TV News Roundup: December 12, 2014
- Moonves talks streaming services, NFL and contracts
- Connected TVs rise year-to-year
- Merger talk between three media giants
- Basic cable TV cutting out local TV stations?
Moonves talks streaming service and NFL:
Les Moonves, CBS Corp. CEO, would love to have CBS NFL games on the new CBS streaming service. But, if/when that would happen, the price of the service would need to increase from its current $5.99 per month. Moonves also restated that a Showtime streaming service will come in 2015, but is still working out details with current partners (cable companies).
CBS extends Monvess contract:
Speaking of Les Moonves, he now has a contract extension to lead CBS through June 2019.
TimeWarner talking mergers, CBS and Viacom:
Jeff Bewkes, CEO of TimeWarner, addressed a potential setting of CBS, TimeWarner and Viacom, without getting specific. The talk revolved around if CBS and Viacom were to get back together, would that new combined companie want to then merge with TimeWarner? The market value of TimeWarner is $70 billion, while CBS is at $27 billion and Viacom is at $30 billion.
Connected TV rise in US:
Mediapost.com is reporting that there are over 168 million streaming devices, connected to US televisions. Those devices include smart TVs, game consoles, Chromecasts, Apple TV, smart blu-ray players and Roku devices. Also, the number of connected devices has rising from 1.5 units, in 2013, to 1.9 units, through Q3 of 2014.
Dish Network to cut broadcasters out:
In a blocked Wall Street Journal report, Dish Network is looking at excluding broadcast channels out of its basic TV service. Rising prices appear to be the motivation behind the change. Cable and Satellite companies are finding ways to let subscribers see the actual costs it takes for them to deliver "Free" TV channels.
FX Orders comedy pilot:
The cable network has ordered a pilot for ATLANTA, a new comedy from Donald Glover (COMMUNITY). the comedy is about two cousins who work their way up the Atlanta rap scene and become stars.
THE LATE LATE SHOW WITH JAMES CORDEN names supporting player:
Comedian Reggie Watts will be the band leader of the new THE LATE LATE SHOW when it premieres in March, 2015. Also joining the crew are Rob Crabbe (THE TONIGHT SHOW w/FALLON) as executive producer. The head writer is former TOSH.O writer, Mike Gibbons. And, Sheila Rogers (THE LATE SHOW) will be the Supervising producer.
TLC gets into Late Night Talk business:
The cable network has ordered six episode of ALL ABOUT SEX, a weekly, Saturday late night talks show. No details on when the series will premiere.
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