Celebrating the Best in TV at the Emmy Awards
Last night's 70th Primetime Emmy Awards lived up to its promise to showcase the diverse menu of choices that viewers have on television today, and the inspiring stories that keep them coming back for more. In total, together with the Creative Arts Emmys, cable programming drew the most wins with 65 out of 126 awards (in 122 categories), followed by streaming services with 38 and broadcast with 23. To no one's surprise, HBO collected multiple accolades. Game of Thrones took the title for Best Drama Series for season seven, and for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama for Peter Dinklage. (Fans
Creative Arts Emmys: Recognizing Those Who Work Behind the Scenes in TV
With the 70th annual Primetime Emmy Awards taking place on Monday in Los Angeles, it's worth taking a look at the TV shows and talent that shined at the Creative Arts Emmys, which were presented just this past weekend. The Creative Arts Emmy Awards are generally awarded to those who work behind the scenes in TV programming, including video and sound editors, costume designers, and cinematographers. These are just a few of the roles that are working alongside casts, producers and directors to create some of America's most memorable TV shows. This year's presentation in particular made history
TV Shows Are Boosting America's Economy
The best shows on TV are known for captivating and thrilling viewers. But a lot of these same shows are doing much more than providing quality entertainment. The TV industry is contributing to communities all over the country. When a show films outside of a studio and on location, the towns, cities, and states where production crews decide to set up shop are significantly impacted. It's always a win when a show comes to a town and provides a plethora of new jobs, builds new infrastructure and soundstages for future filming opportunities, promotes a region and boosts tourism, and brings a
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