National TV Advertising Fell 9% in June, Down 19% Since Pandemic

 John Travolta  honored his late wife Kelly Preston with one of her favorite things: dancing. The 66-year-old actor, famous for his feverish dance moves, swayed along with his 20-year-old daughter Ella Travolta to pay tribute to their recently deceased loved one.

Patrick Hipes Executive Managing EditorDavid Pecker, the longtime publisher of the tabloid National Enquirer, is leaving the role as part of a deal unveiled Friday in which the paper’s parent company American Media LLC said it was merging with Accelerate, a national wholesale distribution company.Pecker, the longtime, often controversial president and CEO of Enquirer parent American Media, will become an executive adviser to the new combined company, which will be known as A360.

close ties with Donald Trump and the role he played in determining coverage of Trump, as well as the role his media company played in making hush-money payments to women who have said they’ve had affairs with Trump.

A Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt reunion will shortly take place and will bring them together onscreen again. As previously announced, the two stars will participate in Dane Cook‘s upcoming Dane Cook Presents Feelin’ A-Live: Fast Times at Ridgemont High virtual live table read–-and even though virtual, Dane Promises it’ll be an “onscreen” reunion.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorPepsi says it will stick with the NFL for as long as the league can put games on the field.Pepsi has long been one of the sports giant’s biggest sponsors, so much so that it has become synonymous with the annual halftime show at the Super Bowl.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorLike many people, John Sebastian, a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee for his years as a founding member and vocalist for The Lovin’ Spoonful, was getting ready to write off 2020 as a wash.After abruptly canceling a planned solo tour in March due to the pandemic, “I was looking down the barrel of no work — ever,” Sebastian says on the phone from his home in upstate New York.

moving, hilarious and hopeful become a love letter to the NHS and the 1.4 million people who go above and beyond every single day.Other famous faces who contributed to the book include Paul McCartney, Emilia Clarke, Stephen Fry, Dawn French, Sir Trevor McDonald and Graham Norton.Stories from Ricky Gervais, Sir David Jason, Dame Emma Thompson, Joanna Lumley, Miranda Hart, Dermot O'Leary, Jamie Oliver and Ed Sheeran are also included. A minimum of £3.09 from the sale of each book will be paid to

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorAmid hundreds of layoffs, WarnerMedia is still preparing for one crucial hire.The media company has yet to name a president to lead its advertising-sales efforts, and has not filled the position since executives abruptly pushed out industry veteran Donna Speciale in July of 2019 after she wrangled millions from sponsors to support WarnerMedia’s most recent programming cycle in haggling that was largely driven by conversations about digital opportunities.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorViacomCBS said its second quarter net income tumbled amid declines in advertising revenue at its cable and broadcast outlets, the latest sign of the toll the coronavirus pandemic has taken on the operations of U.S. media companies.Revenue fell 12% to $6.28 billion, compared with $7.14 billion in the year-earlier period.

LiveNation has reported that revenue for the year to date is down 98%.

The coronavirus pandemic has shut down concerts across the world, amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars in losses for promoter Live Nation last quarter. The touring giant posted an adjusted operating loss of $431.9 million on net revenue of $74.1 million in the second quarter of 2020 -- the first full reporting period of the pandemic. The concerts division’s $141.8

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorJackie Levin, a veteran producer at NBC News’ “Today” who in recent years steered the show’s 9 a.m.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorDiscovery said second-quarter net income fell 71% after the coronavirus pandemic spurred a pullback in advertising at both its U.S.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorViacomCBS is joining the parade of media companies trying to simplify their increasingly dizzying array of video offerings to advertisers.The company, created from the merger of Viacom Inc. and CBS Corp.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorAMC Networks said the coronavirus pandemic and a substantial impairment charge contributed to a significant decline in second quarter profit, the latest media company to show the signs of grappling with conditions that have scuttled TV production and slowed the flow of advertising.The New York owner of the AMC, IFC and Sundance cable networks said net income fell to $15 million, or 28 cents a share, compared with $128.7 million, or $2.25 a share, in the

City of Hope, one of the world's best hospitals for cancer research and treatment, launched a weekly virtual auction series on Monday (Aug. 3) with Charitybuzz, which will bring in some A-list helpers.There will be a curated showcase each week, featuring remarkable music-related memorabilia and once-in-a-lifetime experiences that cater to the timely theme.

Bruce Haring pmc-editorial-managerA report from The Oregonian/OregonLive columnist John Canzano that claims the Los Angeles Times accepted advertising money in exchange for increased coverage of the Pac-12 is being denied by the media company.The Oregonian report on Thursday claimed the LA Times agreed to accept $100,000 in advertising in exchange for increased conference coverage.Hillary Manning, the VP of communications at the LA Times, issued a statement from the media company denying the

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorMadison Avenue is starting to realize that it can’t do without TV. How much it will pay for the privilege in tough times remains to be seen.Major buying agencies have begun negotiating with TV networks in earnest over advance purchases of advertising time, a sign that TV’s annual “upfront” process will take place in some fashion despite the onerous conditions from the coronavirus pandemic hurting several of the industry’s top marketing categories.

Audio entertainment giant SiriusXM, the home of Howard Stern, on Thursday said it added self-pay subscribers in its satellite radio and Pandora businesses for the second quarter, the first one that was fully affected by the coronavirus pandemic.