2020 Changed How We Make TV
The past year has forced many Americans to upend their daily routines, making what were once simple tasks much more complicated than before. That also holds true for TV production, as the COVID-19 pandemic forced many shows to pause production indefinitely starting in March. Since then, America’s TV industry has been working on a myriad of solutions to safely get back to filming. While each project took a different approach, there are a few areas of overlap. For instance, many studios have hired “COVID Compliance Officers” who are tasked with ensuring every safety precaution is taken, and that
Lifetime's Holiday Movie Stars Reflect on This Year's Inclusive Storylines
Yes, the festive season is here and, in 2020, the simple comfort and joy found in watching holiday programming will take on a whole new level of appreciation for many. This year, Lifetime's rollout of new holiday movies will represent "the most festive, inclusive, and diverse year yet," according to Amy Winter, the network's executive vice president and head of programming. During the network's 'It's a Wonderful Lifetime' press day, leading Lifetime cast members, writers, and producers expressed the pride they hold in being a part of this year's slate of holiday films, which reflect the
How BET Wrote the Blueprint for Live Events in a Pandemic
For decades, the annual award shows hosted by TV network, BET, have marked an important moment to celebrate Black excellence and honor Black achievements. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020, many in-person events large and small were cancelled or severely postponed. However, the BET team pressed on to find novel ways of celebrating black excellence – from the summer BET Awards to the Soul Train Awards that wrapped up the 2020 Thanksgiving weekend. BET has now produced three COVID-safe award shows. Innovative virtual solutions allowed the network to share its most anticipated events
Amid a Year of Uncertainty, Community is More Important Than Ever
As folks around the country prepare to celebrate a different kind of Thanksgiving, it’s important to take a moment and reflect on how this year has also brought people together amid the unknown. When COVID-19 began spreading in the United States and millions of people began working and learning from home, America’s broadband and entertainment leaders asked themselves what they could do to help their communities and neighbors. ISPs and TV networks connect with communities every day, and their involvement goes beyond the internet services and entertainment offerings they provide, whether it’s
REVOLT TV Discovers Its ‘Why’ Moment
“Mark Twain has a quote, ‘the two most important days in a person’s life are the day you are born, and the day you find out why’—why you are here on this earth,’” said Detavio Samuels, COO for REVOLT Media & TV. For Samuels, never had that quote resonated more than it did this year. As tumultuous as this year has been, Samuels believes that the network’s ‘why’ moment arrived in 2020. He explained at this year’s NAMIC conference last month, “REVOLT TV was born in 2013, seven years ago, but it wasn’t until these two global pandemics hit our audience at the same time that we truly discovered our
Saluting America's Veterans, Today and Every Day
Today, the cable industry joins the rest of the country in honoring the military veterans who have made tremendous sacrifices in their efforts to serve the United States. The internet and television community has long hosted and promoted a variety of initiatives and programs year-round that are dedicated to supporting veterans and their families as they transition to civilian life. Their work ethic, talents, and skills are incredibly valuable and necessary to the success of the industry, and cable companies especially recognize and celebrate their achievements in a myriad of ways every year on
Why TV Ratings Are So Important to Parents
Television has always played an influential part in children's lives and that’s true now more than ever, as families grapple with a COVID-19 pandemic that has altered normal everyday life and caused millions of children to spend more time at home and more hours consuming TV. What children see and hear on a TV show can leave an impact on them, and parents rely on having good tools to help them make the best viewing choices for their families. Thankfully, the TV Parental Guidelines, also known as the TV ratings system, is available for families to use in determining whether a particular program
Television Brings Hispanic Stories and Culture to American Viewers
Since 1968, Hispanic Heritage Month – which officially concludes today – has marked a time to celebrate the enormous contributions that the Hispanic and Latinx community has made to the United States’ economy, society, and culture. This year, it’s particularly poignant to recognize the iconic TV shows and characters that have brought Latinx stories and culture to American viewers. An H Code survey of U.S. Hispanics found that, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hispanic viewers have significantly increased the amount of TV they consume. In fact, 60% of U.S. Hispanics reported that they are
Leading by Example: TV Network Executives Say D&I Starts at the Top
During a Diversity Week virtual panel hosted by NAMIC, top executives from cable TV networks with successful diversity and inclusion (D&I) programs shared their thoughts on the current social justice climate, how they’re committing to building diverse and inclusive workforces, and where the industry needs to go from here. "At ViacomCBS, this work didn't start this year. It builds on a legacy of us working to build a more equitable company, but we are certainly broadening and deepening our work this year," said ViacomCBS President & CEO Bob Bakish. "We recognize our responsibility and we are
How ViacomCBS Gets TV Viewers What They Want
On any given day, millions of Americans will sit down to watch TV. But what shows do people put on? And how do they decide where to watch them? Those are some of the questions driving the Global Insights team at ViacomCBS. The team strives to connect audiences with the content they love, and leverages data and research to do so. “Research is really important to helping ViacomCBS keep up with changes in the landscape and how consumers are thinking about them,” says Colleen Fahey Rush, EVP and Chief Research Officer at ViacomCBS. Earlier this year, we visited the ViacomCBS headquarters in New