ABC Seeks $2 Million for Oscar Ads, Despite Worries of Audience Declines

EXCLUSIVE: Andres Velez (Coyote Lake) has been cast as a lead alongside Christina Ochoa and Mariel Molino in ABC’s drama pilot Promised Land.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorThe media industry’s go-to authority for measuring audiences acknowledged on Friday that the recent coronavirus pandemic bent its yardstick, but maintains nothing is broken.Nielsen, under fire from the TV networks that depend on it to count the audiences for which advertisers pay, says pandemic conditions resulted in a smaller panel of consumers it relies on to monitor TV viewing, but believes the trends it chronicles during 2020 remain viable.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorCBS News veteran Kim Godwin is expected to become the next president of ABC News, a move that would make her the first Black executive to lead a broadcast-network news division.Godwin has had an offer from Disney’s ABC for several weeks, according to a person familiar with the matter, but only in the last few days did CBS CEO George Cheeks agree to let the executive out of her contract.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorThe nation’s TV networks claim the primary arbiter of who watches their programs allowed its business to deteriorate during the coronavirus pandemic and has only devised “a four-ounce solution to a ten-pound problem” of trying to count TV viewers during an unprecedented era in history.Speaking Thursday, Sean Cunningham, the CEO of the VAB, a trade organization that represents the broadcast and cable networks to Madison Avenue, alleged that measurement giant

Mónica Marie Zorrilla Annie Gonzalez (“Gentefied”) and newcomer Sofia Capanna have been cast in the ABC multi-cam sitcom pilot “Bucktown,” joining previously announced cast members Jane Lynch (“Glee”), Shannon Woodward (“Westworld”) and Nicole Richie (“The Simple Life”).Per the show’s logline, the comedy follows Amy (Woodward) who, after being dumped by her boyfriend and kicked out of her apartment on the eve of a big promotion, finds refuge at her mom Helen’s (Lynch) house in the blue-collar

Gentefied‘s Annie Gonzalez and newcomer Sofia Capanna are set as series regulars opposite Shannon Woodward, Jane Lynch and Nicole Richie in ABC comedy pilot Bucktown, from The Conners‘ Emily Wilson, Tom Werner and Sara Gilbert and ABC Signature.

EXCLUSIVE: Workaholics and I’m Dying Up Here alum Erik Griffin is set as a lead opposite Shannon Woodward, Jane Lynch and Nicole Richie in ABC comedy pilot Bucktown, from The Conners‘ Emily Wilson, Tom Werner and Sara Gilbert and ABC Signature.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorDisney’s search for a new leader for ABC News continues weeks after the company unexpectedly disclosed the former president, James Goldston, would leave the post.Goldston’s last day came at the end of March and the company has yet to hone in on a candidate to replace him, according to four people familiar with parts of the search process. When ABC News heads like David Westin or Ben Sherwood left in years past, Disney identified a successor.

EXCLUSIVE: Angelique Cabral (Life in Pieces), Chloe Bridges (The Carrie Diaries) and Kerri Kenney (Reno 911) are set as series regulars opposite Rebecca Rittenhouse in ABC comedy pilot Maggie, based on Tim Curcio’s short film. The project hails from Family Guy and Life in Pieces writer Maggie Mull, daughter of Clue actor Martin Mull, and Life in Pieces creator Justin Adler. 20th Television produces. Additionally, Natalia Anderson (Life in Pieces) has been tapped to direct the pilot.

EXCLUSIVE: Mariel Molino has been cast as a lead alongside Christina Ochoa in ABC’s drama pilot Promised Land.

Animal Kingdom‘s Christina Ochoa is set as a lead in ABC’s Promised Land, Matt Lopez’s Latinx family drama pilot.

Rebecca Rittenhouse (Hulu’s Four Weddings and a Funeral) has landed the title role in ABC comedy pilot Maggie, based on Tim Curcio’s short film, from Family Guy and Life in Pieces writer Maggie Mull, daughter of Clue actor Martin Mull, and Life in Pieces creator Justin Adler. 20th Television produces.

EXCLUSIVE: The Wonders Year pilot is adding to its cast.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterJane Lynch has been cast in a lead role in the ABC multi-cam comedy pilot “Bucktown,” Variety has learned.Lynch joins previously announced cast members Shannon Woodward and Nicole Richie.In the multi-cam sitcom, after being dumped by her boyfriend and kicked out of her apartment on the eve of a big promotion, Amy (Woodward) finds refuge at her mom’s (Lynch) house in the blue-collar neighborhood where she grew up.

Jane Lynch, star of Glee and current host of NBC’s Weakest Link, has found her latest comedy role – joining ABC pilot Bucktown.

Get the latest United updates, transfer news and analysis delivered straight to your inbox every day for free

Nicole Richie and Shannon Woodward are teaming up for a new show!

Joe Otterson TV ReporterNicole Richie has been cast in the ABC comedy pilot “Bucktown,” Variety has learned.In the multi-cam sitcom, after being dumped by her boyfriend and kicked out of her apartment on the eve of a big promotion, Amy finds refuge at her mom’s house in the blue-collar neighborhood where she grew up.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorThe NFL season ended weeks ago, but some of the media’s biggest players have been scrambling to keep professional football in the spotlight.Under a series of critically important rights deals unveiled Thursday between the National Football League and some of the nation’s biggest media companies, “Thursday Night Football” will no longer be shown on broadcast TV and Walt Disney’s ABC will air the Super Bowl for the first time in more than 15 years.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorAfter relying on Regina King to tout the its Escalade and Winona Ryder and Timothee Chalamet to generate buzz for its new electric Lyriq, Cadillac is continuing down the promotional road with celebrities.Sofia Vergara, Joe Manganiello, the Jonas Brothers, Tiffany Haddish, and Twitch and Allison Holke appear in a new series of videos that promote use of the General Motors brand’s “Super Cruise” hands-free technology.