Buoyed By Ratings Increases, TelevisaUnivision Sees Volume Gains in Upfront

The latest craze in the kid’s genre of films is currently available to watch on Netflix after its release on July 8. The Sea Beast tells the story of a young girl (Maisie Brumble) who stows away on the ship of a legendary sea monster hunter (Jacob Holland), with the pair launching an epic journey into uncharted waters while making history in the process.

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NBCUniversal has exceeded last year’s record-setting upfront ad revenue haul north of $7 billion, company insiders said in confirming the finalizing of upfront dealmaking.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorTV networks continue to fare better than expected in the current “upfront” market as they harness streaming video and sports — and a willingness to accept lower rates — in order to keep Madison Avenue’s money flowing.NBCUniversal said it wrapped its upfront negotiations in the annual upfront, and could have seen advance advertising commitments for NBC’s primetime schedule rise by as much as 20%. Variety estimates that upfront commitments for NBC primetime could total between $3.2 billion and $3.4 billion, compared with  between $2.68 billion and $2.98 billion for its primetime broadcast inventory in 2021.

The awkward litmus test was first shared on Reddit in 2016 but is currently going viral as users clamor to find out of their eyes are PG-rated or not.[Warning: Spoilers below].For many, the visual jigsaw, captioned “don’t do that to the baby…oh, as you were,” initially appears to show a giant hairy butt squashing a baby that’s laying on a bed. However, once the viewer’s eyes adjust, it becomes clear that the “baby-sitting booty” is actually a shirtless dad kissing his pride and joy while a blonde mother looks on adoringly. The positioning of the man’s bald head and shoulders simply gives the impression of a hirsute caboose.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorMadison Avenue’s growing interest in sports and streaming video helped Fox Corp. nab new ad dollars amid a softening market.The owner of the Fox broadcast network, Fox Sports and Fox News Channel expects an uptick in advertising commitments made in advance of its next programming schedule, according to a person familiar with the matter, as the company becomes the latest media outlet to wrap negotiations in the industry’s annual “upfront.”Advertisers were interested in Tubi, Fox’s ad-supported streaming hub; the company’s sports events; and its Fox News programming, this person said, among other offerings.The company could see an uptick of volume committed to its primetime broadcast schedule in the mid-single-digit percentage range.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorTelevisaUnivision is getting more entrenched in TV’s measurement wars.The Spanish-language media giant is teaming up with data company VideoAmp, one of a growing number of audience-measurement companies whose services are being tapped as TV networks mull alternatives to Nielsen, the industry’s de factor arbiter of audience size. Under terms of the pact,  TelevisaUnivision will use VideoAmp’s data in a suite of advanced advertising solutions, giving advertisers a better sense of the viewers they are reaching and their responses to commercials.The company believes the agreement may help in its quest to draw a larger number of national advertisers to its client pool.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorThe hottest place to be in TV may not be traditional television, but Paramount Global was able to make the medium seem pretty cool.Paramount Global has largely completed its upfront sales negotiations. And while the company saw its volume of advance advertising commitments rise most significantly for digital venues like Pluto and Paramount Plus, ad dollars committed for the traditional primetime schedule on the CBS broadcast network rose as well, according to a person familiar with current negotiations  The company expects at least a 10% rise in volume for its primetime schedule, this person says.  In 2021, CBS may have seen its primetime commitments total between $2.03 billion and $2.64 billion, according to Variety estimates, compared with $2.03 billion and $2.51 billion in 2020.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorTV’s dollars are migrating to digital, just like its viewers.The CW has wrapped upfront negotiations, according to a person familiar with the matter, and expects a rise in advance ad commitments for its digital venues, but sees its primetime broadcast schedule take in similar volume to last year’s market.Variety estimates that CW may have seen primetime volume come in between $440.8 million and $626.9 million, in 2021, compared with $440.8 million and $$597.1 million in 2020More to come….

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer“Silos Baking Competition” premiered to record-setting ratings for Magnolia Network Sunday, a turnout Chip and Joanna Gaines apparently saw coming a mile away, as their channel is already in pre-production on another baking competition series, Variety has learned exclusively.That unannounced baking competition is the first of several in the works at the cable channel, according to one source close to production.Simulcast across Food Network and Magnolia Network, a joint venture between the Gaineses and Warner Bros. Discovery, the one-hour premiere of “Silos Baking Competition,” which takes place at Chip and Jo’s Waco-based bakery, Silos Baking Co., drew more than 1.5 million viewers Sunday.

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Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorTV’s upfront market is starting to close and ad dollars seem harder to collect.NBCUniversal expects the volume of advance advertising commitments secured in the annual haggle to be “in the same range as last year,” according to Jeff Shell, CEO of the Comcast owned unit. He said that declines due to “cord cutting were offset by pricing and Peacock for us,” during remarks made at an investor conference organized by Credit Suisse.

The S&P 500, down more than 3% in late-morning trade, fell into bear market territory Monday – defined by a dip of more than 20% from its most recent high — with little upbeat news on the horizon and not much going well on three key fronts: surging inflation, rising interest rates and the Russia-Ukraine War.

The National Basketball Assn. topped Friday’s ratings by a healthy margin, the game coming in with a 2.3 and 7.95 million viewers in the early results. Those numbers may go up when finalized.