Peacock has a Community movie in the works. The show ran on NBC for six seasons, starting in 2009. Cast members Joel McHale, Danny Pudi, Alison Brie, Gillian Jacobs, Jim Rash and Ken Jeong return. 

Dan Harmon created the show, and is an executive producer on the movie, as are McHale, Andrew Guest, Russ Krasnoff and Gary Foster. 

“ ‘Six seasons and a movie’ started out as a cheeky line from Community’s early seasons and quickly ignited a passionate fan movement for this iconic, hilarious and cool (cool, cool) NBC comedy,” said Susan Rovner, chairman, entertainment content, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. “We’re incredibly grateful that 15 years later, we are able to deliver fans this promised movie and can’t wait to get to work with Dan Harmon, Andrew Guest, Joel McHale, Sony and our partners at UTV to continue this epic comedy for Peacock audiences.”

Community totaled 110 episodes. All are on Netflix and Hulu. Peacock said it is “acquiring the full series library (non-exclusively).”

Chevy Chase, Donald Glover and Yvette Nicole Brown were in the series but are not mentioned in the movie announcement. 

Sony Pictures Television and Universal Television produce the new project.

“Community was light years ahead of its time when it premiered on NBC in 2009 and we are thrilled to once again visit the brilliant minds of Dan Harmon, Andrew Guest and this impeccable cast,” said Jason Clodfelter, co-president, Sony Pictures Television Studios. “We are grateful to Peacock, our partners at UTV and to all the zealous fans who have cherished this iconic show.” ■

Cover Story
Stories of a Lifetime for TV Reporters
The pandemic was a story that affected everyone. Then the protests related to George Floyd’s death happened.

Enough Is Enough
Police treatment of press called unprecedented in recent times

BET’s Scott Mills on Providing a Platform
Network chief says the channel has a unique role in bringing African-Americans together

Programming
Nets See ‘Genius’ in African-American Music Biographies

Policy
ISP Tax Break Could Come With New Cost

Business
Wireless Customers Sprint to T-Mobile

Fates & Fortunes
Notable executives on the move for the week of June 15

MCN’S MOST VIEWED
Top five stories on multichannel.com, June 1-9
1. FCC Grants Spectrum Licenses to T-Mobile, Others
2. New COVID-19 Aid Bill Goes to President's Desk
3. Fox News Dominates May Cable Network Ratings
4. DirecTV Executives Arrested in Venezuela Following AT&T Pullout
5. A+E Networks to Air ‘The Time is Now: Race and Resolution’ Special

NEXT TV’S MOST VIEWED
Top stories on nexttv.com, June 1-9
1. It’s Alive! Roku Channel Expands to More Than 100 Live Linear Channels
2. DirecTV Executives Arrested in Venezuela Following AT&T Pullout
3. AT&T's 'Zero Rating' of HBO Max Taken to Task by Dem Senators
4. Window Dissing: Has Theatrical Distribution Finally Collapsed?
5. Android TV Takes Major Step in U.S. Market With Integration into TCL Smart TVs

The Five Spot
The Five Spot: Alon Orstein, Senior VP, Production & Development, TLC

COVER STORY
Chris Wallace's Sunday Best
After more than 50 years in broadcasting, Fox News Sunday anchor hasn’t seen anything like the pandemic

AGENDA
The Watchman: Gordon Ramsay Is Off the Charts; ‘L.A.’s Finest’ Goes Wide

PROGRAMMING
Review: ‘I May Destroy You’

TECH
‘Channels’ Pose a Challenge for Media Firms Going DTC

POLICY
Q&A: Mike Rogers, Man of 5G Action

FATES & FORTUNES
People on the move for June 1

DATA MINE
MCN’s Top 5, May 18-27
1. Weekly Cable Ratings: Fox News Triumphant Among Total Viewers
2. Programming Review: ‘Barkskins’
3. Sinclair Stock Soars on Speculation of More RSN Carriage Deals
4. Cover Story: Home Shopping’s Second Act
5. HBO Max Available on Hulu at Launch

Next TV’s Top 5, May 18-27
1. Why CBS All Access Wants To, And Must, Become ‘ViacomCBS All Access’
2. Is CBSN the Future of TV News?
3. AT&T Faces Renewed Pressure to Sell DirecTV
4. Disney Plus Emerges as Multibillion-Dollar 'Star Wars' Franchise’s New Hope
5. Streaming Projected to Be Lone Growth Area Amid $160B Pandemic Bath

THE FIVE SPOT
Dennis Wharton, EVP, Communications, National Association of Broadcasters

Cover Story: Home Shopping’s Second Act
COVID-19 could speed up the move to e-commerce by TV programmers

PLUS:
Shopping Shows Work for Pandemic Relief
Pandemic Changes Home Shopping Mix

Agenda
View from the Top: AMC CEO Sapan’s Work-From-Home Watchword Is Overcommunicate

Programming
Survivalists Bare All on Discovery Series
Programming Review: ‘Barkskins’

Fates & Fortunes for May 18

Data Mine
MCN’s Most Viewed, May 4-13
1. Altice USA Seeks Tech Workers For Voluntary Layoffs
2. Fox News Leads Cable News Domination of Weekly Cable Ratings
3. Fox Business Network Slates Bartiromo China Documentary
4. Sinclair: Sports Rebates Could Come
5. Canada Pension Plan Sells Altice USA Stake

Next TV’s Most Viewed, May 4-13
1. TiVo Stream 4K: Everything You Need to Know About the New Android TV-Based Dongle
2. Sling TV in Freefall: 281K Lost Subscribers in Q1
3. Google Reportedly Moving Forward With Android TV-Powered, Nest-Branded OTT Device
4. Android TV to Be Rebranded as Google TV? That's the Rumor
5. Cord-Cutting Hit Record Levels in First Quarter

The Five Spot
Katherine Pope, Head of Spectrum Originals, Charter Communications

Digital Edition for May 4, 2020

Cover Story
Esports Take Their Turn at Bat 
With live events sidelined by COVID-19, an emerging category finds itself as the only game in town

Agenda
C-SPAN Will Gavel In More History
The Watchman, Michael Malone: Finding ‘Gold’ on Acorn; Ruffalo Hits Hits Mark Twice on HBO Series

Programming
Review: Peacock Has a Lot to Offer While Awaiting Fresh Feathers

Business
COVID-19 Could Squeeze Networks More in Q2

Fates & Fortunes
People on the move for May 5, 2020

MCN’s Most Read
Top stories on multichannel.com, April 20-29
1. Fox News Rolls Along on Weekly Cable Ratings Charts
2. AT&T Seeks Delay of Carriage License Sunset, Citing Pandemic
3. Altice USA Creates $10M Community Relief Program
4. Charter Expands Showtime, Epix to All Video Customers Through April 19
5. Debt-Troubled Frontier Hits Reset

Next TV’s Most Read
Top stories on nexttv.com, April 20-29
1. AT&T to Shutter Audience Network on May 22
2. T-Mobile: Everything You Need to Know About Its 5G-Fueled Push into Streaming
3. Sling TV: Everything You Need to Know About the vMVPD
4. Production Panic: Can the Major SVOD Services Keep Up with Ravenous Audience Demand?
5. Quibi: 'An Old-Media Mindset Squeezed Into a New-Media Form Factor Without Any Purpose'

The Five Spot
Jon Diament, Executive VP, Chief Revenue Officer, Turner Sports

MCN Digital Edition: April 20, 2020

Cover Story
More Horror? Bring It On
Call him ‘The Insider’ — Stephen King novels are all over TV, and coronavirus may only increase our desire for more frightful fare

Agenda
‘The Five’ Learn How to Work from Home
The Watchman, Michael Malone: CBS Goes Crazy With Prince Special; ‘Penny Dreadful’ Reboots in Vintage L.A.

Policy
Robert McDowell: A COVID-19 Survivor’s Story

Business
Broadcasters, Nets Brace for Sports-Fee Surge

Fates & Fortunes
People on the Move for April 20, 2020
Rafael Eli, Hispanic Marketer, Soccer Specialist, Dies of COVID-19 Pneumonia

MCN’s Most Viewed: April 6-16
1. AT&T Offers Free Cell Service to Doctors, Nurses
2. Fox News Leads Cable News Domination of Weekly Cable Ratings
3. Robert McDowell: A COVID-19 Survivor’s Story
4. Trump Threatens to Adjourn Congress and Make Recess Appointments
5. BET, REVOLT TV Set COVID-19 Themed Specials

Next TV’s Most Viewed: April 6-16
1. AT&T TV, DirecTV Add Free Year of HBO
2. AT&T Stops Selling U-verse TV
3. AT&T, DirecTV Set to Be Hit Hard by COVID-19 Recession: Analyst
4. Tough First Day? Quibi Generates Only 300K App Downloads, Gets Battered by Critics
5. Apple TV Plus: Nearly Six Months in, Is Anybody Watching?

