Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group Sues Nielsen For Fraud In Ratings Of Comedy.TV, Weather Channel & Other Networks

In the warmup to this weekend’s WrestleMania 38, the WWE’s Friday Night SmackDown on Fox pile-drived the competition, topping the demo with an 0.5. The two-night WrestleMania takes place tonight and Sunday from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, streaming live on Peacock.

An "obsessed" paedophile who forced his victims to eat raw meat from pigs' heads has been released from prison. Colin Cooper was jailed for 18 years in July 2011 but is free after serving just over ten years. Today the father of one of his victims said: "When I had the phone call from the Probation Board I wanted to scream. My daughter is safe, but there are other children out there who are not. In my opinion he should never be released."

NEW YORK -- Nielsen is being acquired for $16 billion, including debt, about a week after the media measurement company rejected a $9 billion offer.Viewing data collected by Nielsen plays a big role in determining where billions in advertising dollars are spent each year. The company itself has annual global revenue of about $3.5 billion.A group of private equity investors led by Evergreen Coast Capital Corp., an affiliate of Elliott Investment Management L.P., and Brookfield Business Partners L.P.

CBS News and The Weather Channel have announced a partnership on weather reporting and technology.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorCBS News hasn’t put the same kind of spotlight on weather as many of its rivals, but that may all be about to change as quickly as a shift in the wind.The Paramount Global news unit is teaming with The Weather Channel to bring more reporting on weather and climate to CBS News programs including “CBS Mornings” and “The CBS Evening News,” as well as the division’s streaming efforts. Some of the most popular Weather Channel personalities — including Stephanie Abrams, Jim Cantore and Mike Bettes — are likely to turn up on CBS News programs in reports that originate from Weather Channel’s Atlanta headquarters.

Some of college basketball’s most storied programs were in action Friday night, and their appeal lit up the ratings, easily outdistancing the rest of the programming.

Jessie Cave has opened up about the "hellish" birth of her fourth child, after recently welcoming baby son Becker with long-term partner Alfie Brown. The Harry Potter star, who portrayed Lavender Brown in the hit films, took to Instagram to reveal details of her son's birth, as she shared two photographs of her cradling him while in hospital.

EXCLUSIVE: Objective Media Group America, the company behind series including HBO Max’s 12 Dates of Christmas and TBS’ The Cube, has made a number of promotions in its leadership team.

EXCLUSIVE: Luisa D’Oliveira (The 100), Osric Chau (Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency), Sachin Sahel (The 100) and Bethany Brown (Charmed) are among cast attached to Vancouver-set dramedy pitch Vancity, which is being shepherded by writer-creators Brady Roberts and Krista Jang, who will also star.

Harry Potter actress Jessie Cave has given birth to an adorable baby and has shared the sweet name for her fourth child.The 34 year old actress, who is best known for her role as Lavender Brown in the Harry Potter film series, shared an adorable snap to her 210,000 Instagram followers after welcoming the little one with her comedian partner Alfie Brown. She penned: "Welcome Becker Brown.Thank you to UCLH.Thank you to the midwives Amy and Emi-Lou.Thank you to Alisson Becker." Jessie shared a heartwarming snap as she breastfed her newborn after giving birth at the University College Hospital in London.

EXCLUSIVE: Storied Media Group continues to expand its executive ranks with four new key hires across its Content & Client Partnerships, StoryScout Editorial and Business Affairs divisions.

EXCLUSIVE: Matt Bomer is in early talks to join the cast of the upcoming Netflix Leonard Bernstein biopic Maestro, which has Bradley Cooper directing and starring as the iconic composer. If a deal closes, Bomer joins Carey Mulligan, who will play Bernstein’s wife Felicia. Pic will be produced by Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, Cooper and his Joint Effort producing partner Todd Phillips, Kristie Macosko Krieger, Emma Tillinger Koskoff, and Fred Berner and Amy Durning.

A three-way tie for the crown in the demo wars marked Friday’s ratings, as ABC’s Shark Tank and newsmag 20/20 joined Fox’s WWE Friday Night SmackDown atop of the pile with an 0.5.

Just in time for SXSW, Byron Allen’s Digital Freestyle Releasing has promoted Bill Vergos to Head of Digital Film Distribution. He had been VP Operations & Sales since 2015.

Galatt was first VP of advertising sales, and then promoted to president of advertising sales for the AMG Global Syndication division. In his newly-elevated position, Galatt will continue to be responsible for advertising, sponsorships, and new business development across the full portfolio of the AMG broadcast syndication, television networks, and digital platforms.

Storied Media Group has promoted four executives across its Content and Client Partnership and Operations divisions. Kevin Fernandes, in charge of day-to-day operations of the company, has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Operations, along with Shayna Lyga to Vice President, Content and Client Partnerships; Jonny Harris to Director, Content and Client Partnerships and Ben Rosen to Senior Editor, StoryScout.

The WGA East’s strike against the Gizmodo Media Group has ended after an agreement was reached on a new contract covering nearly 100 staffers at G/O Media news outlets Gizmodo, Jezebel, The Root, Lifehacker, Kotaku and Jalopnik. Picket lines had gone up outside the parent company’s offices in New York City on Tuesday morning. The tentative agreement now goes to the guild’s Council for approval, and to the bargaining unit for ratification.

Friday saw WWE’s Friday Night SmackDown on Fox pin the demo wars, scoring an 0.5 to easily top the night’s field.