The Africa Channel will tap the TED Talks catalog of video interviews to create a new series set to debut on the network in June.

The TED Talks on TAC will feature fresh perspectives on storytelling, culture, conversation and identity from authors, celebrities, sports icons and artists with unique points of view, according to network officials. The first set of topics and speakers will include such icons as television producer Shonda Rhimes, tennis star Serena Williams and TV personality Gayle King, the network said.

The collaboration between TAC and the nonprofit TED company will also look to establish an annual TED X Live Event, supported by key sponsorships from brands and advertisers. In addition, the companies seek to create additional TED Talk events that speak to the global Black experience, the network said. 

“We are proud to partner with TED Talks, to amplify and celebrate voices from the Global Black and African Diaspora and to bring to our viewers topics that are both relevant and entertaining from thought leaders, entertainers, authors, activists and other world-renowned personalities,” The Africa Channel senior VP of business development Dean Cates said in a statement.

Netflix and Shondaland have acquired Black Barbie: A Documentary. The film is directed by Lagueria Davis. Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers executive produce the movie as part of their overall deal with Netflix. 

Black Barbie celebrates the impact three Black women at Mattel had on the evolution of the Barbie brand. The documentary tells the story of how the first Black Barbie came to be in 1980, examining the importance of representation and how dolls can be crucial to the formation of identity and imagination.

One of the three women, Beulah Mae Mitchell, who spent 45 years at Mattel, is the aunt of director Davis. 

Black Barbie had its world premiere at SXSW in March, which Netflix said involved “a work-in-progress cut of the film.” 

“Telling Black Barbie's story has been such a personal journey and it warms my heart to celebrate the legacy of my aunt Beulah Mae Mitchell, Kitty Black Perkins and Stacey McBride Irby in our film,” Davis said. “We couldn't have asked for better collaborators than Shondaland and Netflix to bring this story to the world.” 

The film’s producers are Aaliyah Williams for Just A Rebel and Lagueria Davis for Lovely Day Films. Executive producing with the Shondaland pair are Grace Lay and Sumalee Montano for LinLay Productions, Camilla Hall for Lady & Bird Films and Milan Chakraborty and Jyoti Sarda. 

RogerEbert.com called the film “a must see.”

“Vivid colors, thorough data analysis and interviews, and an unblemished storyline anchor the film,” the review said. 

The Hollywood Reporter said the film is guilty of “information overload,” which “ultimately weighs down the doc, which needed a sharper focus to truly soar.”

Greta Gerwig directed the 2023 film Barbie, which has grossed well over $1 billion. 

Rather than go out Saturday night, a friend confided to me, she “had a date with Anthony Bridgerton,” the eldest son (played by Jonathan Bailey) of the eponymous clan presiding over one of Netflix’s most popular shows ever.

She’s not the only one with a secret online flame. Bridgerton just closed out its second season of eight episodes, topping Netflix’s English language TV top 10 list for most of the past month.

The Bridgerton primacy continues, and by an extremely wide margin. Netflix’s April 4-10 list showed Bridgerton Season 2 was viewed for nearly 116 million hours that week; The Ultimatum, at No. 2, was viewed for less than 44 million hours.  

Also read: Shonda Rhimes Just Delivered Over 1.3 Billion Hours of Streaming in Just Two Months - Netflix Global Top 10 

It’s also worth noting the show at No. 3 on the list: Bridgerton Season 1, which debuted in 2020 and is getting a second life (and 35 million hours of viewing that week) as newcomers catch up and fans circle back. Netflix says Season 2 is in the top 10 in 91 countries across the world, from Argentina to Finland to Vietnam; Season 1 is back in the top 10 in 86 countries. 

All time, the two seasons have attracted about 1.86 billion hours of viewing in their respective first 28 days of viewing, a key Netflix internal metric. Those are crazy numbers, even by Netflix standards. The two seasons sit atop the top 10 all-time list of English-language shows, separated only by the third season of Stranger Things, which ranks No. 2.  