The Five Spot
Sally Woodward Gentle, Executive Producer, ‘Killing Eve’

Cover Story
Cable’s Corona Conundrum

As pandemic rages, cable operators and networks strive to keep information lines flowing, employees safe and their businesses viable
PLUS:
Coronavirus Causes Networks to Scramble
Ad Sales Execs Taking Crisis One Day at a Time
‘Tiger King’ Becomes Ferocious Social-Media Hit
Sports Streamers Pivot in Pandemic

Reviews
‘Mrs. America,’ FX on Hulu‘Run,’ HBO
Fates & Fortunes for April 6, 2020

MCN’s Most Viewed, March 23-April 1
1. Comcast Opens On-Demand, SVOD Titles During COVID-19 Outbreak
2. Charter Expands Free Broadband Eligibility
3. Fox News Generates Most-Watched Week of the Year in Total Day Ratings
4. Verizon Adds Free Fios, Wireless Content
5. Facing Up to COVID-19

The Five Spot
Greg Whiteley, EVP, One Potato Productions

Cover Story: Wonder Women 2020
Here’s to the Leaders
MCN’s 2020 Wonder Women to be celebrated Sept. 30

Agenda
Media Business Preps for New Normal
COVID-19: The Story of a Lifetime
Theatrical Movies Head to VOD Early
The Watchman: Firefighters Hot for ‘Tacoma FD’, Cub Reporter on Apple TV+ and Fowl Play on Disney XD

Freeze Frame | March 23, 2020

MCN’s Most Read, March 9-19
1. Verizon Closing Some Retail Stores During Pandemic
2. T-Mobile Outlines Coronavirus-Related Service Changes
3. Charter Opening WiFi Hotspots in Face of COVID-19
4. Altice USA Offers Free Broadband to Homes with K-12, College Students During Coronavirus Scare
5. Comcast Ramps Up (Public) Service to Meet Coronavirus Challenge

Cover Story
Upward Mobility
After fits and starts, cable’s wireless play has come into its own

Agenda
Small Cable Firms Targeting Advanced Ads

From Next TV:Everything You Need to Know About Coronavirus Cancellations

The Watchman:If It Breeds, It Leads on FX; Dick Wolf Chases Bad Guys, and Girls, on Oxygen

Special Report: Cable Hall of Fame
Magnificent Seven Earn Hall of Fame Honors

Fates & Fortunes
People on the move for the week of March 9

Freeze Frame

MCN’s Most Read: Feb. 24-March 4
1. BET, CNN, NBA TV to Air Kobe Bryant Memorial Service
2. Trump Vows to Destroy Comcast’s Image
3. NAB: Vegas Show Is a Go Amid Coronavirus Concerns
4. Marquee Sports Network Steps Up to the Plate
5. Comcast Promotes Khoury to Chief Communications Officer

The Five Spot
Geoff Daniels, EVP, Global Unscripted Entertainment, Nat Geo

COVER STORY
Marquee Sports Network Steps Up to the Plate
The Chicago Cubs’ new Marquee Sports Network joins a crowded sports TV field with high hopes and a big carriage question

PLUS:
More Than a South Side Story at NBC Sports Chicago
Outlook Uncertain for RSN Business Overall

AGENDA
Sunwise Sheds Light on Socially Responsible Subjects

TECH
Cable Is Gadget Makers’ New Battleground

SPECIAL REPORT: TECH LEADERSHIP AWARDS
Building a 2020 Tech Vision

Fates & Fortunes

Freeze Frame

MCN’S MOST VIEWED
Top stories on multichannel.com, Feb. 7-20
1. Altice to Buy Service Electric New Jersey Systems for $150M
2. Starz to Exit Xfinity Lineup Feb. 11
3. AT&T Content Chief Dan York to Leave March 1
4. AT&T TV App Ends Support for Roku
5. Fox News Channel Dominates Weekly Cable Ratings Charts

THE FIVE SPOT
Mark Eamer, VP of IMDb TV

Cover Story
More Platforms, More Content for African-American Viewers
Streamers push networks targeting people of color to create more original programming

PLUS: Fox Aims to Put Some Soul Into OTT
African American-focused network offers four hours of live, interactive programming each weeknight

Programming
Da’Vine Intervention
Actress talks about why ‘High Fidelity’ will stand out on Hulu

Review: Cherish the Day

The Watchman: ‘Survivor’ Features Past Champs at ‘War’; Walking Dead Walk to School on Disney

Business
Wireless Ventures Create Real Revenue for Cable
Mobile business shifts from afterthought to profit center

Fates & Fortunes: Notable executives on the move

Freeze Frame
Event photos for Feb. 10, 2020

MCN’s Most Viewed
Top stories on multichannelcom. Jan 30-Feb. 5
1. Pai Unveiling C-Band Plan Feb. 6
2. T-Mobile: FCC Should Mandate Fast-Track C-Band Relocation
3. Fios Sheds 51K Video Customers in Q4
4. AT&T TV App Ends Support for Roku

The Five Spot
Libby Geist, VP and Executive Producer, ESPN Films and Original Content

Cover Story
Traditional TV Borrows from Streaming Frenemies
Call it the ‘Net’ effect: Cable, broadcast compete for more bingeable content

Special Report: Customer Care
Footing the Bill
Pay TV looks to bill simplification as a customer-service advantage

Programming
Review: USA Network’s ‘Briarpatch’

Business
No More Fear and Loathing Over Video Sub Losses

Fates & Fortunes
Executive moves for the week of Jan. 27

Freeze Frame
Photos from NATPE, the SAG Awards, the TCA Winter Press Tour and more

Viewpoint: Christopher S. Dean, Vlocity
Satisfy Subs With the Personal Touch

The Five Spot
Harlan Coben, Executive Producer/Author

MCN’s Most Read
Top Stories on multichannel.com, Jan. 16-23
1. T-Mobile-Sprint Team Gets DOJ Award
2. Apollo Stations Go Dark to Dish Customers
3. Hallmark Channel Chief Bill Abbott Out at Crown Media
4. CWA's Largest Local Endorses Sanders
5. HBO Max Launch Could Be Undermined by Turner Linear Networks, Analyst Says

Special Report: Viewer Watch 2020
After the Fall
As TV’s traditional business model fractures, programmers and distributors look to pick up the pieces

PLUS:
The New Normal: Streaming Takes Center Stage
New Strategies, Old Problems
Good News for Digital News (including online-exclusive extra)
Viewer Watch 2020: The Charts

Agenda
Five Things to Watch at CES 2019
Hieronymus Bosch Poised for Noisy 2020
The Watchman: TLC Gets ‘Hot & Heavy;’ Disney Takes It to the ‘House’

Fates & Fortunes

Freeze Frame

The Five Spot
Dee Harris-Lawrence, EP/Showrunner, ‘David Makes Man’

MCN’S MOST VIEWED
Top five stories on multichannel.com, Dec. 27-Jan. 3
1. Hearst Extends DirecTV Negotiations
2. Cable, Satellite Distributors Watch the Clock
3. DirecTV, Hearst Still Talking
4. Court Blocks Maine A La Carte Law
5. AT&T TV App Ends Support for Roku

COVER STORY: EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR
Bob Iger Scores Succesful Shift to Streaming
Disney+ launch a crowning achievement for CEO

AGENDA
Screening TV’s Future: What Will Tech Bring in 2020?

BUSINESS
Distributors Buck Stock Trend in 2019

NEXT TV
Get the latest coverage of the streaming sector at MCN's new sister site, Next TV

THE FIVE SPOT
Rob McDowell, Cooley LLP

FATES & FORTUNES
Key executives on the move

DATA MINE
MCN's Most Viewed, Dec. 5-12
1. The Lego Group Launches New Video Streaming Service
2. Comcast and Charter Have Reached ‘Clear Relevance’ in U.S. Wireless, Analyst Says
3. Sony Playstation Vue’s 500K Subscriber Base Still in Play
4. TLC Rolls Out Preview Trailer for New ‘Sister Wives’ Season
5. Fox News Begins December at Top of Cable Ratings Charts

Cover Story
TV Rewrites the Rules of Love
How relationship-focused reality shows are changing with the culture

Programming
In Demand Isn’t Down for the Count
New boxing, AEW deals have PPV content distributor bullish on 2020

Agenda
J.C. Watts, Black News Channel Look to Make History in 2020
Network will launch to some 33 million homes in January, chairman says

Fates & Fortunes: People on the Move

Freeze Frame: Event Photos for the Week of Dec. 2

The Five Spot: Pamela Duckworth, fuboTV Sports Network

MCN’s Most Viewed
Top 5 stories on multichannel.com, Nov. 19-26
1. Malone: Streaming Consolidation Will Come
2. Charter Looking to Follow Comcast’s Residential-Router-as-Hotspot Model
3. AT&T, Altice USA Reach Carriage Deal for i24News
4. AT&T TV ‘Pilot’ Launch Expanded to Four More Markets
5. More Muni, More Money

