TV's Past, Present and Future from the View of a Veteran TV Critic
Last month, NCTA had the rare opportunity to sit down with a long-time TV and entertainment writer at the TV Critics Association Press Tour to get his take on the media landscape and how TV coverage has changed over the span of 50 years. Ivor Davis is a British entertainment journalist, author and veteran TCA member who, as he put it, has "seen a few things" in his career over the past five decades. Gone are the days when many newspapers assigned their top journalists to topics that ranged from Robert Kennedy's presidential bid, touring with The Beatles, to interviewing some of the biggest
Hallmark Channel CEO Shares the Magic Behind the Network's Strategy
It's Valentine's Day, and of all the TV programming to choose from, there's no question which channel many viewers will turn to on a day like today. When it comes to holiday or romantic comedy sentiment, few networks have the legacy and powerful brand presence like the Hallmark Channel does, and audiences just can't get enough. While at the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour last week, NCTA sat down with Bill Abbott, President & CEO of Crown Media Family Networks, to learn about the genius behind one of America's most popular TV networks, and how the Hallmark Channel has managed
Ovation TV: 'A Time of Renaissance for Creative Production'
Today is the last day of the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour—a time when the country's top TV journalists come together in Los Angeles to hear from directors, producers and casts of the new and existing shows that await viewers every spring. During the cable programming portion, NCTA caught up with Ovation TV Executive Vice President of Programming and Production, Scott Woodward, to get a better understanding of how the network selects shows that strike a chord with audiences, and how Ovation differentiates itself when viewers have a limitless number of options. Known for
Why Cable TV is Better Than Ever
Consumers today have the most diverse and unlimited menu of choices on TV than ever before. In the last two decades, cable TV networks have invested more than $430 billion to create rich entertainment experiences that keep viewers coming back time and time again, and it's easy to see why cable shows continue to stand out for their inspiring stories and top-knotch talent. The time and effort that cable programmers put into recruiting the best writers, directors, actors and showrunners and into producing the type of quality storytelling that dominates TV ratings is paying off and viewers are
Celebrating Innovative Storytelling at the Golden Globes
Before viewers truly dive into the new and returning shows of 2019, it's worth taking a look at the Golden Globe Awards to get a good sense of the kind of programming that stands apart in today's competitive yet thriving TV marketplace, and which shows might be in for an Emmy reckoning later this year. This past Sunday, the 76th annual awards show entertained and inspired audiences by awarding accolades to a good mix of new and buzzy programming, as well as those steadfast dramas that never cease to disappoint. Here are a few of the memorable highlights. FX's The Americans, the beloved spy
NCTA's Favorite Programming Moments of 2018
As the year comes to a close and audiences gear up for the great television that lies ahead in 2019, let's take a moment to reflect on a few of the milestones achieved in 2018. While there were many, NCTA compiled the top five moments in programming it covered here over the past 12 months. Live streaming broke more records this year, and cable TV networks came out with innovative storytelling that won audiences over time and time again. There's no telling what the new year will bring, but if 2018 is any indication, the future looks bright for TV viewers everywhere. Winter Olympics This year's
Video Leads All Internet Traffic
With internet speeds getting faster every year, and more connected devices populating homes, people are online more than ever before. America’s broadband providers have invested over $275 billion in the past 20 years to upgrade and expand their networks—which has allowed people to experience next generation technologies like AR and VR, and to unleash limitless possibilities for Americans to explore in areas like education, healthcare, business, entertainment, and beyond. Moreover, what’s particularly fascinating is the incredible opportunity that this investment has opened for video. It’s
Cable TV and FX's Pose Lead in LGBTQ Representation
As Transgender Awareness Month kicks off, the recent release of GLAAD's annual "Where We Are on TV" report gives audiences all the more reason to celebrate the transgender community, LGBTQ people and diversity across the spectrum. According to the report, TV is airing more LGBTQ stories than ever before, with the number of LGBTQ characters at its highest in several categories across all platforms—cable, broadcast, and streaming. Cable led the way ahead of broadcast TV and streaming platforms with 208 regular and recurring LGBTQ characters throughout its programming, up from 173 last year. For
This Election Day, the C-SPAN Bus Celebrates 25 Years of Civic Outreach
It's been 25 years since C-SPAN launched its traveling C-SPAN Bus Program, and to celebrate the occasion the network sent its award-winning state-of-the art motor coach on a "50 Capitals Tour" which started last year. Throughout the tour, teachers, students, elected officials and others climb aboard to learn about the network's multi-platform public service resources. This anniversary is a timely one given that today is Election Day, and that C-SPAN's role in providing political coverage is one of the most unique in journalism. What many people don't realize is that the network is not a tax
Parents Find TV Ratings Valuable
In today's vibrant TV marketplace, every viewer–children included–can find content tailored to their unique tastes and preferences. But more importantly, cable programmers and content creators know how important it is for kids to grow up watching shows that are not only educational, stimulating and fun, but age appropriate as well. The TV Parental Guidelines, which are labels shown in the upper left corner of the screen at the start of a program and often after commercial breaks, were established to help parents choose programming that they feel is right for their kids. A recent survey