Bold Projects Win Big at This Year’s Emmys
On Sunday, TVs biggest names donned their best outfits and parked themselves in front of cameras to attend this year’s Emmy awards, mostly from their living rooms. The show was a significant departure from the past, with COVID-19 preventing the types of large gatherings that usually constitute awards shows like the Emmys. However, one thing didn’t change—the celebration of the best storytelling on TV. From Euphoria to Schitt’s Creek to Watchmen, the evening awarded the type of bold, challenging projects that have become synonymous with cable programming. Cable TV networks took home 71 awards
The First 10G Smart Home is Here
What exactly is a 10G Smart Home? To put it simply, it is the home of the near future, where every device connects seamlessly and where the kinds of next-generation experiences that were once unimaginable are made possible by an ultra-fast 10 gigabit speed internet connection. Now, there is a real-life model of what 10G, the cable industry's initiative to deliver internet speeds that are 10x faster than today's networks to households across America, has in store for consumers. The Mediacom 10G Smart Home was unveiled yesterday in Ames, Iowa, for a tour, and represents the first U.S. field
New SCTE•ISBE-Led Effort Brings Emerging Technologies to the Table for the 10G Era
To check the latest findings on nationwide broadband network performance during the pandemic, go to the NCTA COVID-19 dashboard. Every year ushers in a new era of connectivity as next-generation technologies continue to debut and consumers demand more digital-centric experiences. The COVID-19 pandemic has no doubt accelerated the rate at which Americans are adopting these technologies for applications such as telemedicine, remote learning, and virtual entertainment—all of which require a high-speed broadband connection. Fortunately, the cable industry has been working on bringing 10 gigabit
ESPN Prepares for Monday Night Football, COVID Style
Tonight kicks off the 50-year old American tradition of Monday Night Football, and ESPN is ready to launch its 15th season hosting the program. Even during a pandemic, ESPN has been preparing for a live broadcast under new protocols while staying true to its renowned coverage of the sport. During a media call, the new MNF commentator team, production executives, and reporters previewed the NFL season and shared how they have come together to bring football fans the entertainment they've been waiting for. This year, the network has had to scale down the number of people on site at a football
Cable ISPs and Schools Come Together in New Broadband Connectivity Effort
"Back to school" time has looked very different this year as millions of kids started K-12 classes this week virtually instead of in the classroom. With many schools still closed for in-person learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic, America's cable internet service providers have been working in their communities, developing partnerships with school districts across the country that are focused on figuring out which students lack a home broadband connection, and getting service to those kids within reach in order to assist in enabling online instruction. As part of this effort to close this gap
A Career of Public Service at C-SPAN
In the early 80s, after visiting the White House, a group of high school students were touring a new TV network called C-SPAN, where they were attending a live broadcast of a call-in show. When the host (C-SPAN Founder, Brian Lamb) answered the phone on air, he was told to hold for the President of the United States. Sure enough, then President Ronald Reagan was on the other end of the phone, praising the students for their engagement in the civic process after he tuned into C-SPAN from the White House’s private residence and recognized the group from earlier that morning. C-SPAN is more than
Knowing Your Audience Is the Key to ViacomCBS’s Success
These days, TV viewers have more options of shows to watch than ever. So how does a TV network decide what shows to produce? While the decision-making process is complex, networks like ViacomCBS have one powerful tool at hand: audience research. At ViacomCBS, researchers serve as deep strategic partners to brands and businesses. With teams embedded across networks like BET, MTV, or Nickelodeon, ViacomCBS researchers work in constant partnership with programming strategists. Knowing the ins-and-outs of MTV, for example, allows for more precise information gathering, better understanding of
Comcast and Lone Star College Partner to Connect Students to Digital Learning
Prior to COVID-19, many colleges and schools were already aware of the digital divide among their student populations. This is why Quentin Wright, President of Lone Star College-Houston North in Texas, always took measures to ensure that classes prioritized face-to-face learning. Not to mention, a technology survey had found that many students in his service area did not have a computer at home or access to a broadband connection. But then came the pandemic. "When March hit, it changed our world tremendously," said Wright. Wright and the college administration had to completely shift direction
Samantha Bee Talks on Filming Challenges and How She's Approaching the Election
With both a pandemic and presidential election happening in the same year, 2020 has been quite the year for political satire and for the media pundits covering America's state of affairs. In a rescheduled virtual panel for the Television Critics Association, comedian and political commentator Samantha Bee, who is the host and executive producer of TBS's Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, discussed how her show's production process has changed since COVID-19 hit. Along with the show's executive producer Alison Camillo, she also shared her thoughts on media coverage of the presidential election
Industry Energy Efficiency Programs Saving Consumers Billions While Earning Global Recognition for Promoting Innovation
Consumer savings as a result of innovative energy efficiency programs implemented by pay-TV and internet service providers are adding up to billions of dollars annually and significantly reduced energy consumption, according to new independent audits released earlier this month. The findings of the audits conducted by D+R International, which reviews each provider's performance data annually, demonstrate that these programs have been extremely successful: Set-Top Boxes – D+R's latest report found that consumers saved nearly $2 billion in electricity costs in 2019, eliminating the need for five