Cover Story
More Muni, More Money
Small communities increasingly see municipal broadband as a means to drive economic growth

Special Report: Primetime Players
‘MCN’ Athletes of the Year Simone Biles, Kevin Durant are adding TV production credits to their lengthy sports resumes
Simone Biles Is on Point
Kevin Durant Scripts a Career Beyond Basketball
PLUS:Thirty Five Ventures’ Inside Game

Fates and Fortunes for Nov. 18, 2019

Freeze Frame for Nov. 18, 2019

MCN’s Most Viewed
Top stories on multichannel.com, Nov. 7-14
1. Comcast Opens Flex to Modems and Gateways Purchased at Retail
2. Will Charter Integrate Disney+ Into Spectrum TV?
3. Charter Announces Adoption of Plume’s OpenSync for WiFi Management
4. Disney+ Will Reach 101M Customers by 2025, Still Be Dwarfed by Netflix, Research Group Predicts
5. FCC Finds for AT&T in Retrans Negotiation Complaint

Cover Story
Chris Matthews Still Has His Fastball
‘Hardball’ turns 20 and host gears up for sizzling 2020 election
PLUS:Spanish Networks Plot 2020’s New Electoral Map (expanded version)

Connections
Voices: Iterations, Daniel Frankel
Cable Operators Get Flex-able on Cord Cutting in Q3

Community
Voices: Picture This, R. Thomas Umstead
DAZN's Fight Delay Makes For Long Night, Increased Business

MCN’s Most Viewed, Oct. 30-Nov. 7
1. Disney+ Still Lacks an Amazon Fire TV App a Week Away from Launch
2. AT&T’s Stephens: DirecTV Losses ‘Have Peaked’
3. Philo CEO Andrew McCollum: ‘We Think We Have a Fundamentally More Sustainable Offering’
4. Verizon Fios TV Lost 67K More Customers in Q3 as Platform Continues to Slip into Irrelevancy
5. Expect More vMVPD Attrition Following PlayStation Vue Shuttering, Analyst Says

COVER STORY
Busy Off-Season Has Fans, Sponsors Eager for NBA Tip-Off
Trades, rookies creating strong demand for pro basketball
PLUS:30 Years of hoops and fun at ‘Inside the NBA’

SPECIAL REPORT: HISPANIC TV SUMMIT
NYC Television Week

CONNECTIONS
Iterations, Daniel Frankel
Casa Systems Focused on 5G Backhaul, Wireless Convergence

COMMUNITY
Publica's Ben Antier on ’Is TV Dead?’

MCN's Most Viewed, Oct. 11-18
1. Xfinity Flex Review: Player Has ‘Big Missing Links‘
2. Moody's: 5G Could Cut Into Cable‘s Broadband Pricing Power
3. Comcast Could Drop Starz As It Expands Epix Deal
4. CommScope Acquires Base Station Antenna Tech Company Fractus’ Patents
5. ‘Subscription Overload’ as Streaming Options Increase

Cover Story
Wrestling Flies High on TV AgainThe ring wars are heating back up as TNT launches AEW and WWE makes a big move to broadcast

MCN Video:Brandi & Cody Rhodes Step Into Cable's Wrestling Ring with All Elite Wrestling on TNT

Connections
Voices: Daniel Frankel
10G Remains a Tech Seeking a Real-World Application at Cable-Tec Expo

Community
MCN’s Most Viewed: Sept. 27-Oct. 4
1. AT&T, Sinclair Limp Toward Retrans Deal
2. Tegna Warns Charter Customers of Possible Blackout
3. AT&T Gives Hill Its Take on Sinclair Impasse
4. CNN's Toobin Stands by Statement That Justice Department Is Corrupt
5. Fox Sports Set for Errol Spence-Shawn Porter PPV Boxing Event

COVER STORY
Why the 10G Push Is Stuck in Neutral
New technologies, shifting standards leave cable operators reluctant to put the pedal to the metal

SPECIAL REPORT: 40 UNDER 40
NYC Television Week website

CONNECTIONS
Voices: Iterations, Daniel Frankel
Comcast's Metrological Acquisition Bolsters RDK, Pushes Back on Android TV Invasion, Analyst Says

COMMUNITY
Voices: As I Was Saying, Gary Arlen
The Promises of Streaming Video Portend Emmycast Challenges

MCN's Most Viewed: Sept. 20-27 
1. Disney, AT&T Reach Carriage Agreement in Principle
2. Cox Quietly Debuts Xfinity Flex-Based Streaming Player
3. Charter Names Mitchko CTO
4. Sinclair Warns AT&T Customers of Looming Blackout
5. Xandr Reorganizes Senior Execs to Create Single Voice

Cover Story: Altice’s Model Behavior
MCN’s Distributor of the Year turns the U.S cable model on its head with a distinct European focus

Connections
Voices: Iterations, Daniel Frankel
SCTE at 50: At Cable-Tec Expo, Will Overwhelmed CTOs Figure Out the Path Forward For Their Middle-Aged HFC Networks?

Community
Voices: Picture This, R. Thomas Umstead
TCM Not Silent About Making History

MCN’s Most Viewed, Sept. 6-12
1. DirecTV Braces for Disney Blackout
2. AT&T Told to Sell DirecTV by Hedge Fund Investor
3. Hallmark Drama Launches on Comcast's Xfinity X1
4. Altice USA Launches Wireless Service
5. Comcast, ESPN Launch ESPN3, ACC Network Extra and SEC Network + on X1

Cover Story: Measuring the Measurers
Niche audience-measurement companies aim to give advertisers, programmers a fuller picture of who’s watching

Connections
Voices: Daniel Frankel
Roku Takes Smart TV ‘Pole Position’ in U.S. Amid Trump Tariffs

Rules
FCC filing on ACA Connects 5G Plus plan

Community: Voices
MCN Guest Blog: Stephanie Wong, Horowitz Associates
How Regional Sports Nets Fit Into Cable’s Lineup

MCN’s Most Read
1. Altitude Goes Dark on Comcast, DirecTV
2. Disney+ Won’t Be Available on Amazon Fire TV at Launch
3. Comcast, ESPN Launch ESPN3, ACC Network Extra and SEC Network+ on X1
4. Altitude Goes Dark to Dish Customers
5. Phelps to be Communications Chief for New ViacomCBS

COVER STORY
Celebrating Women on Video's Cutting Edge
Wonder Women in Streaming celebrates video's biggest, brightest thinkers shaping how we watch TV

COMMUNITY
Voices: As I Was Saying, Gary Arlen
Local TV News Preferred by Minorities, Older, Less-Educated Viewers, Pew Finds

MCN's Most Viewed, Aug. 2-16
1. Cisco Cable Access Chief Holobinko Quietly Exits Amid Major Strategic Shakeup
2. FCC Denies Net Neutrality Complaint Against Verizon Wireless
3. Bakish to Head Combined CBS-Viacom Management: Reports
4. CBS All Access and Pluto TV to Be ‘Complementary’ in New ViacomCBS Alignment
5. CNN Rings in August With Weekly Cable Primetime Ratings Win

THROUGH THE WIRE
The Watchman, Michael Malone
(subscription required)
Alton Brown 'Eats' Again; In 'God' Showtime Trusts; Netflix Remakes 'Dark' Henson Pic

Cover Story: Sports Executive of the Year
Back In the Zone
Former ESPN chief John Skipper is making waves again at digital upstart DAZN

Connections
Iterations, Daniel Frankel
Android TV’s U.S. Invasion Has Officially Begun

Community
Voices
Picture This, R. Thomas Umstead
History Revisited in Fiction

MCN’s Top 5
1. Iterations: Android TV’s U.S. Invasion Has Officially Begun
2. On the Money: CBS-AT&T Retrans Resolution: Not So Fast
3. Meredith Stations Go Dark to Dish Customers
4. Stephenson: Close to Deal With CBS, Nexstar ‘May Take Longer’
5. AT&T: Locast Is Option If There Is CBS Blackout

COVER STORY
TV Girds for the Big Meltdown
Content creators look to secure their futures as cord-cutting reaches a tipping point

CONNECTIONS
Iterations, Daniel Frankel
TiVo Readies Arris-Made 'Edge' DVR

COMMUNITY
On the Money, Mike Farrell
Dishing Sprint-T-Mobile

Twitterati
Five Women Accuse Charter, NY1 of Gender Bias

MCN'S MOST VIEWED
Top five stories on multichannel.com, June 13-20
1. On the Money: AT&T Needs to Kill DirecTV to Save It
2. Comcast, Charter Make Industry-Wide Push for Addressable Advertising
3. MCN Video: OWN Sets June Premiere Date for 'Ambition'
4. For Altice USA, Programming Costs Consume 67% of Video Revenue
5. Comcast to Replace Cinemax With New On-Demand Movie Service Hitz

