RECAP
Chuck Todd’s Show Moved From MSNBC To NBC News Now
Was it a demotion, or was it a promotion? Depending on how you look at it, it could be both. Chuck Todd’s political show Meet The Press Daily is being moved from the confines of cable TV and MSNBC to the streaming platform NBC News Now. As a result of the move, the show will be rechristened Meet the Press NOW and will air at 4 pm ET beginning in early June. Chris Jansing takes over his old slot. Why could this move be considered a demotion? Cable news is where the power, prestige, and money currently reside in the news business, and Todd loses an important perch from that perspective. He still anchors the Sunday show, so his influence is not lost. Why could this be a promotion? NBC News Now has just gotten its biggest name, and this could lure even more eyeballs to the streaming service and puts it in a better position as the go-to news streaming service, and gives Todd additional star power. (The Los Angeles Times)
CNN Is Looking For Ways To Keep Its CNN Plus Stars
Now that CNN Plus has been canceled, the cable news giant is looking for ways to keep some of its high-profile stars. Chris Wallace, Kasie Hunt, and Audie Cornish are some of the key talent that CNN would like to retain. They all took a massive gamble by joining the streaming service, and now they don’t have any shows. CNN’s new CEO, Chris Licht, has said he would like to keep them, and there is a report that Wallace may be headed over to HBO Max, where he could continue hosting his show. Hunt has already been making frequent appearances on CNN, and Cornish is set to launch a podcast show on CNN Audio. (Variety, Puck News/Twitter)
Sinclair Announces Pricing Plan For Its Streaming Service
Another streaming service is set to be attached with the plus sign as the Sinclair Broadcasting Group revealed this past week that its direct-to-consumer (DTC) service shall be known as Bally Sports Plus. Sinclair announced that it will be priced at $19.99 per month and will have a soft launch this quarter featuring five MLB teams (Detroit, Kansas City, Miami, Milwaukee, and Tampa) that they own the streaming rights for. The service will launch properly in the fall when its NBA and NHL rights kick in. Compared to the general entertainment streaming services, $19.99 seems pricey, but when compared with other sports-centric streaming services such as NBA League Pass and MLB.TV, the price point seems like a deal. (The Streamable)
QUICK RECAP
ESPN reaches a multi-year extension with David Pasch. (The Big Lead)
Randy Freer is named board chair for the Diamond Sports Group. (Next TV)
ABC News president Kim Godwin tests positive for COVID-19. (Oliver Darcy/Twitter)
NBC News’ Savannah Guthrie tests positive for COVID-19 again. (TVNewser)
ABC News’ Jonathan Karl tests positive for COVID-19. (Politico)
The Weather Channel launches a DTC service. (The Streamable)
Simone Sanders’ describes what her show on MSNBC will be like. (The Hollywood Reporter)
Netflix’s shaky performance is causing the other streaming services to rethink their strategy. (Los Angeles Times)
NBC Sports’ Mike Tirico begins his busy schedule. (Associated Press)
Netflix opens an Italian office. (Deadline)
CBS employees decry harsh working conditions. (New York Post)
Joe Buck will make his ESPN debut calling golf. (Awful Announcing)
Does Hulu have a comedy problem? (The Ankler)
Check out what Chuck Todd’s and Chris Jansing’s shows will look like on NBC News Now and MSNBC. (NewscastStudio)
Netflix could lose money with a password-sharing fee. (Next TV)
CBS News’ Norah O’Donnell earns the National Press’ Taishoff Award. (TVNewser)
CNN’s new CEO, Chris Licht, hosts his first town hall. (New York Times)
Netflix’s Drive to Survive was renewed for seasons five and six. (Formula 1)
MSNBC debuts a new promo campaign for its MSNBC Reports. (NewscastStudio)
Crackle Plus adds new FAST channels. (AdWeek)
The NFL Draft is the least-watched in five years. (Sports Media Watch)
Fox Sports and Twitter announce an expanded partnership. (Fox Sports Press Pass)
MSNBC Prime replaces Rachel Maddow’s show. (NewscastStudio)
Netflix shareholders file suit against the company. (Next TV)
Ratings for Piers Morgan’s new UK talk show tank. (The Guardian)
NFL’s Roger Goodell believes Amazon Prime will build its football audience. (Awful Announcing)
CNN International anchor Robyn Curnow announces she’s leaving the network. (TVNewser)
A profile of CBS News reporter Catherine Herridge. (Los Angeles Times)
DAZN and Red Bull team up on a multi-year global broadcasting deal. (The Streamable)
ESPN Plus gets an exclusive international NFL game. (Awful Announcing)
UK’s ITN names Rachel Corp as its new CEO. (ITN)
Paramount Plus adds 6.8 million subscribers. (MediaPost)
CNN Plus’ hash flag is still active. (NewscastStudio)
Roku is looking to purchase a stake in Starz. (The Wall Street Journal)
Not everyone is happy with Urban Meyer’s potential return to Fox Sports. (Front Office Sports)
The Weather Channel celebrates its 40th anniversary. (Weather.com)
Why did Norah O’Donnell stay with CBS News? (The Daily Beast)
NBC News’ Dateline joins Peacock. (TVNewser)
Former ABC News anchor Charlie Gibson starts a podcast. (Associated Press)
The lawsuit against CNN’s Don Lemon dropped. (Dylan Byers/Twitter)
Tubi doubles down on originals. (AdWeek)
Fox News’ Jesse Waters has back surgery. (Justin Baragona/Twitter)
Former CBS News exec Ryan Kadro is out at The Recount. (Axios)
NBC News added editor’s notes to 11 articles that failed their editorial standards. (NBC News)
Netflix is losing licensed shows to rivals. (The Guardian)
Read CNN’s Chris Licht's inaugural memo to his staff. (Sara Fischer/Twitter)
Bravo’s shows are moving to Peacock. (AdWeek)
The Weather Channel launches a Spanish service. (Broadcasting+Cable)
Recipients of Fox News’ 3rd annual Dr. Charles Krauthammer Memorial Scholarship named. (TVNewser)
Paramount Plus announces UK and Ireland launch dates. (The Streamable)
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A MarkHenry Media LLC publication - Issue #88 - 2022