Number of Scripted TV Shows on Course to Break Yearly Record
At the TV Critics Association Summer Press Tour last week, FX CEO John Landgraf informed audiences that since the beginning of 2018 and up until now, 319 scripted series have premiered on linear and streaming television. According to FX's research, this mid-year number is already up 5 percent from the same time last year. By the end of 2017, viewers had enjoyed a total of 487 scripted series that aired on television. So far, it’s looking like they will experience even more original programming in the remaining months of 2018. This should come as no surprise, as America's television and
30 Years of Shark Week: How Discovery Created a Cultural Phenomenon
No summer would be complete without taking a "TV swim" with a shark! It's that time of year when Discovery showcases its annual Shark Week extravaganza, and this week marks the 30th anniversary of the fearsome fish's debut on the network. In a Q&A, Discovery Senior Vice President of Programming Donna D'Alessandro shared with NCTA what goes into making one of the longest running events on television, and how the network continues to "wow" viewers year after year. Give us an overview of Shark Week's history. Why was it conceived? The legend goes that a few executives were sitting around a table
World Cup Coverage Sets New Records for Telemundo and FOX Sports
This year's FIFA World Cup, which concludes this Sunday with the France versus Croatia final, was always bound to pose challenges for American audiences. With the tournament taking place in Russia, the time difference makes watching the games stateside challenging, tacked onto the fact that the U.S.A. men’s team did not qualify this year. But viewership ratings from FOX Sports and Telemundo are proving that despite these obstacles, Americans are reveling in the exciting matches, stories, and coverage that the tournament has to offer—and they are watching in a variety of ways. Telemundo reports
Taking Pride In Cable TV Programming
According to the 2017-18 GLAAD “Where We Are on TV” report, cable programming hit a record-setting 173 number of LGBTQ+ characters at the start of the current television season. That’s ahead of broadcast and streaming, who saw 86 and 70 LGBTQ+ characters respectively. The trend also mirrors the sea change of public opinion in recent years in favor of LGBTQ+ acceptance; from 2010 to 2017 the number of LGBTQ+ characters has more than tripled on cable from 53 in 2010 to 173 in 2017. In fact, this year cable has more than double the amount of diverse characters than either broadcast or streaming
Three Questions: ESPN Executive Shares How the Network is Super-Serving Sports Fans
The way that people watch sports has changed drastically in the past several years. Cable programmers have provided audiences with easy and new ways to access thousands of hours of their favorite programming and sporting competitions, and via almost any connected device, through apps that make watching TV an anytime, anywhere experience. And now, ESPN just might be the driving force behind more change ahead for digital sports viewing. The network launched ESPN+ earlier this spring on the ESPN app, its first direct-to-consumer streaming service and one which delivers a much more personalized
Telemundo Deportes President Says it Will be 'World Cup Great'
The time has come! Every four years, the world comes together to celebrate the greatest soccer sporting event on the planet—the FIFA World Cup tournament. Starting tomorrow, viewers will watch their favorite world-class players take the field on Fox Sports, or on NBCUniversal's Telemundo Deportes for its exclusive Spanish-language broadcast—the network’s World Cup debut. Americans will miss the USA team this year, but that won't stop people from getting in on all the fun, especially not Telemundo's Spanish-speaking audience who are known to be some of the biggest fans out there when it comes
Mountains, Deserts, and Robots: How Utah Plays Host to HBO’s Westworld
The second season of Westworld is well underway, but Evan Rachel Wood and her fellow cast members aren’t the only stars that are dazzling viewers week after week. The majestic backdrops on the show— red rock valleys, canyons, mountains, sand dunes, and Lake Powell—are playing a supporting yet pivotal role in setting the scene. While much of the production is filmed on a soundstage in Southern California, the show’s exteriors are filmed in Utah. "It's easy to think shows can just recreate [backdrops] to the green screen, but I know the cast and crew talk about how inspiring it is to be on the
Homeland Films in Richmond, Brings Along Jobs and $40 Million to Virginia
"When I tell my kids we only had three television channels back when I was their age, they look at me like I'm an alien. Now, the global demand for content is almost insatiable," said Andy Edmunds, director of the Virginia Film Office. "This is why there are hundreds of film offices worldwide that compete to bring this content manufacturing opportunity into their country, state, province or city." In an interview with NCTA, Edmunds shared what it's like when a big production opportunity—like Showtime's Homeland—comes to the Old Dominion state, and how it touches every facet of the community
A Glimpse into How Unscripted TV is Made
Behind the scenes, thousands of cable programming employees work day and night to bring millions of Americans a diverse menu of TV shows that keep them coming back for more. For the many directors, producers, writers, showrunners, network executives and camera crews, it's no small feat to put together a show that captures audiences through innovative storytelling, whether it's for scripted or unscripted programming. Henry Morillo, an unscripted story producer who is currently working for the WE tv show Bridezillas, gave us a glimpse into what it takes to put together reality TV that keeps
A $9.5 Billion Impact: How TV and The Walking Dead Are Transforming Georgia
Georgia may be nicknamed the Peach State, but in the film and TV business, it’s better known as the Camera Ready State. With an average of 30-40 movie or television show productions going on per year, there's no shortage of television favorites being filmed there at any point in time, or in any kind of town, be it FX's Atlanta, IFC’s Brockmire or even Netflix’s Stranger Things. But the biggest hit of all is AMC's The Walking Dead, where 90 percent of the show's crew are native Georgians. The production also completely revitalized the small town of Senoia. In an interview with Lee Thomas