THROUGH THE WIRE
Taking an FCC Fight to an FCC Podcast
FCC Broadband Conversations Podcast: Massachusetts AG Maura Healey
Video: Massachusetts AG Maura Healey plays HORSE against Gov. Charlie Baker

TOC for June 10, 2019 issue

Cover Story
Five That Have Thrived So Far in 2019These shows had what it took to pop in the crowded content universe

Connections
Iterations, Daniel Frankel
Sizing Up the OTT Conference Bonanza

Community
PEN America and The Trust Project’s News Transparency Tracker

MCN’s ‘Busted Pilot’ Podcast

MCN’s Most Read, May 31-June 7
1. TiVo Claims Another Favorable ITC Ruling Against Comcast
2. Small TV Stations Locked in Retrans Dispute With DirecTV
3. Donovan: AT&T’s New Streaming Video Offering ‘Radically Reshapes’ TV Concept
4. Video: What’s Premiering This Week (June 3-9)
5. TiVo Names Former Weather Channel and Dish Exec Shull CEO

Viewpoint
State Net Neutrality Mandates and The Dormant Commerce Clause: Some Preliminary Thoughts

Table of Contents for June 3, 2019

COVER STORY
Can Washington Tame Big Tech?
With privacy eroding, Congress begins to crack down on tracking, sale of consumer data
ONLINE EXTRA:Brookings Institution report: "Big Tech Threats: Making Sense of the Backlash Against Big Tech"
ONLINE EXTRA: Sen. Elizabeth Warren on "how we can break up big tech"

CONNECTIONS
Iterations, Daniel Frankel
WarnerMedia ‘Pulls Back Curtain’ on What Will Actually Be Single-Tier SVOD Service

COMMUNITY
BC Beat, Michael Malone
Fox Nation Off to Stellar Start, Says EVP

MCN's Most Read
Top five stories on multichannel.com, May 24-30
1. CBS All Access Beams Up 'Star Trek: Picard' Trailer
2. Comcast Ends Xfinity On Demand App on TiVo
3. WarnerMedia ‘Pulls Back Curtain’ on What Will Actually Be Single-Tier SVOD Service
4. Comcast Set to Replace Cinemax with New On-Demand Movie Service Hitz
5. Hulu’s vMVPD Driving $1B+ in Annual Revenue?

COVER STORY
High on Fiber
As broadband demand swells and 5G looms, cable and telcos strive to add more fiber networks to their diet

CONNECTIONS
Voices, Daniel Frankel
Will the Bundle Bounce Back?

COMMUNITY
MCN's Top 5, May 10-17
1. TCM to Honor Doris Day With June Movie Marathon
2. TiVo Formally Announces Split of Licensing and Products Businesses
3. Charter Changes Cancellation Policy, No More Prorated Bills for Final Month of Service
4. Trump Administration Puts Huawei On Suspect Company List
5. Fox News Picks Up Cable Ratings Win for First Week Of May

As the director of the field support center for Mediacom Communications, the fifth-largest cable operator in the U.S., I was approached by my boss to participate in a leadership training program with a colleague. I immediately jumped onto my computer to learn more about The Cable Center's Intrapreneurship Academy — also known as “IA” — to see what I was getting myself into.

To my surprise, the educational program was designed to provide mid-tier cable-industry executives with the leadership skills and mindset to become intrapreneurs — to envision and affect change and to innovate within their own organization. Recently, I had been battling an “if It ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mentality with some colleagues, so the timing could not have been better.

Embracing Change

Hearing phrases like this inside an organization can create a culture that makes many individuals fearful of change. Some of my own team members were reluctant to express their ideas or make recommendations for improvement. Through an ideation session facilitated by IA and our class curriculum, I was able to immediately improve communications with my own team and reduce the negativity that was discouraging innovation. During our ideation session, one associate that doesn’t normally express her opinions proved it was her day to shine and opened up to us. I was so pleased that IA had enabled me to create a forum for our team where she was comfortable enough to share her ideas.

By working with the dean and other participants, I learned to push myself to think more broadly, which opened my eyes to other perspectives. I gained more confidence and mastered negotiation tips to go back to the drawing board and confront the people that were resistant to the “transformation” I envisioned and wanted to see implemented.

My goal for my IA class project was to demonstrate how I could maximize manpower. I needed to ensure all our customers were getting the help, problem-solving and courteous service each and every time they asked for support. That meant my entire team had to be available whenever and wherever — even if budgets were tight or not available. 

”I no longer wanted to work in just my silo; I was inspired to connect.” 

Life after the program also changed for me, as I became more aware of the needs and challenges of other departments within my organization. I no longer wanted to work in just my silo; I was inspired to connect. I reached out to the training department and was simply blown away that by having a better understanding of what they were doing — and why — equipped me to position my Workforce Management solution in a whole new light.

Expecting the Unexpected

Based on my findings, I was able to work through and present a budget strategy. It wasn’t rocket science, but it made all the difference in the world. I requested a budget for the unexpected, like the field work that comes due to weather, or other delays that could be estimated based on historical data. Thanks to IA, I successfully changed the way budgets were allocated to cover field work for “pinches” that arose from delays and increased the number of satisfied Mediacom customers.

The advice I would give to other intrapreneurs is to trust yourself, open your eyes, listen to those around you and keep pushing for what you believe in. If you’re looking for a worthwhile training program, and an amazing support system, I highly recommend the Intrapreneurship Academy.

Lagwana Tyler is director, field support center at Mediacom Communications and a participant in The Cable Center’s Intrapreneurship Academy, which consists of two days of on-site training at The Cable Center in Denver, followed by six weeks of online classroom instruction, and concluding with a two-day capstone back at The Cable Center. Classes are held throughout the year. For more information and to register, visitwww.intrapreneurshipacademy.org.

Cover Story: Punching Up

How OTT providers are knocking traditional providers out of ring sports

Q&A with HBO EVP Peter Nelson

Platforms Connections
Voices: Iterations, Daniel Frankel
Will Apple’s Hands-On Creative Approach Turn It Into Expensive NBC?

Community
Voices: On the Money, Mike Farrell
Retrans’ Hobson’s Choice

MCN Online Extra: Sept. 20-27
1. Bravo Sets ‘Welcome to Waverly’ Reality Series
2. FCC: Local Franchise Authorities Can’t Regulate Broadband
3. Comcast Ready to Sell 30% Hulu Stake to Disney, Report Says
4. Comcast Begins Moving Into 60-Story, $1.5B ‘Tech Center’ High Rise
5. AT&T: Consumers Will View 5G as ‘Compelling Alternative’ to Wireline Broadband

COVER STORY | IT'S AN OTT UNIVERSE                                                    New strategies, bold players behind an ‘unstoppable and undeniable’ revolution

CuriosityStream Goes Back to the Future

Broadband Is Key for Video Business’s Future

Goals: Innovation, Reliability, Connectivity

T-Mobile’s Binder: 5G a ‘Game-Changer’

Byron Allen: Programmers ‘Cannot Be Big Enough’

Johnson Stresses Content and New Distribution Model

MORE FROM THE AUG. 6, 2018 PRINT EDITION

MCN's MOST READ STORIES                                                  multichannel.com | July 27-Aug. 3

1. DirecTV Adds AccuWeather, Drops WeatherNation 
2. New York: Charter Has to Stop Operating Systems in State 
3. TIS18: Video’s Not Dead, It’s Just Riding on Broadband 
4. WOW! Broadens Whole-Home WiFi Mesh Service Launch 
5. Rutledge: ‘We’re in the Right’ in PSC Fight

COMMUNITY                                                                                                        Voices | Picture This, R. Thomas Umstead

CTAM Brings OTT Services, Cable Nets Together at TCA

Gathering showcases industry’s top shows, distributors

Numbers | Diversity & Inclusion

Video: Hollywood Makes No Progress Toward Diversity, Report Finds

2018 report from USC's Annenberg Inclusion Initiative finds the more things change, the more they stay the same

COVER STORY | INDIE OPERATORS OF THE YEAR

Atlantic Broadband: A Small Op That Pulled Off a Big Task

Vyve Broadband: Fulfilling a Vision of Small-Town Access

Plus:More Stories From the July 9 Issue

MCN's MOST READ STORIES                                                    multichannel.com | June 29-July 6

1. Comcast Brings World Cup Content Hub to X1
2. Charter Launches Spectrum Mobile
3. Fox News Selects Melissa Francis to Serve as ‘Outnumbered’ Co-Host
4. Leslie 'Les' H. Read, Cable Pioneer, Dies at 82
5. Univision Stations Go Dark to Dish, Sling TV Subscribers

RULES                                                                                                                  A Case of Agoraphobia Judicia?

