Hallmark Cards Inc., which already owns 90.3% of Crown. Media Holdings, is moving to buy out the remaining public shareh
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FANS AND 4 NETS AWAIT MARCH MADNESS FINAL GAME TO AIR ON TBS THIS YEAR
Turner Sports and CBS Sports are fired up for another ratings and advertising bonanza as the 2016 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship—perhaps better known as March Madness—begins this Sunday, March 13 with the expanded two-hour Selection Show at 5:30 pm (ET). That will be on CBS, but what’s new this year is that for the first time ever the National Championship game will be on basic cable—TBS—on Monday, April 4. Before then, all 66 games leading up to the Championship will air live across CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV. CBS will broadcast 21 games throughout the tournament including the Elite 8, Sweet 16 and 1st and 2nd rounds. Turner will air 46 game telecasts across its three networks (TBS, TNT and truTV). TBS will televise 21 contests including the National Championship, Final Four, Elite 8, Sweet 16 and 1st and 2nd round games. truTV will air a total of 13 games, including the First Four and the 1st and 2nd rounds. The network will also provide “Team Stream” coverage of the National Championship and Final Four. TNT will televise 12 games including 1st and 2nd round match-ups, in addition to the National Championship and Final Four “Team Stream” presentations. “Team Stream” presentations are team-specific, originally produced telecasts of the National Championship and Final Four Semifinals. “Team Streams” are tailored specifically for each of the teams competing. The six unique telecasts will feature separate announce teams and multiple viewing options highlighting each of the competing schools. New this year is Turner Sports’ just-announced deal with Snapchat to use Snapchat Live Stories for fan engagement through video and photo snaps straight from people at the event. Brands will have the opportunity to align with this immersive viewing environment through various advertising products, such as Snapchat’s 3V ad product. 3V ads are full-screen, vertical video ads that are interspersed throughout the user-submitted content in a Live Story. “There is nothing more powerful on social than a passionate sports fan expressing their emotions during that pivotal moment of a game,” said Turner Sports SVP Seth Ladetsky. Last year’s NCAA tournament was the most-watched in 22 years and both CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus and Turner President David Levy hailed the success of their joint sales and promotional efforts at a press gathering this week. According to the NCAA, the average tournament game last year drew 11.3 million viewers, with the DukePAGE 1 28.3 million. Wisconsin Championship game drawing www.CableSpots.tv
ADVERTISER NEWS
General Motors issued a stop-sale order to Chevrolet and GMC dealers for the Colorado and Canyon pickup trucks and the Malibu sedan because of a potential problem with the airbags. Although those models have been strong sellers for dealers, a GM spokesman said the problem would be short-lived and should not affect sales significantly. The airbags in question were not made by Takata which has been hit by many problems over its airbags……Nation’s Restaurant News reports McDonald’s is developing a loyalty program that will be built around its smartphone app, and the program could start before the end of the year. Speaking at an investor conference Mickey D’s USA president Mike Andres also noted all-day breakfast has been a big success and said some markets are testing an expanded all-day breakfast menu while some other markets are testing a full breakfast menu……Arch-competitor Burger King has kept its U.S. roster at about 7,100 locations for several years now, but The Wall Street Journal is now reporting BK’s North American president says there’s a potential to add “thousands of new Burger Kings in the U.S. in the next five years”……Papa Murphy’s string of 19 consecutive quarters with positive same-store sales results is over—comps were down 3.1% in the fourth quarter. The chain added 111 new units last year and is looking to open another 115-120 this year with 20-25 of them company-owned and the majority to be franchises……Calling last year an “exceptional” year, Smart & Final comps for 2015 were up 4.5% and net income rose by 15.5%. After having acquired 33 store leases of former Haggen locations, the company expects to expand again this year including 4-5 new Cash & Carry locations…… In a separate report, the Bellingham Herald is saying that Albertsons will acquire the remaining Haggen core stores and the Federal Trade Commission will approve the deal. A statement from the union for Haggen workers said “it appears that other bidders are not going to raise their bids”……Coca-Cola is launching a line extension of the Minute Maid brand called Minute Maid Sparkling which will get to retailers later this month. Coke already has some similar Dasani drinks on the market. Beverage Digest has said the sparkling water market was up 28.6% last year with competition from brands such as Schweppes, Perrier and Poland Spring……Dollar General same-store sales were up 2.2% in the fourth quarter, with both traffic and average sale up. After opening 730 new stores last year (to reach 12,483 as of the end of January) plans are to open approximately 900 more this year.
