV viewing grows as more Americans stay home To understand which brands are most active on TV, 4C uses Teletrax ad occurrence data from Kinetiq, covering more than 1,300 U.S. channels in all 210 DMAs. Advertisers are ranked monthly according to total ad minutes aired in each category in March, compared to the prior month.

Broadcast Primetime RANKED ADVERTISER

TOTAL AD MINS

# OF SPOTS

CHANGE M/M

CHANGE Y/Y

PREV. RANK

1. Geico

181

375

10% ▲

12% ▼

2

2. Nissan

165

357

24% ▲

30% ▲

3

3. Ford

155

328

31% ▲

44% ▲

4

4. Chevrolet

142

282

59% ▲

22% ▲

7

5. Toyota

125

300

27% ▼

31% ▲

1

6. Samsung

124

250

154% ▲

10% ▼

7. Progressive

122

245

38% ▲

11% ▲

8. Hyundai

113

251

47% ▲

194% ▲

9. Humira

110

110

4% ▲

-4% ▼

5

10. Facebook

104

155

13% ▲

N/A

6

CHANGE Y/Y

PREV. RANK

9

Cable Primetime RANKED ADVERTISER

TOTAL AD MINS

# OF SPOTS

CHANGE M/M

1. Geico

3,641

7,415

3% ▲

2% ▲

1

2. Domino's

2,528

8,264

4% ▲

94%▲

2

3. Liberty Mutual

1,688

4,650

2% ▲

6% ▲

3

4. Progressive

1,353

2,722

3% ▲

33% ▼

5

5. T-Mobile

1,348

3,051

25% ▲

20% ▲

8

6. Humira

1,226

1,229

0% ▲

12%

6

7. State Farm

1,215

3,039

32% ▲

8. Descovy

1,170

780

32% ▲

N/A

9. Copper Fit

1,066

711

75% ▲

88% ▲

10. Wendy's

1,054

3,470

46% ▲

99% ▲

▼

60% ▲

Multichannel.com

31

VIEWPOINT

ously. Otherwise, the NFL will find itself with a massive group of frustrated sports fans.

There is an especially big opportunity this year for live-streaming providers to deliver more than just a real-time experience. Platforms must rethink what it means to “watch” sports in an environment where fans will be watching alone and integrate further opportunities for interactivity, which will drive engagement.

In order to improve the viewing experience and keep fans engaged for longer periods, providers should integrate interactive features and tools to reshape that experience — taking it from just one viewer sitting at home alone to others across the country in real time. This can be done through features such as live chats, in which fans can share their thoughts on a particular team’s draft pick, or live polls via social media to ask viewers to predict who the next player selected will be.

Integrating interactive features into realtime live streaming heightens the social aspect and makes watching much more enjoyable as viewers can share the moment with others remotely — call it the “social living room.” But this is only possible if streaming technology is delivered in real time and in sync so everyone can watch at the same time. If a viewer in New York is 15 seconds ahead of their friend in Kansas City, that could be all the time needed to spoil who the Giants will be taking during the first round.

By Jed Corenthal, Phenix @phenixrts

For NFL Draft, Live Streaming Is on the Clock Real-time performance is key as football’s annual rite goes remote

Now imagine how severe these delays can be when the NFL must integrate live video from all 32 team headquarters for the draft. If the streaming tech isn’t up to par and the stream is delayed, fans will miss the exact moment when their team’s pick is revealed and draftees will miss the exciting moment they have always waited for when their name is called by the commissioner.

Ahead of a sporting event that is an integral part of the NFL tradition and prides itself in creating major lifetime moments, it’s vital for streaming services to find this tech sweet spot and ensure they’re able to minimize delays and support an influx of online viewers simultane-

ESPN; Getty Images

T

o say it’s a surreal time in the sports world is an understatement. With the majority of sports cancelled or on hiatus for the foreseeable future, it’s uncharted territory for owners, leagues, players, broadcasters and especially fans.

The 2020 NFL Draft on April 23 is no exception to this new reality, and the league has needed to make drastic changes. Moving from glitzy Las Vegas to a remote TV studio without eager, excited fans — not to mention without the NFL hopefuls who have been anticipating the moment when their name is called out and they shake hands with the commissioner — will reshape how we watch and consume sports in this new environment.

The draft is expected to have a surge of sports-deprived fans tuning in live, as it’s one of the only sports-related events yet to be canceled. The technology providers livestreaming the event need to deliver a seamless, synchronized and latency-free real-time viewing experience, or they will see a flood of complaints across social media.