Roberts on Supreme Court: ‘We’re the most transparent branch in government’ (The Washington Post)

COMMUNITY                                                                                            Carnegie Corp. Honors Mediacom's Rocco Commisso as ‘Great Immigrant, Great American’

From Calabria to a Cable Chairmanship

COVER STORY

TV’s ‘Power’ Forward                                                                                                                                             50 Cent’s hit crime drama surges on Starz, with more projects on the way

NEED TO KNOW | CYBERSECURITY

Cyberattacks Put Every Enterprise at Risk                                                                                                          Techniques diversify as corporate adversaries get smarter

PLUS:IoT Poses New Cybersecurity Threats for Cable

READ MORE | TOC

All the Stories From MCN Issue No. 15

MCN's MOST READ STORIES                                                multichannel.com | June 22-29

1. Comcast Brings World Cup Content Hub to X1 
2. T-Mobile, Sprint File With FCC 
3. Epix Names Courtney Menzel EVP, Content Distribution & Partnerships 
4. Fox Sports Hoping for World Cup Ratings Rebound
5. AT&T Unleashes WatchTV

PLATFORMS                                                                                          Connections Blog | The Bauminator, Jeff Baumgartner

Study: 85% of U.S. Millennials Subscribe to at Least One OTT Video Service

COMMUNITY                                                                                                Voices | MCN Guest Blog, Jon Baldry

Shortening the (DAA) Last Mile

Numbers | 'Cable Keepers'

Confusion Over Streaming Live Events Reduces Cord Cutting

COVER STORY

The Hunt Is On                                                                                                                                                  Comcast, Disney prepare for a (21st Century) Fox hunt

SPECIAL REPORT | WOMEN IN THE GAME 

Gaining Ground, Offering an Assist                                                                                                                  MCN’s class of leading women sports executives understands the need for work/life balance, and helping others along the way

Read More: MCN's Women in the Game Archives

SPECIAL REPORT | PROGRAMMING

Crime and Viewership                                                                                                                                            Spate of true-crime shows helps networks nab viewers

More Stories From Issue 14

MCN's MOST READ STORIES                                                                          multichannel.com | June 8-15

1. AT&T Gives Away WiFi Extenders to Subs on Fastest Broadband Tiers
2. Comcast Brings World Cup Content Hub to X1
3. Comcast Makes All-Cash Bid for Fox Assets
4. AT&T, Time Warner Cleared to Merge
5. Layer3 TV to Offer Live World Cup Matches in 4K 

AGENDA                                                                                                            People | MCN Events 

Byron Allen Wants to Add OTT Sports to Entertainment Studios Portfolio                            Programmer set to keynote at OTT & Video Distribution Summit Aug. 2 in Los Angeles

The Summit: Learn More/Register

PLATFORMS                                                                                        Connections Blog | The Bauminator, Jeff Baumgartner 

74% of U.S. Homes Have at Least One Connected TV Device

COMMUNITY                                                                                                  Voices | As I Was Saying, Gary Arlen 

Beach Reading for the Media-Obsessed

Numbers | How We Watch

Americans Say Goodbye to VCRs, Hello to Streaming (B&C)

COVER STORY | PROGRAMMING 

So Much Summer Drama: A slew of new cable series are taking aim at hot-button issues

SPECIAL REPORT | SPORTS

New Digital Services Reset the Playing Field: DTC launches could one day lead to a ‘Netflix of sports’

NEED TO KNOW | 5G

Riding Wireless’s Next Wave:New standard will accelerate wireless speeds, connect the Internet of Things — and drive competition

Cable Is Wired for 5G: For operators, 5G offers big opportunities for new fixed and mobile wireless services

Need to Know More?Email us at needtoknow@nbmedia.com 

MCN's MOST READ STORIES                                                multichannel.com | May 24-31

1. Verizon Drops Plan to Build its Own OTT TV Service
2. Dish DBS Officially Launches AirTV
3. Oath Puts Ad Target on Verizon’s FiOS TV Footprint
4. Sony Has No Plans to Shut Down PlayStation Vue: Report
5. Ergen: Narrowband Net Will Be 'Big Dish' IoT Play; 5G to Follow

PLATFORMS                                                                                            Connections Blog | The Bauminator, Jeff Baumgartner

PlayStation Vue Will Live On, Sony Says

COMMUNITY                                                                                                  Voices | The Bauminator, Jeff Baumgartner

Roku Retains Edge in Streaming Player Market

Quotable | Making 'The Americans' Great

“I think it was perfect. It was so surprising, I had no idea how they were going to end up. … You’re watching these characters and you want them to sort of pay, in some way, and you made them pay in the worst possible way, in the most damaging way. That’s what’s so good about it.”                                                                              — Keri Russell, “Elizabeth Jennings” in FX’s The Americans, speaking about the series finale during an Emmy "For Your Consideration" panel in Los Angeles directly after the episode aired on May 30.

COVER STORY

Cable’s Latest, Greatest Wireless Opportunity

SPECIAL REPORT | CUSTOMER CARE

Helping Subscribers Help Themselves                                                                                                      Cable’s Retail Efforts Take Center Stage

MCN's MOST READ STORIES                                                  multichannel.com | May 18-25, 2018 

1. Dish DBS Officially Launches AirTV  
2. Ergen: Narrowband Net Will Be 'Big Dish' IoT Play; 5G to Follow
3. AT&T to Introduce Broadband-Delivered OTT DirecTV Product
4. Comcast Considers All-Cash Offer for Fox Assets 
5. FTC's Simons: We Have Resources to Oversee ISP Net Neutrality

PLATFORMS                                                                                      Connections Blog | The Bauminator, Jeff Baumgartner

YouTube Red Becomes YouTube Premium

COMMUNITY                                                                                                Voices | On the Money, Mike Farrell

Comcast-Fox: Go Big or Go Home

Twitterati | @erikmagraken

Re: ESPN Wrestles UFC TV Package From Fox Sports

[embed]https://twitter.com/erikmagraken/status/999160139830587392[/embed]

COVER STORY | UPFRONT 2018

Sales Execs Claim Strong Hand Going Into Upfront                                                                                Even as TV industry transforms, annual ad rituals make their return

Buyers Want Better Measurement, But Will Use Old Metrics in Upfront                                              Audience buying is growing, but still a small part of market

Levy Wants 5% of TV Ad Budgets Spent on Audiences                                                                          Time to retire Nielsen’s TV metric, Turner’s president says

The CW Brings a New Night to the Market                                                                                                Sales chief Rob Tuck sees rivals follow in convergent footsteps

Pitching Hispanic Buying Power                                                                                                              Univision, Telemundo prep for Upfront

Broadcast Networks Take Center Stage                                                                                                Upfront Week remains a massive TV spectacle despite networks’ shrinking ratings

MCN's MOST READ STORIES                                                                            multichannel.com | May 4-11, 2018

1. TiVo Exiting the Box-Making Business
2. FuboTV Launches Beta of New, Bigger OTT-TV Service
3. Ergen: AT&T-Time Warner Approval Could Create Deal Flood or Famine
4. Greenfield: Amazon Poised to Be Most Disruptive Tech Giant
5. Charter Eyes June 30 Debut for Spectrum Mobile: Report

RULES                                                                                                                    Q&A | Mignon Clyburn, FCC Commissioner

Clyburn: A Voice for the Voiceless

PLATFORMS                                                                                                          Connections Blog | The Bauminator, Jeff Baumgartner

Samsung’s 5G Lineup Is Cleared for Takeoff

COMMUNITY                                                                                                        Voices | As I Was Saying, Gary Arlen

Cable Old Timers Who Can't Get Enough of Each Other

COVER STORY

Half Full 

As cable stocks hit a new low, how warranted is the pessimism over the sector’s future prospects?

