Latest from Next TV in Alternative-programming

Disney Names Robert Mills Head of New Unscripted Unit

jon.lafayette@futurenet.com (Jon Lafayette) — Wed, 03 Feb 2021 18:18:51 +0000

Robert Mills has been named executive VP, unscripted and alternative entertainment for Walt Disney Co.

Mills, who had been senior VP, alternative series, specials & late-night programming, ABC Entertainment, will see his duties expanded as head Walt Disney Television Alternative, a new production unit for unscripted programming. He will also add oversight of new oversight of Hulu Originals unscripted and documentaries and ABC daytime programming.

Mills will report to Craig Erwich, president of Hulu Originals and ABC Entertainment, and Craig Hunegs, president of entertainment for Walt Disney Television.

“Rob is a respected and accomplished innovator in the unscripted business and his success is reflected in the countless hours of compelling content he has long championed,” said Erwich. “This promotion is not only a well-earned next step in his career, it also demonstrates our commitment to the type of groundbreaking programming that Rob’s team is known for.”

Mills joined ABC’s Alternative department in 2003, where he’s been responsible for shows including American Idol, Shark Tank and The Bachelor, as well as late night’s Jimmy Kimmel Live, the Live in Front of a Studio Audience specials and The Oscars.

“I am honored to be leading this new enterprise as our company continues its efforts to grow the direct-to-consumer business and build on our success at ABC,” said Mills. “I am incredibly grateful to Dana Walden, Craig Erwich and Craig Hunegs for this tremendous opportunity and look forward to collaborating with the talented teams within this expanded portfolio to develop and produce a higher volume of culturally defining unscripted television.”

This Technology Upgrades Alternate Content System

Jeff Baumgartner — Mon, 13 Apr 2015 13:45:00 +0000

Multiscreen video and advanced advertising company This Technology has unleashed an upgrade to its cloud-based SwitchStream Alternate Content Delivery System for QAM and IP environments.

Version 3.0 of SwitchStream, a platform that helps MVPDs and programming partners distribute regionalized content and alternate content when blackout scenarios or scheduling changes arise, adds several new features for MVPDs and programmers, including Audit Central for event verification and audit reporting, Map View (pictured above) for zone creation and event execution mapping, and an Event Dashboard for event execution status and system health management.

“SwitchStream changed the alternate content delivery game last year, supporting both existing QAM and IP delivery in one system for MVPDs and programmers” said Denise MacDonell, vice president of product management for This Technology, in a statement. “SwitchStream 3.0 is a generational leap, featuring full auditing and verification support, and an extensive graphical operational dashboard, delivering tremendous benefits to our deployed customers.”

This Technology, which is showing SwitchStream at this week’s NAB show in Las Vegas, said has deployed the new version with a tier-1 MVPD in partnership with Harmonic. This Technology and Harmonic announced a partnership in February aimed at helping MVPDs and programmers deliver regionalized content, such as sports or local programming, to the correct audience on a range of devices. That integration links This Technology’s SwitchStream alternate content delivery system with elements of Harmonic’s video product line, including the ProStream 9100 stream processor and Electra 9200 universal multiservice encoder.

This Technology’s announced customers include Comcast, Verizon Communications, NBCUniversal and ABC.

Super Bowl Counterplays: Puppies, Kittens and Zombies, Oh My

Mike Reynolds — Sun, 01 Feb 2015 18:15:00 +0000

Don’t need to watch six hours of pre-game fare? Too deflated to care about Super Bowl XLIX?

A number of cable networks are lined up in stunt-alternative formation against the NFL’s Big Game.

For those who prefer soft and cuddly to Xs and Os, Animal Planet is walking with Puppy Bowl XI from 3 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Hallmark Channel prefers felines to football, presenting its second annual Kitten Bowl. It premieres from noon to 3 p.m. and is followed by a purr of encores.

NatGeo Wild is swimming with the fishes -- as in golden ones. Following its rookie run with a single gold fish last year, the net is adding a second bowl.

WGN America is putting Barney Stinson and crew up against the NFL championship game: trying its hand with a 10-hour marathon entitled 1st Annual We Know It's The Day Of The Big Game But Please Watch Us Anyway How I Met Your Mother Barney Bowl Marathon Sponsored by Little Caesars Pizza.

The one show that has made a Nielsen stand and beaten Roger Goodell’s goods is The Walking Dead. AMC, which has taken down Sunday Night Football with the 18-to-49 set and secured a number of spots on cable’s all-time watch list, when gauged on a time-shifted basis, is putting its zombies up against Brady and Belichick, Sherman and Wilson, with a marathon of its own.