CW Sees Upfront Wrapping With Rebound in Demand for TV, Streaming Ads (EXCLUSIVE)

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorWarnerMedia said it posted a solid upfront, but, like its rivals this year, offered little evidence of whether it had notched volume gains in a market where advertisers were forced to capitulate to significant hikes in the rates they pay to reach large groups of viewers.In a statement, the AT&T-owned company said it had completed “the most successful Upfront marketplace in the company’s history,” in terms of securing advance ad commitments.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorAdvertisers’ continuing interest in live sports helped ViacomCBS close its upfront sales process even as the company met resistance from Madison Avenue over the rate increases it sought to bolster its business.ViacomCBS has come to the end of its sales effort, according to a person familiar with the matter, notching noticeable growth in sports, particularly the NFL.

Christopher Vourlias Bulgarian helmer Stephan Komandarev, whose critically acclaimed feature “Directions” played in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard sidebar, has wrapped production on the documentary feature “Life From Life,” the director announced this week during the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival.The film explores the hurdles facing organ transplant recipients in Bulgaria, once among Eastern Europe’s leaders in the medical procedure, but now ranking last on the continent for the number of

DaCosta’s recent short film, a hauntingly beautiful display of paper silhouettes and shadow puppets that went viral online as it animates Domingo’s story in vivid detail. After many delays, the movie will hit theaters August 27.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorMadison Avenue has a lot to say about the current state of the TV industry — and more of it will need to be spoken in Spanish.Univision, the Spanish-language broadcaster that is operating under new ownership, has secured double-digit percentage increases in advance advertising commitments for its next programming cycle, the latest traditional broadcaster to benefit from an unusually speedy “upfront” market, when TV companies try to sell the bulk of their

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorChristy Tanner, one of the architects of CBS’ early-to-market CBSN streaming-news outlet, is leaving the company just as more media companies have begun to focus on creating news programming for mobile viewers.She announced her exit to staffers Thursday. “It’s been eight years since I joined CBS Interactive, five years since I joined CBS News Digital, and … never years since I took some solid time off,” Tanner wrote.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorFox saw increases in advance ad commitments for its primetime schedule and expanding digital venues as part of the industry’s annual “upfront” sales process, the latest of the nation’s big media companies to see robust activity as advertisers try to move forward as the coronavirus pandemic diminishes.The Fox Corporation unit saw advertising commitments rise across all areas of its portfolio, which includes the Fox broadcast network; Fox Sports and Fox News Media,

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorNBC is working up a new play for the Super Bowl.Eager to generate millions of dollars in revenue from the Big Game, the Comcast-owned media conglomerate is talking to potential advertisers about a price tag of $6 million for a 30-second spot in the event, according to executives familiar with current negotiations, marking a new high-water mark in pricing for Super Bowl commercials. Super Bowl LVI is slated to be broadcast on Feb.

The Masked Singer star Joel Dommett has revealed he is joining Celebrity Gogglebox. The comedian and TV presenter posted a photo of himself and his wife Hannah Cooper to his Instagram page on Monday (June 14), confirming they will be joining the voyeuristic Channel 4 series.

Post Malone is showing off his new million dollar smile.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorMadison Avenue’s interest in digital ads, sports and new concepts tied to bolstering messages of diversity helped Disney close a fast-paced upfront that saw more than 40% of total dollars committed to the company go to streaming and interactive venues, the latest sign of how advertisers are working differently with some of the nation’s most traditional media companies.“We led with streaming this year.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorAccelerating climate change and its far-flung effects have  fast become the most important story in the news cycle. But that isn’t always the stuff that gets talked about or tweeted — or the biggest ratings.Part of the issue? Shifts in the environment happen gradually over time, not usually in a violent, shocking moment that can be captured by cameras.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorThe CEO of NBCUniversal said the company enjoyed robust demand in the TV industry’s upfront market, but offered no tangible detains on volume or pricing to help bolster his case.“It was the strongest upfront I think probably in the history of NBCUniversal,” said Jeff Shell, NBCU’s CEO, speaking during an investor conference with Credit Suisse Monday. “We saw results in this upfront far beyond what we thought we’d see.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorThis year’s upfront ad-sales session is shaping up to be one of the fastest in recent memory. But some TV companies are working to slow things down.At a time when advertisers appear willing to capitulate to significant pricing increases, they are still balking at demands from both Discovery and ViacomCBS, according to three media buying executives and other people familiar with the tone of these annual negotiations for commercial inventory between U.S.

Serena Ryder and Damhnait Doyle have teamed up with Christopher Ward in celebration of “Black Velvet”.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorHyundai didn’t go to the Super Bowl this year, but it’s taking a trip to Disneyland.The large automaker has struck a broad advertising pact with The Walt Disney Company that will have characters from ABC’s “Black-ish,” announcers from ESPN’s “SportsCenter” and even characters from Marvel tout the benefits of the new Tucson compact SUV in on-screen appearances set to roll out over the next few months.

Queen Elizabeth is reportedly set to honour the U.K.’s Vaccines Taskforce head with a damehood.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorAt least three of the nation’s big media companies are writing deals in an upfront ad-sales market that is moving more rapidly than in years past.Disney, NBCUniversal and Fox have all begun to sell advance advertising commitments as part of TV’s annual upfront market, according to five people familiar with the pace of negotiations.