MCN's MOST READ STORIES

multichannel.com | April 27-May 4

1. Cisco Strikes Deal to Sell Off Video Software Business 
2. New Comcast Packages Catch Some Heat 
3. Lifetime Sets ‘Live PD’ Spinoff 
4. T-Mobile Touts Wireless Broadband, Pay TV Ambitions 
5. T-Mobile, Sprint to Combine in $146B All-Stock Deal

PLATFORMS

Connections Blog | The Bauminator, Jeff Baumgartner

Connected Retro Atari Device to Go on Sale May 30

COMMUNITY

Voices | Picture This, R. Thomas Umstead

HBO's 'Being Serena' Offers Off-the-Court Profile of Tennis Superstar

Numbers | The State of Digital

Global Online Media Usage to Surpass TV, GroupM Says

COVER STORY

Specter of D.C. Crackdown on Edge Looms

Facebook becomes face of online privacy protection watershed

Online Exclusive > Privacy on the Edge: Legislators' Questions

The issues that would define new policy

Law Limits Cable’s Use of Customer Information

Unlike Facebook, MSOs under strict privacy controls in Cable Act

MCN's MOST READ STORIES 

multichannel.com | April 6-13

1. Younger Viewers Gravitating to OTT TV Services: Study
2. NAB 2018: Disney/ABC, Redrock Micro Lower the ‘DigiBoom’
3. NAB 2018: PlayStation Vue Breaks Out Beyond the PlayStation
4. NAB 2018: Dish, Spectrum Co. Team on ATSC 3.0 Test in Dallas
5. Pluto TV: It’s Time to Tell Our Advertising Story

PLATFORMS 

Connections Blog | MCN Guest Blog, Glen L. Friedman

OTT (Part 2 of 3): Challenges and Opportunities

COMMUNITY

Voices | As I Was Saying, Gary Arlen

Thinking About Channel Changes and More

COVER STORY

TV's Scary New Threat

Fully-loaded Kodi boxes, paired with a sophisticated criminal ecosystem, pose a major danger for programmers, studios and pay TV providers

SPECIAL REPORT

Cable Hall of Famers Take Manhattan

Top executives, ‘Breaking Bad’ to get the big-city spotlight at Ziegfeld Ballroom

2018 Cable Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, April 4

MCN's MOST READ STORIES

multichannel.com | March 23-30

1.Cable Industry Vet Wilt Hildenbrand Dead at 70

2.Chris Satchell, Comcast’s Chief Product Officer, Is Departing

3.PwC: Consumers Will Pay More for Better Experience

4.New Netflix, Hulu Subs Gravitate to TV Series

5.Moffett: Comcast's Sky Bid Could Hinge on Stock Decline

PLATFORMS

Connections Blog | The Bauminator, Jeff Baumgartner

Retro Atari Box Gets a New Name

MCN Guest Blog | 3-Part Series by Glen L. Friedman 

OTT: The Exciting, Scary, Wild West (Part 1)

Watch This Space for Parts 2 and 3

NEED TO KNOW

Blockchain | Special Report

What Blockchain Means to Media

What You Need to Know About Bockchain

Blockchain | Online Resources

"Some Simple Economics of the Blockchain," by Christian Catalini and Joshua S. Gans (Sept. 21, 2017; Rotman School of Management Working Paper No. 2874598; MIT Sloan Research Paper No. 5191-16)

Coindesk

The Gartner Hype Cycle for Emerging Technologies 2017

Practical Blockchain: A Gartner Trend Insight Report

Tractica: Three Myths About Blockchain

Understand the Fundamentals of IBM Blockchain

Marketers Cluster, Bundle and Get Sticky
SAN FRANCISCO — Even more than "convergence," the terms "clustering," "bundling" and "stickiness" were the buzzwords at the CTAM Summit here last week, as marketers gathered to discuss the challenges facing them in stepping up introductions of digital cable, telephone and high-speed Internet products.

Thus began Multichannel’s coverage of CTAM’s annual conference in 1999, when cable ops and telcos were just starting to bundle services (but not yet bills). AT&T Broadband was aiming for 25% penetration of homes passed for its AT&T@Home service within the next five years. Time Warner Cable was prepping its RoadRunnner launch in New York and had just started rolling out digital set-tops.

Marketing editor Monica Hogan noted that local Silicon Valley types “interested in the anticipated convergence between television and the Internet” joined the usual crowd of cable marketers at the Summit. She also observed that among the 2,600 attendees were “more than a few well-known former cable and satellite executives between jobs who were as quick to exchange resumes as others traded business cards.”

And in the category of “the more things change, the more they stay the same,” she quoted a major cable MSO EVP on customer service: "One of the key challenges I see is the healthy tension between deployment of new services and hanging on to our [current] customers. Some of the things MSOs need to focus on operationally are answering the phones in a timely manner, solving customer problems and sending technicians out when they say they will. We have to do all of this right before we can go forward with the new services.”

To find out who said that, click through to the original article here.

Spring is in the air, the upfront march to May has begun, and here are some notable items on MCN editors’ datebooks for the week ahead.

What's Up in Tech
Watch for wireless-industry news this week from Barcelona, Spain, where Mobile World Congress gets underway. 5G, the emerging next-generation standard, will take center stage as both carriers and vendors are expected to present more detail about early, precommercial trials of the technology, which will initially enable multi-Gigabit access speeds for fixed-wireless applications and will later support mobility. Its low-latency characteristics will also support more futuristic applications such as self-driving cars. For cable operators, 5G is expected to become a significant focus as they continue to build out wireless and mobile strategies of their own: Comcast, Charter Communications and Dish Network all talked up 5G prospects on their most recent earnings calls. The emergence of 5G is also poised to open the door to potentially lucrative backhaul deals, as mobile service providers will need to tap into fiber-rich networks to support their new, high-capacity wireless networks.
— Jeff Baumgartner|Follow @thebauminator on Twitter

What's On TV
Upfront season gets underway as Nickelodeon on Thursday afternoon (March 2) makes its pitches to buyers and media in New York. Smithsonian Channel chronicles former President Barack Obama’s most impactful speeches in a Monday (Feb. 27) documentary, The Obama Years: The Power of Words, while Spike TV on Wednesday (March 1) debuts its six-part true-crime documentary series Time: The Kalief Browder Story.

On the scripted front, FX on Sunday (March 5) premieres Feud: Bette and Joan (pictured) -- read the MCN review. E! that same day will launch its second scripted series, The Arrangement. OTT service Hulu on Wednesday debuts drama series National Treasure, based on a hit U.K. series. And FX’s freshman series Taboo airs its season finale on Tuesday (Feb. 28) after an eight-episode run.
— R. Thomas Umstead|Follow @rtumstead on Twitter

What's Up in Finance
Bold-faced names in media circles gather once again for Morgan Stanley’s Technology, Media & Telecom conference, Monday-Thursday (Feb. 27-March 1) at San Francisco’s Palace Hotel, with Comcast chairman and CEO Brian Roberts expected to kick things off on Monday evening. On Tuesday, the slate gets thicker with 21st Century Fox executive chairman Lachlan Murdoch, followed by Nielsen chief financial officer Jamere Jackson and Verizon Communications CFO Matt Ellis. Charter Communications CFO Christopher Winfrey, Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei and Viacom CEO Bob Bakish have their turn at the podium on Wednesday.
— Mike Farrell|Follow @mikefcable on Twitter

Heading into Valentine’s Day, here is a look at what’s on the datebooks ofMCNeditors this week and next.

ON TV

Valentine’s Day will see the return of Hulu’s long-running comedy The Mindy Project, as well as You Me Her, the sophomore series from DirecTV’s The Audience Network. Oxygen returns veteran series Bad Girls Club that night and launches new competition series The Battle of the Ex-Besties. The latter two shows might not find a fit after the NBCUniversal outlet revamps into a true-crime channel this summer.

Animal and nature lovers take note: on Feb. 18 BBC America unveils the high-profile documentary miniseries Planet Earth II, and Animal Planet debuts new unscripted series The Zoo. Nat Geo Wild, meanwhile, had slated a Feb. 20 kick-off for its seventh annual “Big Cat Week.”

Several scripted series will launch new seasons over the next two weeks, including A&E’s Bates Motel, which premieres its fifth and final season on Feb. 20. Sophomore season premieres include Showtime’s Billions (Feb. 19), AMC ’s sci-fi series Humans (Feb. 13), Crackle’s animated series SuperMansion (Feb. 16) and TBS’s comedy The Detour (Feb. 21).

New shows making their debuts include HBO’s miniseries Big Little Lies(with Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon and Shailene Woodley, pictured, and Laura Dern) and comedy series Crashing (Feb. 19); VH1’s The Breaks (Feb. 20); CMT ’s Sun Records (Feb. 23); and Amazon’s Patriot (Feb. 24).

Meanwhile, HBO’s The Young Pope will wrap up its freshman campaign on Feb. 13.

Finally, on Feb. 26 the movie industry will salute itself during the 89th Annual Academy Awards, televised live on broadcast network ABC.

IN D.C.

At press time no witnesses had been announced, but the newly renamed House Energy & Commerce Committee Subcommittee on Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection has scheduled a Feb. 15 hearing on self-driving cars, the future of which is linked to high-speed broadband and high-band spectrum.

The Federal Communications Commission is holding a public meeting on Feb. 23 that will include votes on broadband subsidy program reforms; authorizing broadcasters to roll out the new ATSC 3.0 transmission standard, including asking how that will and should affect retransmission-consent compensation; and a vote to reinstate and extend smaller Internet service providers’ waiver from the Open Internet order’s enhanced transparency requirements for five years and boost the trigger from 100,000 to 250,000 or fewer customers.