Still to come, an immersive live experience built on the Bridgerton world, to debut in Los Angeles (another friend’s sister is breathlessly headed to that one). There’s also an untitled spinoff based on the almost certainly complicated back story of Queen Charlotte, Bridgerton’s Regency-era English monarch of who not so incidentally happens to be black. 

Further worth noting: No. 5 on Netflix’s all-time English-language TV show list (and still on the most recent weekly list after more than two months) is the limited true-crime series Inventing Anna, about fraudster Anna Delvey. Tying together three of the most successful TV seasons in Netflix history is one name: Shonda Rhimes. 

And lest we forget, the show that first made Rhimes a big name, Grey’s Anatomy, is about to launch its 18th season on ABC, on May 5, which makes it about as old as teens a few months from starting their senior year in high school. 

Grey’s stars Ellen Pompeo, Chandra Wilson and James Pickens Jr. have now been part of a rather astounding 401 episodes each. It’s hard to know how that pencils out to billions of hours watched, but it’s probably a vast number too. 

The same May night on ABC (and afterward, Disney-owned Hulu), Grey’s Anatomy spinoff Station 19 also returns for its fifth season. Rhimes has been an executive producer on about two-thirds of that series’ 75 episodes. Before that, Rhimes also presided over long-running hits Scandal, Private Practice, and How to Get Away With Murder on ABC.  

All of which makes Rhimes’ Shondaland empire (Rhimes is an executive producer of Bridgerton, which long-time lieutenant Chris Van Dusen writes and produces based on Julia Quinn’s novels) worthy of great celebration as the premier story teller of this generation of TV creators. 

It’s difficult to think of another producer in the past decade capable of successfully crafting such wildly different shows (the Dick Wolfs of the TV business certainly deserve their fame and money, but typically work and re-work the same narrow genres they’ve plied for decades).  

Netflix originally wooed Rhimes away from Disney in 2017 with a then eye-popping contract worth more than $100 million. It re-upped the deal in 2021, adding new formats and revenue opportunities, including games, virtual-reality experiences, live events and merchandise. 

It’s clear Netflix is getting its money’s worth, even though it took a while for the big shows to arrive. The first quarter of 2022 might even be termed Shonda Time, given that shows tied to her attracted something well over 1.5 billion hours watched during the three months of 2022.  

All of which makes the impending Netflix earnings call Tuesday afternoon all the more interesting. Netflix itself has said it expects to add only 2.5 million new subscribers this quarter, almost all of them overseas, to the 220 million it already has. An upside surprise amid war, inflation, competition and changing viewer habits seems unlikely.

Wall Street, meanwhile, has been reconsidering its enthusiasm for tech companies with rich valuations, including Netflix, which has seen shares plummet from $679 a share in mid-November to Thursday’s year-low of $341. That’s a drop of almost exactly half in five months. 

Once again, outside observers are wondering if it’s time to re-evaluate the Netflix business model and future direction. 

Ben Thompson, the influential brain behind the Stratechery website, made a case for why Netflix should sell ads. The biggest reason: it needs the money. But also, in a reversal of long-held Thompson positions, an ad-supported tier plays into Netflix’s strengths these days.

Thompson cited a report by The Information noting that company officials in two separate meetings in recent weeks “cautioned employees to be more mindful about spending and hiring,” which jibes with comments about a financial squeeze at Netflix that I’ve heard too.  

At the same time, the company is experimenting with a crackdown on password sharing, which suggests what once was a long-term audience builder now is an uncomfortable source of eroding margins. 

With market penetration in North America reaching saturation, and high prices a forbidding obstacle for uptake in growth territories such as India and Africa, Thompson suggested the company needs to consider other ways to bring in substantial sums and build on strengths such as its ability to provide a lot of disposable, low-attention entertainment. 

