Tubi, Nielsen Expand Measurement Pact as TV Upfront Looms

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorWhere do you take advertisers if you want them to make a big purchase? To a department store, of course.Paramount Global will take clients who attend its upfront Wednesday afternoon to an after-party in the structure on New York’s Madison Avenue that once housed the big Barney’s department store, one way to emphasize the shopping aspect of the event, in which big U.S. TV companies hope to sell the bulk of their commercial inventory for their next programming cycle.As part of the affair, Paramount has dressed up four windows of the former shopping plaza.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorHow did the simple act of counting TV viewers become so controversial? David Kenny thinks he knows.The CEO of Nielsen has been under fire for months, ever since some of his company’s biggest customers — the nation’s TV networks — began to complain about how Nielsen tabulated viewers during the coronavirus pandemic. They are still complaining.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorTV’s most intense drama isn’t showing on any particular network and doesn’t stream on any specific screen. Even so, some of the industry’s most influential executives can’t stop talking about it.Chances are no one will mention the series at next week’s sundry upfront gatherings, when TV companies will unveil dozens of new programs as part of an effort to win billions of ad dollars, but it is of critical importance to Disney, Comcast, Fox and many of the TV-reliant companies behind the presentations.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorThe industry hasn’t gathered for in-person TV upfront presentations since 2019, and so much has changed — including the ways that Madison Avenue heavyweights are spending their money.Billions of dollars are at stake during the upfront sales process, a period when big marketers such as Apple, McDonald’s and Procter & Gamble reserve TV spots in hopes of locking down lower prices. And this year’s scramble for ad dollars is likely to be more intense, complex and confusing than anything in recent memory — even the 2007 session when networks changed how they measured audiences who were using DVRs.

After a gruelling three months of training, new ITV show The Games saw 12 celebrities take on a series of Olympic-style challenges. From Monday (May 9) through to Friday (May 13) famous faces such as former Corrie star Ryan Thomas, The Wanted's Max George and reality star Olivia Attwood battled it out in front of a live audience for gold, silver and bronze medals.

Ex Love Islander Wes Nelson and former Ex On the Beach star Chelcee Grimes reigned victorious as they won ITV game show The Games tonight.The five-day game show, hosted by This Morning presenter Holly Willoughby and ex-cricketer Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff, saw twelve celebrities go head to head in Olympic-style games. Celebrities such as former Love Islander Olivia Attwood, Coronation Street’s Ryan Thomas and Paddy McGuinness’ wife Christine McGuinness have all taken part in the games.

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterNBCUniversal communications vet Katherine Nelson has joined Disney Branded Television in the newly-created role of vice president of corporate communications.In this position, Nelson will be responsible for overall communications strategy in support of the organization’s business and executive team as they ramp up the volume of programming that they create, produce and market for Disney+ and linear networks Disney Channel, Disney XD and Disney Junior.Based in Burbank, California, Nelson will have a focus on communications that drive the business and build Disney Branded Television’s brand reputation. She will be responsible for leading both external and internal communications for the organization, driving alignment and integrated messaging around strategy, business operations, brand development and internal culture.

X Factor winner Alexandra Burke and Paralympian Aled Jones. Ore Oduba remained the only celeb to be eliminated from the 2021 series with the rest all being medically withdrawn.

his band’s website on Friday that “due to a positive Covid case in the Willie Nelson Family Band” two upcoming shows scheduled to happen May 6 and May 7 would be postponed and that Nelson’s Sunday performance at Jazz Fest would be cancelled.Nelson was slated to close the Gentilly Stage — the same stage where his son Lukas Nelson is performing earlier in the day with his band the Promise of the Real. No replacement for the elder Nelson has yet been announced.The news comes after Melissa Etheridge announced Thursday that she would not be able to perform Saturday at Jazz Fest due to “COVID hitting my crew.” Mavis Staples will perform during that time period instead.“Oh my heart hurts not to be there.

When Heartstopper premiered on Netflix in April 2022, sweet rugby star Nick Nelson quickly won the hearts of audiences everywhere — including Kit Connor, the actor who plays him on the show.

Jesy Nelson has shared some new bikini snaps from her sun-soaked LA trip. The 30 year old appeared to be enjoying the hot Californian sun as she posted a series of pics of herself in a red bikini whilst showing off her extensive arm tattoos and most recent inking.

Former Little Mix star Jesy Nelson has been snapped showing off her abs whilst wearing a crop top in Los Angeles following a swipe from her former bandmates on stage. Jesy, 30, is currently in LA to work on her debut solo album and she is settling into enjoying time in America. In a video posted on Instagram, Jesy made the most of the LA sunshine in a Nike crop top paired with jeans, leaving her abs on show.

Nicola Peltz was the model daughter-in-law on Monday as she congratulated David Beckham on his 47th birthday.MORE: Brooklyn Beckham introduces matchmaker in never-before-seen wedding photoDespite Nicola being busy in New York getting ready for the Met Gala, which she attended alongside her new husband Brooklyn Beckham, she took time out of her day to share a never-before-seen picture of herself alongside David and her own dad Nelson.WATCH: Nicola Peltz and Victoria Beckham dancing together"Happy birthday @davidbeckham," she simply wrote alongside the photo, which also included a white heart.READ: Nicola Peltz stuns in dreamy sheer dress at Met Gala afterpartyRELATED: David Beckham shares unseen photo from son Brooklyn's lavish weddingThe photo shows Nicola in between the two men, with her arms around their shoulders, and both David and Nelson smiling for the camera. Nicola shared a sweet photo in honour of David's birthdayA few weeks ago, Nicola also shared another rare family picture, this time showing her and her mother Claudia alongside Victoria Beckham.

Hearts manager Robbie Neilson is protecting Ellis Simms due to a groin issue.

Fox Corp.’s free, ad-supported streaming service Tubi is working on an expansion of its current arrangement with Nielsen that will enlarge the scope of where its viewership is measured.

Michael Bublé stopped by “Watch What Happens Live” Monday night to make a confession about his new album Higher.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorAs TV networks race to find a new yardstick to measure modern video audiences, one top buyer of commercial time says it’s already waiting at the finish line.Horizon Media, an independent Madison Avenue media agency that works for big-spending clients like Berkshire Hathaway’s Geico and Anheuser-Busch InBev’s Corona, said it intends to commit “up to 15% of its deals” in the industry’s coming upfront market using new measurement currencies that don’t rely on the sector’s longtime tabulator of audiences, Nielsen. Horizon issued a request for information to various media companies in the fourth quarter of 2021, and expects to work “with media entities including Paramount, NBCUniversal, Warner Bros.