☀️NBCU Ad chief out 3 days before Upfronts; Q1 Cable TV bundle melt rate pops +50%
Ava DuVernay & WBTV part ways / Podcasting Ad Revenue growth slows in 2022 / BET+ reports numbers
Mornin! This is Sean McNulty (connect here on LINKED-IN if ya like) and here’s the Hollywood + Media news to know on FRIDAY May 12, 2023.
Where… does anyone know how a floorplan looks on a strike sign?
Well maybe we could work on it over our Friday Morning Coffee ☕️ at Rupert Murdoch’s new $35 Million NYC Central Park South bachelor pad. Now… do we drink it on the 46ft terrace, or in the 28ft x 19ft bedroom?
AND: SUNDANCE will be Jan 18 to 28 next year in case you want to get that condo with the good hot tub now. NETFLIX can you wait until the week of Jan 22 to do your Earnings call this time so I can go?
ALSO: If you fly DELTA 🙋♂️, you can now watch PAR+ for free (well, depending if your plane is one with the upgraded entertainment tech or not). Take that private jets!
THEN: Country star Jimmie Allen has been sued for Assault & Sexual Abuse by a member of his former management team, with several very serious allegations in the suit, according to Variety.
Allen says he had a 2-year consensual sexual relationship with the manager, and that she is retaliating with the suit since the relationship ended.
Allen and his wife separated last month, and are expecting a 3rd child together.
Allen’s music label has suspended all business with him effective immediately, but his agency UTA had yet to comment as of last night.
PLUS:
While I initially put the odds of this just being Elon in a Mrs. Doubtfire getup at about 30/70, the WSJ’s report that it looks like the mystery “she” is NBCU Ad head Linda Yaccarino was confirmed this morning.
Linda is leaving NBCU immediately, and Mark Marshall was promoted to interim Head of Global Advertising & Partnerships, reporting into Mark Lazarus, Chairman of NBCU.
So yeah, that Upfront on… Monday morning 🤯 just went up a notch, and welcome to working with Elon Musk.
BTW: HBO got the North American rights to the Elon doc that Alex Gibney has been doing on him, called Unvarnished.
WAKEUP BOX OFFICE POLL RESULTS
Very close this week… with 55% of you taking under $9 Million on the Book Club sequel, and 45% of you clearly buying tickets for mom and taking the over.
Either way - a happy Mother’s Day to my mom ❤️🤗! And no the emojis are not counting as my gift.
IN TODAY’S EDITION:
DISNEY and PARAMOUNT layoff moves supported by the rate of Cable TV bundle melt in Q1 - a look at the numbers.
NEWS CORP WSJ subs increase, but Ad Revenue takes sizable Q1 hit.
Judge throws wrench in PHOENIX SUNS new TV deal.
Ava DuVernay leaves WBTV after 5 years.
BET+ reveals streaming numbers, and new Ad-Tier.
Podcast Ad Revenue growth rate takes a hit in 2022.
NBCU sets OLYMPICS streaming and TV coverage next Summer, including a much bigger linear TV role for NBC.
The weekend preview of new Movies & TV shows to watch, and more.
AND: The NFL Team Schedules for the 2023 Season are set. CHIEFS vs. LIONS kicks things off Thu Sept 7 (same day as TIFF kickoff), and the GIANTS and COWBOYS are both finally good enough again to be in the first Sunday night game on NBC.
OH! The folks at CNBC invited me on yesterday to talk about where Studios will find growth in the eyes of Wall Street going forward, now that the great Subscriber race is seemingly over (at least in being rewarded for it by the Street).
🪧 STRIKE UPDATES
The INEVITABLE Foundation has set up grants for disabled writers affected by the strike.
Elaine Low had a #goodread in her daily strike news roundup over at Strikegeist, looking at love on the picket lines. (as always, it’s free to read).