New FCC chairman Ajit Pai on Feb. 16 will address the North American Broadcasters Association, a collection of broadcasting organizations in Canada, the United States and Mexico. The speech will be at the National Association of Broadcasters headquarters in Washington; NAB is a member.

Now that the pro football season is over -- and congrats to the Super Bowl LI winner -- these are some circled dates on the calendars of Multichannel Newseditors the week of Feb. 6.

The Wednesday (Feb. 8) premiere of FX’s thriller Legion(pictured) leads the list of scripted series debuts this week, including Comedy Central’s Detroiters and Bravo’s drama series Imposters, both bowing on Tuesday (Feb. 7). Amazon will launch its French-U.K. period drama series The Collection on Friday (Feb. 10).

Black-ish star Anthony Anderson’s new Animal Planet talk show, Animal Nation With Anthony Anderson, also premieres Friday.

High-profile series returning this week include cable’s most watched series, AMC’s The Walking Dead, on Sunday (Feb. 12). Also that evening, the HBO comedy Girls will commence its final season and Starz drama anthology series The Missing returns with a new storyline and different characters from season one.

Tonight (Feb. 6), National Geographic Channel teams up with Katie Couric for a two-hour special, Gender Revolution: A Journey With Katie Couric, and singer Michael Bolton hosts the Tuesday premiere of his Netflix show, Michael Bolton’s Big Sexy Valentine’s Day Special, with guest appearances by Fred Armisen, Maya Rudolph and Sarah Silverman.

— R. Thomas Umstead|Follow @rtumstead on Twitter

TECH ON THE TOWN

Some of the industry’s top engineers and tech execs are gathering this week (through Feb. 8) in Orlando, Fla., for the annual CableLabs Winter Conference, where the cable R&D house has set up an event that will run on three tracks: technology, strategy and innovation, and policy. These annual CableLabs events are off-limits to the press, but a draft agenda acquired by Multichannel News provides a sense of the specific topics that will covered and who will be on hand to share their insights.

Per that document, MoffettNathenson’s Craig Moffett will offer a broad overview and analysis of industry trends, and Michael Powell, CEO of NCTA: The Internet & Television Association, is expected to overview policy-related issues of note to the cable industry.

Individual sessions on the slate include ones dedicated to the all-IP migration; enterprise technologies used to power services being delivered to business customers; issues tied to the “Darknet” (overlays of the Internet that enable anonymous and private connectivity); applied machine learning; the use of wireless in unlicensed and shared spectrum; the Internet of Things; and new distributed access architectures.

CableLabs will also host a high-level roundtable that, at last check, featured Comcast’s Tony Werner, Altice USA’s Terry Cordova and Charter Communications’s Jim Blackley.

CableLabs will also hold its Innovation Showcase. Vancouver-based startup mimik Technology took top honors last year, recognized for its personal media cloud technologies.

— Jeff Baumgartner|Follow @thebauminator on Twitter

IN D.C.

On Tuesday (Feb. 7), the Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council (MMTC) holds its eighth annual Broadband and Social Justice Summit. Among the current and former FCC heavyweights scheduled to participate are former chairs Mignon Clyburn (a current commissioner), Michael Copps and Dick Wiley; current chair Ajit Pai; current commissioner Michael O’Rielly; and former commissioner and MMTC board vice chair Deborah Taylor Tate. Legislators include Reps. Tony Cárdenas (D-Calif.); Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.); and A. Donald McEachin and Bobby Scott (both D-Va.).

The Inspector General for the Commerce Department, which oversees government spectrum, is a scheduled witness Wednesday (Feb. 8) at a Senate Commerce Committee hearing on improving federal agencies. Also that day, Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.), the new chairman of the House Energy & Commerce Committee, will outline his legislative agenda at a Capitol Hill “pen and pan” press conference with the media press corps.

— John Eggerton|Follow @eggerton on Twitter

As the Trump administration heads quietly into week two, here are some datebook items MCN editors are tracking.

ON TV

As sports fans prepare for Super Bowl LI on Feb. 5, Hallmark Channel and Animal Planet are gearing up for their annual counter-programming specials featuring cute animals. Hallmark will launch its fourth annual Kitten Bowl special, while Animal Planet will look to score with non-football fans with Puppy Bowl XIII.

HBO tonight (Jan. 30) premieres the documentary Becoming Warren Buffett, and several new shows will usher in the month of February, including BET’s limited series Madiba (pictured)and drama series The Quad, which both premiere on Wednesday (Feb. 1), and Netflix’s comedy series Santa Clarita Diet starring Drew Barrymore, which debuts Friday (Feb. 3).

Returning shows this week include Freeform’s Switched at Birth on Tuesday (Jan. 31) and Syfy’s The Expanse on Wednesday, the same day History’s Vikings ends season four in epic fashion.

— R. Thomas Umstead|Follow @rtumstead on Twitter

IN D.C.

On Monday (Jan. 30), the Federal Communications Commission will try to goose forward-auction bidders, which include Comcast-NBCUniversal and Dish Network, by increasing the number of rounds from two to four and shortening each from two hours to one. The auction has already met the benchmarks to close after this, the fourth stage of the forward auction, but can’t officially close until there is no demand in any of the 417 geographic areas where the spectrum blocks are located.

New FCC chairman Ajit Pai will preside over his first public meeting in the center seat on Tuesday (Jan. 31). The agenda includes only one item: revisions to public-inspection file requirements, including eliminating the requirement that cable operators keep the location of the cable system’s principal headend in their public inspection files, something that could pose a security threat, cable operators have pointed out.

On Thursday (Feb. 27), the House Communications Subcommittee will hold a reauthorization hearing for the National Telecommunications & Information Administration, which is the president’s chief telecom adviser, including providing input on spectrum and other issues before the FCC. New subcommittee chair Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) will preside.

Senate Commerce Committee chairman John Thune (R-S.D.) has scheduled a hearing for Feb. 1 on “Reducing Unnecessary Regulatory Burdens.” Thune’s office said the hearing will examine “the negative impacts of unnecessarily burdensome regulations on diverse sectors of our nation’s economy” as well as “explore where a smarter regulatory approach would create jobs and spur economic growth.” No communications industry witnesses will speak, but Consumer Technology Association president Gary Shapiro is scheduled to testify.

— John Eggerton|Follow @eggerton on Twitter

With the holidays and the Consumer Electronics Show in the rear mirror, here’s a look at what MCN editors have in their datebooks this week.

PROGRAMMING

This month brings many new seasons of series, and the start of several others. Notable among the newcomers: Taboo, a dark and compelling drama set in 1814 London (while England and the United States were at war) and starring Tom Hardy with a stellar supporting cast (including Oona Chaplin), on FX on Tuesday (Jan. 10); Netflix’s much-anticipated fantasy series Lemony Snicket’sA Series of Unfortunate Events on Friday (Jan. 13) and Amazon’s drama series Sneaky Pete, also on Friday.HBO’s The Young Pope debuts on Sunday (Jan. 15) and, the same night, Showtime’s Homeland returns. A new animated series, Jeff & Some Aliens, lands on Comedy Central on Wednesday (Jan. 11). And the season finale of TNT’s freshman drama series Good Behavior is Tuesday.

Shows returning from hiatus over the next week include BET’s drama series Being Mary Jane and Bravo’s Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce on Monday (Jan. 9). Pop’s comedy Schitt’s Creek and Comedy Central’s Workaholics return on Wednesday. USA’s sophomore sci-fi series Colony returns, on Thursday (Jan. 12).

The cable-network portion of the Television Critics Association’s winter gathering in Pasadena, Calif., will take place this Friday and Saturday (Jan. 13-14). For more on the TCA Winter Tour and the networks presenting there, see Why Cable’s TCA Still Matters [from the Jan. 9 issue; subscription required].

— R. Thomas Umstead|Follow @rtumstead on Twitter

POLICY

In the nation’s capital, the Federal Communications Commission on Monday (Jan. 9) speeds up bidding in the reverse portion of stage four of the spectrum incentive auction, increasing from three to four rounds a day so that part of the auction will end Friday (Jan. 13). Days later, forward auction bidders, including Comcast, will have a chance to start bidding based on the latest broadcaster exit price.

On Tuesday (Jan. 10), the FCC is expected to circulate the tentative agenda for its Jan. 31 meeting, the first to be presided over by the Republican majority, likely with Ajit Pai as interim chair. The meeting was moved from Jan. 26 to provide more time for that new majority to prepare.

President-elect Donald Trump has said -- tweeted, to be precise -- that he is rescheduling his long-awaited press conference for Wednesday (Jan. 11), though that could push to the next day. While it was initially billed as about his financial holdings and what he planned to do with them while president, his transition team said he would be ready to take questions on other topics as well.

The Senate Commerce Committee will hold a nomination hearing Thursday (Jan. 12) on the selection of Wilbur Ross to be Secretary of Commerce. That agency includes the National Telecommunications & Information Administration, the president's top telecom adviser. And FCC chairman Tom Wheeler will make his last FCC broadband policy speech, discussing "lessons learned" and "the path ahead," Friday at the Aspen Institute in Washington.