The platforms that are able to deliver a topnotch experience will not only win over fans, but will also have a plethora of new opportunities to increase the bottom line.

The live streaming of sporting events is too often associated with latency and a lack of bandwidth to support large audiences due to inadequate tech solutions. Viewers who live-stream sports have come to expect to see a tweet about a touchdown before it actually plays out on their own screen.

During this year’s Super Bowl, fans streaming online experienced delays anywhere from 45 seconds to 55 seconds, leaving many viewers frustrated as big moments were spoiled.

Platforms must rethink what it means to ‘watch’ sports in an environment where fans will be watching alone and integrate further opportunities for interactivity, which will drive engagement.

32

Multichannel.com

Hurdles to Clear

Better Streaming, More Revenue

Jed Corenthal is chief marketing officer at Phenix, a Chicagobased streaming technology company.

By 2024, it’s expected that 91 million consumers will use live video streaming, giving brands and advertisers a newer way to reach their audience as well as creating a massive opportunity for them to increase revenue through better streaming technology.

As more viewers cut the cord and move to streaming platforms to watch sporting events, the opportunities continue to grow for providers. Yet the increased revenue potential can only be achieved by consistently providing an ability to successfully deliver top-notch, interactive, real-time streaming experiences. The live stream of this year’s NFL draft, which is expected to garner a huge audience, is an opportune chance for providers to capitalize on this.

Brands must prioritize their streaming solutions to ensure they are not only latencyfree, but also engaging and interactive viewing experiences for fans. Those able to do this will be able to increase their bottom line and move into the next threshold of sports entertainment. ●

VIEWPOINT

Kelly Abcarian, Nielsen @kellyabcarian

My New Co-Workers Are A Cure for COVID Fatigue Some rules for working from home

M

y co-workers look very different these days. I’m sure yours do as well. My daughters, 8 and 13 years old, and husband and I have been on lockdown in Chicago since early March. The last time I spent this much time with people in their demographics was when I was in grade school.

Instead of back-to-back meetings, client lunches and strategy meetings exclusively, I now look at my “office mates” and see my 8-year-old daughter working on adding and subtracting (I’ll teach her the finer points about ACR and real-time ad decisioning soon, I'll bet). She’s at the kitchen counter in what truly is an open office plan.

The other vertical in this space are my two 160-pound dogs, snoring very loudly as I try to lead my Nielsen Advanced Video Advertising team through this new way to work. As much as I try to create a daily routine for all of us, I have had to let go of a time schedule with my kids and focus more on what needs to get done.

This is a new normal that none of us could have ever predicted or prepared for. So, how do we manage it all? On the eLearning front, here are some tips that worked in my home: Don’t Expect Perfection: Focus on a daily routine of what needs to be accomplished versus a timed schedule. By creating a list of goals daily, setting aside 10 to 15 minutes to get the morning going and an afternoon daily wrapup, you and your child can share in the list of accomplishments you have both achieved and hold each other accountable. Kids love to help enforce the rules!

Establish Some Routine: Make it clear to your children when you need to do your work and when they need to do their own work. I know this can be much more challenging for those with younger kids, but during those times, have them engage in reading a book or listening to a podcast to inspire more scientific thinking and innovative tinkering at home, “Wow in the World” is a great resource for this.

Don’t Forget Breaks Are Important: Your kids don’t need to finish all of their learning in one setting. Balance activities to make sure kids have breaks. And just as important for your own sanity, schedule in work breaks so you and your kids can have some time to unwind. I understand some countries and cities have rules on being outdoors, but if you are able to take a walk in your neighborhood or go on a bike ride, it can be very beneficial. This is a great way to remove your own anxiety and stress this new “WFH” environment is likely creating for you as well.

Don’t worry, there is no 9 to 5 or typical school day anymore!

Bring Fun Into eLearning: Find ways to encourage their creativity and thinking, one thing we have done at my house is to allow my kids to use our front glass door like a dry-erase board, our girls list their goals for the day or my youngest has had fun writing out her math problems and solving them with her sister’s help. Think of ways you can create a safe and fun environment for them — this will only encourage them to want to lean in as well.

Kelly Abcarian, general manager of Nielsen Advanced Video Advertising Group, will be speaking on a panel about addressable advertising during Future’s Advanced Advertising Summit April 20-24.

As much as I try to create a daily routine for all of us, I have had to let go of a time schedule with my kids and focus more on what needs to get done.