CABLENET CHATTER
PEOPLE LOVE SVOD—AND TV AS WELL
The Soul Man returns for its fifth and final season on Analyst Brian Wieser at Pivotal Research Group has TV Land, premiering Wednesday, March 30, at 10:30 pm been digesting the latest data from Nielsen and determined (ET). This season, Boyce (Cedric The Entertainer) sets that subscription video on demand (SVOD) services— out on a campaign trail to run for Mayor with his sassy and including Netflix, Amazon Prime and Hulu Plus—have supportive wife, Lolli (Niecy Nash) by his side, while his now passed 50% TV household penetration in the United brother Stamps (Wesley Jonathan), who is still trying to States as of the end of February, up from 43% in the yearfigure out life, attempts to help him campaign the best way ago-period. How much is that hurting traditional TV viewing? he knows how. Boyce’s father, Barton (John Beasley) is Not much, he concludes. still holding the reigns to the church, and rounding out the “Despite this rise, core television viewing trends are cast, Missi Pyle has joined as Boyce's overly-aggressive down only modestly, and not by much more in homes but ''not quite all there'' campaign accessing SVOD services than in manager, Alicia……USA Network those without them,” Wieser said in a gives its viewers one last dose of Royal research note. Also, he says it is notable According to a recent survey, Pains when the drama airs its eighth that not every network group is down and final season beginning Wednesday, 15% of Americans have because of the growing availability of May 18, at 10:00 pm (ET) with eight SVOD services. Looking at data for admitted to cooking in the all-new episodes. The summer series the period from October 1, 2015 to nude. Unfortunately, most of has captivated a loyal fan base and February 21, 2016 vs. the year-ago them work at Chipotle. consistently ranked as a top 10 series period, the analyst says viewing of the across all key demos on its night for all CBS broadcast network and of Time seven seasons. In its final season, Royal Warner’s ad-supported cable networks Seth Meyers Pains will celebrate crossing the 100th (TBS, TNT and etc.) are up by more episode milestone midway through the in SVOD homes than in those without season, and will also include a visit to SVOD services. “Ultimately, we do not Hong Kong and a unique musical episode featuring several believe the growth of SVOD services meaningfully impacts new and returning guest stars……Monica Ten-Kate brings advertisers’ spending at the medium level, but we do see her gift of communicating with spirits to the West Coast ongoing risks to affiliate fees which can be offset by license when she moves to California, on the season two premiere fees from the SVOD providers,” Wieser concludes. of Monica the Medium, airing Monday, April 25, at 10:00 pm (ET) on Freeform. Monica and her BFF/roommate Krista CROWN MEDIA HOLDINGS TO GO PRIVATE decide to move to California. After harsh winters in State Crown Media Holdings had $479 million in revenues College, Pennsylvania, the girls have resolved to change for 2015, up 15% over the previous year. But financial results their lives completely and head out to San Diego, where for the owner of Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies there is plenty of sunshine, new opportunities and new & Mysteries won’t have to be made public for much longer. people to help……Hosted by multi-talented artist, and now Hallmark Cards Inc., which already owns 90.3% of Crown the ultimate pick-up artist, Ray J, the new series Driven To Media Holdings, is moving to buy out the remaining public Love premieres Friday, April 1, at 10:00 pm (ET) on WE shareholders for $5.05 per share—about $175 million in all. tv. In each episode of Driven to Love, one hopeful single Privately owned Hallmark says rolling in the cable will hitch a ride in a tricked out SUV alongside Ray J, who network operation will give it “greater flexibility to respond to will serve as their personal driver and wingman, providing the many risks and challenges of the rapidly changing cable insightful dating advice as they cruise around town meeting and entertainment landscape and protect its substantial potential mates. En route to the airport, Ray J will present five investment in Crown.” Hallmark also expects to save on carefully selected prospects; as well as games, challenges costs associated with having Crown Media Holdings operate and questions to help the lucky dater pick the partner of as a public company, listed on Nasdaq. their dreams……Bravo Media swaps diamonds for diapers when There Goes the Motherhood premieres on April ACCOUNT ACTION 20 at 10:00 pm (ET). The show follows six dynamic Los Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has selected DDB, Angeles mothers, who meet through parenting expert Jill Chicago, as the lead creative agency for the Jeep and Alfa Spivack's highly-coveted, eight-week course. They have Romeo brands. long waited for the opportunity to be a part of the most indemand mommy group in LA. Wearing their hearts on their THIS AND THAT sleeves and hoping for a place to connect, some become Citing “a growing need for comprehensive, credible fast friends, and others fast frenemies……Nickelodeon data solutions to help clients,” Dentsu Aegis Network recognizes extraordinary teen Raymond Mohler Jr. for announced that it has acquired Cardinal Path, a digital data his work with hospitalized children, in a brand-new episode consulting firm in the U.S. and Canada……Nestlé USA of The HALO Effect, titled ''Little Saint Nick,'' premiering says it is voluntarily recalling a limited number of DiGiorno, Monday, March 14, at 8:30 pm (ET). The episode profiles Lean Cuisine and Stouffer’s products because of the Mohler, a 17-year-old from Lynbrook, NY, who helps bring possibility they might contain small pieces of glass......The smiles to the faces of sick children by making hospitals a FCC plans to propose new privacy rules that would prevent kid-friendly place. consumer data from being used by Internet providers in the wireless and cable industries, blocking the companies from PAGE 2 being able to sell targeted advertising. As you would expect, those companies are opposed, since the rules would not apply to advertising competitors such as Facebook. Friday, March 11, 2016 www.CableSpots.tv