— John Eggerton|Follow @eggerton on Twitter

As we enter awards season – nominations for 2017 Golden Globes come out on Monday (Dec. 12) – and sort through holiday card photos, here are other items on MCN editors’ calendars:

Stage Four of the spectrum incentive auction begins Tuesday (Dec. 13), and forward auction bidders, including Comcast, will be bidding on 70 MHz of unencumbered spectrum, with no stations being repacked in the guard bands or wireless portion of the band. That reduces the interference potential and should make that spectrum even more valuable for wireless. Whether it is enough to get forward auction bidders to come up from the $22 billion they bid the first three times around will determine whether a stage five  is required. In any event, the auction is stretching into 2017.

On Thursday (Dec. 15), the Federal Communications Commission is holding what is likely its last meeting under Tom Wheeler's chairmanship. The agenda includes decisions on updating the Emergency Alert System and Freedom of Information Act compliance with updated statutes, but is free from any of the hot-button issues -- business data service reforms, set-tops -- that Republicans on the Hill and the commission warned Wheeler against pursuing. It could also be the last meeting for Democratic commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel (pictured), absent an 11th hour deal to vote her confirmation in the Senate.

— John Eggerton|Follow @eggerton on Twitter

PwC is expected to release its annual TV and video consumption trends survey – “Videoquake 4.0: Binge, Stream, Repeat: How Video is Changing Forever” -- on Wednesday (Dec. 14), taking a deep dive into consumer views of mobile video and how they are spending their time and money on video programming. 

— Mike Farrell|Follow @MikeFCable on Twitter

On Friday (Dec. 16) Amazon will return its Emmy-winning drama series The Man in the High Castle for its sophomore campaign, while Netflix premieres its Barry biopic on the life of President Barack Obama during his years as a college student. Also that day Showtime unveils its sports documentary Running for His Life: The Lawrence Phillips Story, which follows the tragic life the former NFL star. The WWE will distribute its final pay-per-view event of the year, WWE: Roadblock, on Sunday (Dec. 18).

— R. Thomas Umstead|Follow @rtumstead on Twitter

Aside from our Diversity Discussion event in New York City, here’s a peek at MCN editors’ datebooks for Dec. 5-11.

SCANNING THE DIAL: A number of video streaming services will launch new series this week as well as return new seasons of existing shows. Hulu on Wednesday (Dec. 7) will debut its new drama series Shut Eye, starring Jeffrey Donovan, while Netflix on Friday (Dec. 9) will premiere its new documentary series Captive, which looks at true crime stories involving hostage-taking, and will stream the second season of its comedy series Fuller House. Elsewhere on Friday, Amazon will return its music-themed comedy series Mozart in the Jungle for a third season.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship on Saturday (Dec. 10) will distribute its UFC 206 pay-per-view event, headlined by the Max Holloway-Anthony Pettis featherweight championship bout. UFC 206 is the second of three marquee UFC events within a seven-week period starting with the Nov. 12 UFC 205 event at Madison Square Garden and ending with the Dec. 30 UFC 207 event featuring the return of former women’s champion Ronda Rousey.

— R. Thomas Umstead|Follow @rtumstead on Twitter

DOINGS ON THE HILL: Lobbyists and other industry players otherwise focused on Trump transition issues will be looking toward the Hill on Wednesday (Dec. 7) for the 10 a.m. Judiciary Committee Antitrust Subcommittee oversight hearing on the proposed AT&T-Time Warner merger. Those scheduled to testify include AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson and Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes.

Also Wednesday, free-market think tank Free State Foundation is celebrating its 10th anniversary at a luncheon at the National Press Club. The speaker lineup includes the soon-to-be majority Republican commissioners Ajit Pai and Michael O’Rielly, as well as Trump transition team executive committee member Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.). Those are also some of the top names being floated for the next FCC chairman (see this week's Through the Wire, link coming soon).

The Commerce Department's Internet Policy Task Force will hold a public meeting Friday (Dec. 9) on "Developing the Digital Marketplace for Copyrighted Works." The meeting will be at the Patent and Trademark Office's Alexandria, Va., headquarters. Fair-use fans have long been concerned about overprotecting copyrighted works to the detriment of fair uses for criticism and new works. Content owners will likely argue that one way to create a more robust marketplace is to better protect their high-value, expensive content from unfair use, like piracy. Finding the collaborative "nexus" between those will likely be the key.

— John Eggerton|Follow @eggerton on Twitter

SUITS TALK AT UBS:UBS hosts its annual Global Media and Communications Conference Monday-Wednesday (Dec. 5-7) at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York. Featured speakers include Discovery Communications CEO David Zaslav; CBS chairman and CEO Les Moonves; 21st Century Fox CEO James Murdoch; AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson; Verizon chairman and CEO Lowell McAdam; Time Warner Inc. chairman and CEO Jeff Bewkes; Scripps Networks Interactive chief operating officer Burt Jablin and chief financial officer Lori Hickok; Charter Communications chairman and CEO Tom Rutledge; Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos; Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei; Comcast chief financial officer Mike Cavanagh; and Liberty Global’s Virgin Media unit CEO Tom Mockridge.

— Mike Farrell|Follow @MikeFCable on Twitter

Headed into Thanksgiving week, here’s a peek at what’s on our editors’ upcoming calendars. MCN will not publish on Nov. 28, returning on Dec. 5.

Return of 'Gilmore Girls'

On the new-series front, TBS will air all 10 episodes of scripted comedy series Search Party this week, beginning today (Nov. 21), with two episodes airing nightly through Friday. Syfy on Nov. 30 will debut its new drama Incorporated.

Original movies slated for the Thanksgiving holiday include the Nov. 21 debut of HBO’s Marathon: The Patriots’ Day Bombing, about the 2013 Boston Marathon terrorist attack. Netflix on Friday (Nov. 25) resurrects Gilmore Girls (pictured) with four, 90-minute movies featuring most of the cast from the series.

Specials surrounding the 75th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor bombing include History’s Dec. 3 Pearl Harbor: 75 Years Later and Dec. 4’s Pearl Harbor: The Truth. Also on Dec. 4, Smithsonian Channel debuts The Lost Tapes: Pearl Harbor, with never-before-seen video and audio from the attack.
— R. Thomas Umstead|Follow @rtumstead on Twitter

From the 'Swamp'

Dec. 7 should be a big day for the AT&T-Time Warner merger on Capitol Hill as the lame-duck Senate checks to see if the deal is all it’s quacked up to be. That's the day Judiciary Committee chairman Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) has scheduled an oversight hearing. It actually isn’t on the Judiciary calendar, but hearings aren’t generally noticed until two weeks beforehand — and hearing dates are not usually announced as early as Grassley did the AT&T-TW hearing. That may have been an effort to get out in front of the Commerce Committee, which shares jurisdiction over communications issues.

The Free State Foundation has corralled a Republican powerhouse lineup for its 10th Anniversary Luncheon, also Dec. 7, at the National Press Club in Washington. Those include likely interim FCC chair and current commissioner Ajit Pai and Rep. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, who is on the Trump transition team executive committee helping the president-elect pick top posts – including interim and permanent FCC chair, which Pai is also likely in line for.
— John Eggerton|Follow @eggerton on Twitter

DirecTV Now Launch

AT&T has been meting out details about DirecTV Now in recent weeks, but all will be revealed on Nov. 28, during an invitation-only presser in New York that will “celebrate the launch” of the new OTT TV service. In addition to DirecTV Now product demos, AT&T will also reveal other details about the service, including the channel lineup and when it will become available to the masses. Related [subscription required]:DirecTV Now Brings Uncertain Future
— Jeff Baumgartner|Follow @thebauminator on Twitter

In a new listing of top 25 brands among children ages 6 to 12, six were media brands, including the No. 1 favorite, YouTube.

Moving up six spots from seventh place in 2015, YouTube is the first content provider to top the "BrandLove" ranking, created by an outfit called SmartyPants, a market research and consulting firm that focuses on the youth and family market.*

"YouTube is no longer competing for kids' attention, TV is,” said Michelle Poris, PhD, of Smarty Pants. “We've moved from a time where TV was always on to a time when YouTube is always a tap away.”

Nonetheless, two TV programmers were among the six loved media brands: Disney Channel, in the Top 10, and Nickelodeon, near the bottom of the listing (see chart).

Overall, media properties lagged snack food brands, which comprised a discouraging (for parents and pediatricians) 16 of the top 25, but exceeded toy brands, which appeared in the listing only three times.

*Source:SmartyPants “Brand Love” study among 8,125 households with children ages 6-12; the “Kidfinity” index is a proprietary measure of “brand awareness, love and popularity.”