Kids Are Social Creatures: Don’t forget that your kids need social interaction and space away from us to develop and grow. For younger kids, schedule virtual playdates where maybe they can play a board game or card game over Facetime or watch a kid’s movie together with their friends. For the older kids, allow them to do virtual hangouts with their friends over their social media platform of choice. Make sure they are staying in touch with friends, this is just as important as you staying in touch and connected as well.

So, when you find yourself feeling overwhelmed managing your new “WFH” reality, take a step back. Reach out to your friends and colleagues and ask them for advice or help, as likely they are feeling the same stress too.

By all of us being more vulnerable, the level of trust we will have as a Nielsen business will continue to go higher as we are humanized to all of the people around us. In the end, just remember, we are all learning some very valuable lessons together on how to weather a crisis and come out on the other side stronger, and this may be the most important lesson your kids will ever learn as well.

The irony is a global pandemic might have moved co-workers apart, but when this is all over and done with, I think we’ll be a lot closer as colleagues and recapture the true insurgents in all of us. ●

Multichannel.com

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THE FIVE SPOT

Sally Woodward Gentle Executive Producer, ‘Killing Eve’ Buzzy hit’s staff scrambled to ready new season for homebound viewers

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eason three of buzzy drama Killing Eve launched April 12 on BBC America and AMC. The premiere was initially slated for April 26, but the networks moved it up, with Sarah Barnett, president of AMC Networks Entertainment Group, saying “we know how keen people are for great content right now.”

With Phoebe Waller-Bridge as an executive producer, Killing Eve was nominated for the best drama Emmy last year. Season three sees Villanelle, the assassin played by Jodie Comer, and Eve, the former MI6 operative, trying to work past their obsession with each other.

Executive producer Sally Woodward Gentle spoke with Multichannel News senior content producer Michael Malone in late March about the new season, and how the show has made its mark on pop culture. An edited transcript follows.

How has coronavirus complicated things for Killing Eve? The premiere parties haven’t happened. None of the events have happened. They were all meant to happen in New York last week, and some were on hand for April, which aren’t going to happen.

Luckily, we were not filming. We’re in post. I’ve never encountered people working so hard and with such dedication to get

Des Willie/BBC America

Sally Woodward Gentle said it was a stressful scramble to get the new season of Killing Eve ready for fans.

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something out. It’s extraordinary. I know television isn’t saving lives, but it’s been quite stressful!

Are you surprised by the impact the show has made on pop culture? It’s always surprised me. You always set out to make something that’s good, something that feels original. We’ve always had such strong backing from Sarah Barnett and Nena [Rodrigue, former BBC America executive VP of programming and production] and Gina [Mingacci, former senior VP at BBC America] to really just go for it. I think we all thought it might fly in under the radar — that we’d all love it and it might have a small but passionate audience. We had no idea it would become as popular as it is.

What about the show sets it apart?

I really don’t know. It doesn’t pretend to be anything other than something that’s really entertaining. Yet it’s got real attitude about it and that started off when Phoebe wrote that first season. She really was engaged by the genre nature of it, as well as the fact that it had women at its core. I don’t think we ever set out to be radical. We just wrote what felt exciting and appropriate and truthful.

Do most viewers connect with Eve or with Villanelle? I think everybody would

BONUS FIVE TV shows in your queue? I’m trying to find Succession to finish it as my husband finished it on a flight (remember those?) without me.

All-time top TV shows? Brideshead Revisited, Girls, Succession, Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Destination on your bucket list? If it wasn’t unenvironmentally sound I’d love to visit orangutans. If not, I’m a home girl and am happiest in West Penwith, Cornwall.

Book on your nightstand?

Daphne du Maurier’s Vanishing Cornwall.

Favorite podcast?

Rather partial to Off Menu.

really like to be Villanelle. They’d like to wake up every morning and not feel fear and see how liberating that is. She just seems to have so much more fun than Eve. What we really wanted to do with Eve is for her to discover, or rediscover, the brilliance that she had when she was a younger person.

All of that sense of opportunity that for most of us gets bashed out of us through disappointment and poor choices — to have that opportunity to rediscover your brilliance is something we wanted to look at with Eve. Phoebe is being pulled in a million directions. What does she bring to the show these days? She’s always there. She’s always incredibly supporting to the writers if they need a touchstone. Maybe they’re struggling with a certain relationship or how Villanelle would respond or what Eve might do, and she’s there on the end of the phone if they ever need it. ●

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