Netflix’s commercial-free streamed content is no longer a unique differentiator. What is a differentiator: Unique shows such as Bridgerton, Inventing Anna and Stranger Things. Building an ad-based tier would provide the resources to scoop up more hot titles that can be audience attractants, while giving churn-prone marginal customers a reason to stick around. 

And Thompson isn’t the only influential outside observer suggesting changes are needed. Laura Martin at Needham Partners said the company lacks some of the accoutrements that its many new competitors are now providing, including news and sports, as well as ad-supported tiers. 

“Originals and entertainment content is no longer enough,” Martin told The Guardian. “Our thesis is that you must have news and sport. You must have breaking news because that brings in people when, say, Russia invades Ukraine or sports because when there is a really good game then people flock to you and stay there.”

The analysts at LightShed Partners, always willing to stir things up, acknowledge that ad-supported tiers can generate more revenue, though they question at what cost to broader brand strategy: 

“There is no question that offering a lower-price subscription streaming service bolstered by advertising can expand an SVOD’s total addressable market (TAM),” LightShed said in a recent post focused on Disney Plus’ decision to build an ad-supported tier. “The far larger question is whether it is the ‘right’ long-term strategic decision in the intensifying war for time and attention.” 

And that is the crucial question facing co-CEOs Reed Hastings and Ted Sarandos as they prepare to roll out Netflix financial results for the quarter brought to you by Shondaland. 

Clearly the company bet right in its pricey deal with Rhimes. As conversations about Netflix’s direction continue, however, can the company count on even the peerless creations of Shonda Rhimes to keep it atop the streaming heap? ■

Here at Next TV, we take a point, and we beat it into the ground until everyone is sick of hearing about it. But stay with us on this one. This is entertainment history unfolding before our eyes here. 

With Season 2 of her hit Netflix series Bridgerton capturing nearly 115.8 million viewing hours for the week of April 4-10, and now set to break Netflix's English-series debut mark set last year by season one of the show, it's time to consider creator/producer Shonda Rhimes just might be on the greatest roll in the history of video entertainment. 

Consider the following:

• Since its Feb. 11 debut through April 10, Rhimes' limited series focused on real-life high-society grifter Anna Delvey, Inventing Anna, accumulated 640.87 million hours of streaming on Netflix's global platform. 

• Debuting March 25, Season 2 of Bridgerton has grabbed 560.51 million total viewing hours and will with 99.9% certainty — only because absolute certainty freaks you people out — break the Netflix record for viewing hours by an English-language series up to 28 days after release, 625.49 million, set by Season 1 of Bridgerton last year. 

• Season 1 of Bridgerton resurfaced in Netflix's weekly “Global Top 10” ranker the week Season 2 premiered, March 21-27, drawing 32.28 million viewing hours. It has now added 121.06 million streaming hours to its lofty lifetime totals. 

Add the combined performance of Bridgerton from March 25-April 10, along with total Inventing Anna numbers from Feb. 11-April 10, and you get 1.322 billion hours of watching. 

And that's leaving some Rhimes numbers on the table. For example, her seminal, long-running ABC series, Grey's Anatomy, repeats of which are available on Netflix, doesn't surface on Netflix's Global Top 10 ranker. But it does typically show up in Nielsen's top 10 rankings of off-network streaming shows. 

In other Netflix Global Top 10 news, Ryan Reynolds film The Adam Project held onto No. 2 for the week of April 4-10, adding another 10.9 million hours to its totals. 

Through its first 28 days on Netflix, the action comedy film accumulated more than 233 million viewing hours globally, making it the fourth most popular English-language film on Netflix of all time. ▪️

There was a time not too long ago when the occasion of a $100 million hit-machine show-runner, debuting the second season of what is her "network's" most successful series ever, would call for an exhausting press junket involving dozens of individual interviews for celebrity and entertainment news outlets from around the world. 

