History Channel Premieres a 'Cinema Documentary' on Abraham Lincoln
With Presidents Day coming up on Monday, the History Channel is ready to present their newest documentary, "Abraham Lincoln," a three-night series based on a biographical study of the 16th president. At the TV Critics Association Winter Press Tour, network executives and the documentary's executive producers discussed the unique partnership that the network has with Pulitzer Prize Winner Doris Kearns Goodwin, a preeminent presidential historian, to develop the network's event series on presidential documentaries. History Channel Executive Vice President and Head of Programming Eli Lehrer noted
TV Stats: More Shows Than Ever Before
Each TV season brings a slew of new critically acclaimed, must-watch series. Over the last decade the number of original scripted programs has continued to rise, except for a brief dip in 2020 due to the pandemic, giving audiences fresh faces and new ideas to engage with season after season. With a new television season on the horizon, it is a good time to take a look at where the contemporary TV industry finds itself. According to research conducted year after year by FX Networks, 2021 set a record for the number of original scripted programs at 559. Compare that to the 455 original scripted
Cable TV Networks Celebrate Black History Month
Black History Month has kicked off and cable TV networks are rolling out programs, specials, and documentaries that celebrate the achievements of Black Americans. The cable industry is deeply committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive America. One important way that it works to achieve this is by airing programming that not only includes diverse actors on the screen and writers behind the scenes, but by showcasing the stories of and by Black Americans that have been overlooked for far too long. And while cable TV networks work year-round to find ways to amplify the voices of Black
NBCUniversal Will Deliver Most Accessible Winter Olympic Games Than Ever Before
Today marks the first day of coverage of the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Beijing, with the opening ceremony set to take place on Friday. In its 18th year of covering the Olympic Games (12th consecutive total and sixth straight Winter Games), NBCUniversal has been preparing to present over 2,800 hours of coverage over the next two and a half weeks across NBC, Peacock, USA Network, CNBC, NBCOlympics.com, and the NBC Sports app. "Ensuring that the Olympic and Paralympic Games are available to be enjoyed by the widest possible U.S. audience is core to our mission," said Gary Zenkel
It's Holiday Movie Time
The popular saying, "It's the most wonderful time of the year," spreads to television once again as cable TV networks bring on the holiday cheer with an abundance of heartwarming movies, shows, and holiday specials to choose from. While many channels started their rollouts as early as October, undoubtedly December is the month when those joyful and cozy storylines beckon viewers to the screen (and with their cup of hot cocoa in hand). Cable TV networks prepare year-round to bring Americans their beloved holiday programming, with many even filming in the heat of the summer. Here are a few of
Cable TV Celebrates Trans Week of Visibility
In 2018, FX premiered its newest show from acclaimed showrunner Ryan Murphy. “Pose” made headlines, after all it told the story of transgender and queer people building community in 1980s New York, which was a major breakthrough for queer storytelling on TV. But it also made history for the fact that record numbers of trans identifying people were the writers, producers, and stars of the program. Until that point, most projects cast cisgender (a person who identifies with the gender assigned to them at birth) actors to play trans roles, and often focused on tragedy. “Pose,” by comparison, told
TV Stats: How Cable TV Powers the Economy
Since before the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, many Americans have turned to TV for comfort, information, and entertainment. In fact, when the pandemic hit, comfort viewing reached a whole new level, but there were questions about how TV production could forge ahead during a health crisis. Thanks to clever thinking, increased safety protocols, and patience, TV production has continued throughout thanks to those hard-working men and women, both in front of and behind the camera, who make up cable’s workforce and who are helping to deliver the high-quality news, entertainment, and
New Comedy Shows Help to Expand Authentic Native American Storytelling on TV
As Native American Heritage Month gets underway, there is no better time to spotlight two groundbreaking shows that made their debuts this year and that center around the people who live in and around Native American tribal reservations. These shows stand out not only because Native American people are cast as leads, but many of the writers and producers behind the scenes are also Native American—making the shows and their storylines all the more authentic and genuine. TV networks have made great efforts to diversify their writer’s rooms and casts to ensure that each person’s voice is heard
AMC's Shudder Spotlights Black Horror in New Anthology as Halloween Approaches
With Halloween just around the corner, the horror genre is getting its time in the spotlight as viewers have a plethora of scary TV programming to choose from. AMC Networks stands apart in this category with its menu of slasher and horror shows, giving audiences the shrieks and thrills they crave during this time of year. Not only is AMC Networks the home of the fan favorite, "The Walking Dead," the programmer also hosts FearFest, an annual horror marathon featuring over 680 hours of iconic horror films and shows. But this year, AMC Networks is also debuting a new anthology, "Horror Noire,"
TV Stats: HBO’s “Succession” By The Numbers
This weekend, fans of the smash hit “Succession” on HBO will be rewarded with the long-awaited premiere of the show’s third season. The series follows the adult children of an extravagantly wealthy family as they compete for control of their aging father’s media empire and has inspired remixes, memes, think pieces, and a few viral videos. Even for those who aren’t regular viewers, “Succession” is just one of the many award-winning shows currently available on cable TV networks. After the show’s second season premiered in 2019, it drew an average audience of over 4 million for each episode