When I was a younger, larger child one of the few things I looked forward to during the three day weekend following Thanksgiving was the knowledge that my folks were going to splurge and buy me the new editions of the annual fact books that I coveted. Typically, Thanksgiving weekend was when the upcoming editions … Read more
If I’ve been spending what some what consider to be quite a lot of time and effort on the return of Bob Iger as CEO as Walt Disney, forgive me. I admire what he’s accomplished to date, his vision, his ability to pivot, his dedication. For my money (and, admittedly, there’s scant little of it … Read more
Last week yet another favorably reviewed limited series debuted on FX and Hulu. FLEISHMAN IS IN TROUBLE, which has already earned plaudits both for the talents of its leads, especially Jesse Eisenberg as the eponymous newly divorced Manhattan doctor navigating dating opportunities while grappling with the disturbing disappearance of his ex-wife. It is yet another … Read more
31 years ago, Disney produced a cute little comedy called WHAT ABOUT BOB?, which starred the reliable Bill Murray as someone who simply wouldn’t go away, even when his analyst (the sardonic Richard Dreyfuss) tried to go on a family vacation. Ever popular among everyone else in his analyst’s circle of friends and family, Bob … Read more
Nearly half a century ago, the first concert I was ever allowed to attend was Elton John’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road tour at the then spanking new Nassau Coliseum on Long Island. One of the few friends I had at the time (male, of course) took two buses, transferring and waiting in a drug den … Read more
In a week that was filled yet again with a lot of bad news in media and tech, one particularly positive story was the renewal of HBO’s smart comedy WHITE LOTUS for a third season. The fact that it was even renewed for a second season was a surprise given its initial premise and raison … Read more
Of all the examples of recent hits that my expertise played a role in establishing, there are few I’m prouder to have been associated with than THE GOOD DOCTOR. In its sixth season, a milestone which most streaming dramas never achieve, the show continues to win a highly competitive time slot with seven-day extended viewing … Read more
Whenever I’d see Kelly Kahl at an industry event or a focus group I’d immediately go for the low-hanging fruit of connecting with what I knew what one of his greatest passions beyond his family and his career–his deep love for his native Wisconsin’s college football team, known as the Badgers. Immediately, I’d somehow try … Read more
In media research, a common advanced study to identify audience segments is called an “only-only-both”, essentially a Venn diagram mapping of how two particular programs’ viewerships compare and contrast. Depending upon the business objective, there is potential upside from either conclusion. If you’re a marketer, you would hope the two shows have a large common … Read more
CBS quietly announced yesterday their mid-season schedule, with the even more muted announcement that LINGO, the latest incarnation of a game show with a modest history in the US but a strong international acceptance spanning several decades, will round out a short-term Wednesday night schedule sandwiched between nighttime episodes of THE PRICE IS RIGHT and … Read more