Jomboy Media Strikes Deal to Run Its ‘Warehouse Games’ on Bally Sports (EXCLUSIVE)

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large The early results are in, and CNN appeared to be the biggest winner from Thursday’s train wreck of a presidential debate. According to the news cabler’s report of Nielsen Fast National data, a combined 47.9 million total viewers watched the CNN Presidential Debate on TV across all networks, including its competitors. And in the key news demo of adults 25-54, an average of 12.6 million viewers watched.

EXCLUSIVE: The works of James Baldwin, author and civil rights activist, could be headed to the small and big screen after Fremantle North America struck a deal with The Baldwin Family.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Another “Frasier” alum is about to return to the series’ new revival: Harriet Sansom Harris, who originally played Frasier Crane’s agent, Bebe Glazer, is back for a guest role in Season 2. Joining her will be “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” star Rachel Bloom, who will play Bebe’s daughter, Phoebe Glazer.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large The Global Entertainment Marketing Academy of Arts & Sciences the org formerly known as Promax that relaunched in February, has revealed its new board of directors, as well as an honorary board of advisors. GEMA, which has expanded from TV to also include verticals devoted to film, music, sports and video game marketing execs, has also announced plans for a two-day event in Los Angeles this fall dubbed “Converge.” The news was announced Thursday by GEMA president Stacy La Cotera.

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer “Barefoot Contessa” star Ina Garten has signed a new exclusive multiyear deal at her longtime home Food Network that includes a Season 5 renewal for her latest show, “Be My Guest With Ina Garten.” The next season of Garten’s Emmy-award-winning cooking talk show set at the East Hampton home she shares with her husband Jeffrey will launch in the fall and boast a guest list that includes Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Stephen Colbert and Evie McGee Colbert and fellow Food Network star Bobby Flay, among others. Previous seasons of “Be My Guest” have featured Emily Blunt, Jennifer Garner, Nathan Lane, Laura Linney, Stanley Tucci, astronaut Nicole Mann, ballerina Misty Copeland, restaurateur and author Danny Meyer and journalist Frank Bruni.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large “ER” alum Gloria Reuben has joined the cast of Prime Video‘s upcoming series “The Better Sister,” which also stars Jessica Biel, Elizabeth Banks, Corey Stoll and Matthew Modine. Based on the novel by Alafair Burke, “The Better Sister” stars Biel as Chloe, a woman whose life is upended when her husband Adam (played by Stoll) is brutally murdered — and the prime suspect shocks the family and exposes secrets. Banks plays Chloe’s sister, Nicky, who “hustles to make ends meet while trying to stay clean.” Reuben will play Michelle Sanders, described as “a respected lawyer who has made a career of standing up when she’s told to sit down.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large “Succession” alums Francesca Gardiner and Mark Mylod are here for “Harry Potter.” Gardiner has been tapped to serve as showrunner and executive producer of HBO’s upcoming new untitled series based on the “Harry Potter” books, while Mylod is on board to direct multiple episodes, as well as executive produce. The news was announced Wednesday by HBO and Warner Bros. TV, which are behind the HBO Original series.

K.J. Yossman Canada’s Sphere Media is set to acquire distributor Abacus Media Rights from Amcomri Entertainment Inc. The deal, which is valued at $24.6 million, is expected to close in mid-August.

Canada’s Sphere Media has acquired Abacus Media Rights, the UK-based distributor that sells Leaving Neverland and Scrublands.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large To paraphrase a long-running network slogan, “It’s Not Max. It’s HBO.” HBO and Max content CEO Casey Bloys is changing the delineation between what an “HBO show” and a “Max show” is, moving most of Max’s upcoming big-budget, tentpole Warner Bros. IP projects to under the HBO umbrella.

Lexi Carson Film, television and media financing firm BondIt Media Capital has closed a new credit facility of $60 million with the option to increase to $100 million, from Keystone National Group, a private credit fund and investment advisory firm. The new facility is aimed at refinancing an existing credit facility, that has been a key factor in BondIt’s growth over the last six years.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large ABC News Studios is teaming up with Imagine Documentaries to tell the story of Barbara Walters, the legendary broadcast journalist, anchor and host who died in 2022. Emmy winner Jackie Jesko is set to direct the film, which will debut on Hulu in 2025.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Todd Harthan has been tapped as the new showrunner and executive producer of ABC’s “High Potential,” starring Kaitlin Olson. Harthan was previously executive producer/showrunner of Fox’s “The Resident,” which ran for six seasons and recently was a hit off-net for Netflix. Harthan replaces previous showrunner Rob Thomas, who departed the project earlier this month.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Those of us who grew up with “Sesame Street” still remember Guy Smiley, the stereotypical game show host as originally voiced by Jim Henson. Guy was loud, boisterous and the host of everything from “Here Is Your Life” and “Beat the Time” to “Name That Sound!” Guy Smiley served a purpose for “Sesame Street,” and so did real-life game show hosts. It was a very specific (and also, very non-diverse) group: Bob Barker, Monty Hall, Jack Berry, Bill Cullen, Wink Martindale, Bob Eubanks, Richard Dawson, Gene Rayburn, Alex Trebek and many more.

Don’t Look Now and The Hunger Games, has died aged 88.With a career dating back to the 1950s, he is widely regarded as one of the most versatile and respected actors, winning numerous prestigious awards for his work in both film and television.His son Kiefer Sutherland, also an actor, announced on X earlier this evening (June 20) that his father had passed away. He reportedly died in Miami from a long illness.The statement read: “With a heavy heart I tell you that my father, Donald Sutherland, has passed away.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large My colleague Emily Longeretta had a Variety scoop recently that was such a perfect sign of the times. As she reported, FX’s Emmy-winning series “The Bear” — about to premiere its third season at the end of June — finally had its premiere on FX at the start of the month, via a four-night marathon of Season 1 episodes. “Hit FX Series to Finally Premiere on FX,” we joked should be the headline.

Donald Sutherland, the beloved actor who starred in scores of films from The Dirty Dozen, MASH and Klute to Animal House and Ordinary People to Pride & Prejudice and The Hunger Games franchise and won an Emmy for Citizen X, died Thursday in Miami after a long illness. He was 88.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Former Berlanti Prods. exec Ryan Lindenberg, who played a hand in the creation of hits such as The CW’s “All American,” Netflix’s “You” and NBC’s “Blindspot,” has joined 5X Media as a scripted partner/producer.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Longtime AMC PR head Marnie Black, whose tenure included overseeing consumer media relations, brand messaging, special events, talent relations and awards campaigns on hit series including “Mad Men,” “Breaking Bad,” “Better Call Saul” and “The Walking Dead” universe, is departing the company after 13 years. Black will exit at the end of the month to explore the next chapter of her career.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Former NBCU exec Frances Manfredi, who most recently was president of content acquisition and strategy at Peacock, has joined indie TV studio Future Shack Entertainment as partner and head of distribution and content strategy. The hire was announced Monday by Future Shack Ent. founders Jeff Wachtel, Sam Michaels and Yusik Choi.