You don’t see a lot of positive news about anything related to MTV these days. The network has officially entered middle age, having turned 40 last year, and today’s younger audiences are far more likely to eschew linear television completely. Their parents drove the network, and cable television adoption in general, by imploring “I Want … Read more
On many lazy Sundays around here, often the only traffic you see are the endless array of delivery vans dropping off packages for the many who are some combination of exhausted, petrified or lazy. This weekend my roommate noticed that one of the Amazon Prime vans was completely wrapped by an ad for Prime Video’s … Read more
I’ve spent most of my career as a client, advocate and yes, even friend of dozens of people in charge of running various incarnations of the Nielsen Company. I’ve been their guest at numerous conferences, helped give them nearly a billion dollars worth of business, including what was once the largest single corporate commitment in … Read more
When the Wall Street Journal broke the news yesterday of the reported discussion of NBC abandoning programming the 10 PM Eastern hour by next fall, my phone and LinkedIn were ablaze with alerts and shock. How could a network that is frequently quite successful in winning the hour–the most strategically beneficial to companies as it … Read more
The announcement from today’s Los Angeles Times that onetime local morning news standout Michaela Pereira unexpectedly announced her impending departure from the co-anchor role of FOX 11’s GOOD DAY LA immediately made me think of an impromptu focus group in a San Fernando Valley fire station several years ago that reinforced some disturbing truths about … Read more
So yes, I indeed did watch the premiere episode of HOUSE OF THE DRAGON. I thought it was at times riveting, at times overdone and I’m a far bigger fan of Matt Smith’s now than I was of his performance as Prince Philip in THE CROWN. And feel free to laugh, I had no idea … Read more
I’ve envied Rob McElhenney from the moment I met him, when he and a couple of other struggling comedians parlayed a $200 demo tape into a six-episode afterthought order for an FX sitcom that was originally destined to be the filler for a more anticipated series about a weight loss group. 17 years later, no … Read more
Thirty years ago Penny Marshall produced what she would later describe as her most satisfying film, a poignant look at the World War II era All American Girls’ Professional Baseball League called A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN. With the likes of the imposing and stunning Geena Davis and a vulnerable Tom Hanks as leads, not … Read more
I got some disturbing news this week about a good friend’s sister, who was fighting for her life and undergoing emergency surgery to replace her spleen as well as to treat many other injuries. Sadly, as it turned out the cause of those injuries was this woman’s, for lack of a better word, boyfriend. As … Read more
I’ll admit, I’m not the authority on anything related to GAME OF THRONES. My roommate has implored, urged, cajoled and even chided me to watch the original series. And as someone who loves compelling, epic television, I know I should. But, honestly, the idea of devoting more than 100 hours to anything other than physical … Read more