New Beginnings at the Hallmark Channel
At the Television Critics Association virtual summer press tour this month, the Hallmark Channel made a big announcement. Crown Media, the parent company of the Hallmark Channel, is now known as Hallmark Media. "This evolution in our own brand's identity is just a no-brainer. It allows us to better align with Hallmark, it makes sense, and resonates with our viewers and business partners. And of course we are now, in name, what we are at our core," said Hallmark Media President & CEO Wonya Lucas. Along those lines, Lucas, together with Executive Vice President, Programming, Lisa Hamilton Daly
TV Stats: 'Better Call Saul' Ends What 'Breaking Bad' Started
This week, AMC aired the final episode of the hit series “Better Call Saul” to much fanfare. The series ran for six seasons, and was a spinoff of the genre-defining “Breaking Bad” that premiered in 2008 and ended in 2013. During the run of both shows, the TV marketplace has transformed and delivered more new shows year over year than have ever been seen before.
What’s Next For Wi-Fi?
Over the past few years, more and more devices with Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E certification have started hitting the market. That means better security, faster speeds, better energy efficiency, and lower latency when these devices are paired with a router that also bears a Wi-Fi 6 or 6E certification. As those devices continue to fill our lives, the next generation of Wi-Fi technology is already under way. Under development now, Wi-Fi 7 will improve upon the updates that come with Wi-Fi 6E as well as incorporate new developments since the last certifications. These updates will facilitate the next
OWN's 'Queen Sugar' Has Been Sweet for All-Female Crews
The all-female-directed show, "Queen Sugar," which airs on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN), presented a special session earlier this week during the Television Critics Association's virtual summer press tour. "Queen Sugar," which has won two NAACP Image Awards and received praise from critics for its racially progressive themes, revolves around the lives of three siblings who move back to rural Louisiana after their father passes away and leaves his sugarcane farm behind. As the series heads into its seventh and final season, the CTAM-hosted panel explored the show's commitment to exclusively
America’s Internet Speeds Continue to Surge Ahead
With the United States having the monumental opportunity to close the digital divide, it is helpful to get an idea of how download speeds have changed over time. Thanks to the more than $300 billion invested by cable internet providers over the last 20 years, internet speeds have surged from single digit megabit speeds to multigigabit connections. Since 2020, when millions of Americans abruptly moved their work, school, and social lives online due to the pandemic, the average U.S. download speed has increased 88 Mbps, according to Ookla. That’s because America’s broadband leaders future proof
Broadband Stats: The Cable Industry Plays a Vital Role in the Climate Transition
As record heatwaves cover the U.S., and other extreme weather becomes more commonplace, many industries are looking at how they can help contribute to curbing the effects of climate change. The cable industry has been finding ways to reduce carbon emissions and energy costs for consumers for years, but has also pledged to go above and beyond to continue to go green.
The Future of Using (and Reusing) Spectrum
From laptops to cell phones to tablets to smart home technology, it's hard to escape the sea of devices that people depend on every day to keep themselves informed, entertained and connected to others. While consumers have a huge appetite for wireless devices, they may not give much thought to the essential resource that makes it possible – spectrum. At the beginning of the 20th Century, there was hardly a need for spectrum regulation, as the use of radio frequencies for mass communications was the exception rather than the rule. But as the use of the airwaves became more popular, the Federal
Cable TV Networks Focus on Breaking Gender Stereotypes
Television has always played an important role in helping to move the needle on societal issues, and challenging female inequality and harmful gender stereotypes is one of them. Cable TV networks have been and continue to come out with powerful programming that spotlight women in unique ways, casting them not only in leading roles but in ones that defy the conventional norms that audiences were once used to seeing on the screen. From AMC's "Killing Eve," which featured an Asian American woman (Sandra Oh) in the leading role as an MI5 agent opposite another powerful female lead, to HBO's "Big
Comcast's Internet Essentials Shows the Impact of Broadband Adoption on Families
Currently, more than 14 million people have been connected through the cable industry's low-cost broadband adoption programs. And over the past two years throughout the COVID pandemic, cable internet service providers (ISPs) have doubled down on their efforts to expand eligibility, forge public-private partnerships to connect as many households as possible, offer connected devices for use in the home, provide digital training classes, and spread the news about the benefits of their broadband adoption programs to those unaware that they even qualify. Comcast's Internet Essentials is one of
Broadband Highlighted as Household Product Not Hit By Inflation
Americans have been hit with rising inflation rates, the likes of which haven’t been seen in decades. Due to large disruptions in supply chains and labor markets, the price for some essential goods and services have skyrocketed. While the price of many vital goods have increased, in some cases by massive amounts, the price of broadband internet has remained stable and affordable, delivering a great value to American consumers. Recently, Yahoo published a list highlighting “10 Surprising Household Products Not Hit by Inflation” and pointed to broadband service as a key example. Other examples