And sure, Shonda Rhimes did talk to the Wall Street Journal's WSJ Magazine in the run-up for Season 2 of her mega-hit period drama Bridgerton, which drops Friday. Earlier in the week, the Shondaland CEO also attended a premiere party with the Bridgerton cast and crew at the Tate Modern in London, which seemed to generate quotes for a number of other outlets, including long-running syndicated TV show Entertainment Tonight. 

Notably, a lot of outlets, including our own Broadcasting & Cable, quoted Netflix itself, which conducted its own Q&A with Rhimes. 

This isn't a new thing. 

Also read:  Netflix Cuts Out the Middleman, Ramps Up Digital Editorial Staff to 'Tell Its Own Stories'

As Next TV detailed back in November, Netflix continues to hire entertainment and celebrity writers, creating its own editorial content that not only controls the message, but keeps users on its global platform. 

It's a win for Netflix all around, which gets to cut out the middle man, and promote its "products" with language all its own, diverting anyone who wants to read about it to the very channel the show is on. 

So-called EPKs (entertainment press kits) -- bland assemblages of talent, director and producer interviews -- have been assembled by studios and TV networks for decades. But with the emergence of powerful internet brands into the entertainment market, this kind of content seems of have a renewed vigor.

Certainly, the next-gen emergence of EPK is coming at a time when the business of entertainment journalism is less equipped to fight it off with a superior product. From gossip rags to entertainment business trades, the forum is even more on the ropes now than it was when we checked in on this topic back in early November, with Dotdash Meredith shutting down the venerable print iteration of Entertainment Weekly.

People and US Weekly, the most powerful brands in celebrity news, have also experienced steady print declines for over a decade (although People has reported a recent digital upsurge under new parent Dotdash Meredith).

Most of the major Hollywood trade publications are all under the control of a single owner, Penske Media. This distinction not only umbrellas incumbents Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, but Deadline, which loudly disrupted the industry through the provocative storytelling of founder Nikki Finke just a decade ago. 

Meanwhile, the only remaining independent Hollywood "trade" pub, TheWrap, seems to be forever impugned and curtailed by the widely reported mismanagement of its owner/proprietor, Sharon Waxman. (Full disclosure: I once worked for Variety and TheWrap.)

There are green shoots. Longtime entertainment-media biz journo Richard Rushfield has seen his daily newsletter, The Ankler, catch on so much that it has now received funding through Y Combinator. And former Hollywood Reporter editor-in-chief Matt Belloni has quickly established a newsletter presence through Substack offering Puck.

Both startups, tapped into leading talent agencies, law firms, studios and streaming services, deliver real, insider news about the development, production and distribution of entertainment video. But for now, they remain largely one-man startups. 

So, if you're a hardcore lover of Regency-era period dramas, and you want to know how Rhimes approached the encore season of one of her biggest hits yet, you need to rely on the supplier itself, Netflix. Let's just say calling Netflix's questions for Rhimes "soft" is an affront to baby chicks, plush toys and two-ply bathroom tissue.

Some samples:

> "When did you realise that the first season of Bridgerton had become a global phenomenon?"

> "Considering how successful Season 1 was, how has the creative team approached Season 2?"

> "Bridgerton does a fantastic job of creating a world that looks much more like our own with its inclusive casting. Can you talk a little bit about the conscious effort to make the cast multicultural and why that is so important to the show's identity?" 

Season two of Bridgerton begins on Netflix March 25. Chris Van Dusen created the show, which is produced by Shondaland. 

There are eight episodes in the new season. 

Bridgerton season 1 followed Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor), the eldest daughter of a powerful family as she makes her debut onto Regency London’s marriage market. She’s hoping to find a match sparked by true love, but as her older brother begins to rule out her potential suitors, the high society scandal sheet written by the mysterious Lady Whistledown casts aspersions on Daphne. Enter the hunky bachelor Duke of Hastings (Regé-Jean Page).

“We've done a couple of extra special, amazing things that I think fans will be excited about this season, but the reality of it is the glamour of the balls, the beauty of the world, the stunning hair and makeup—all the things that everybody has come to expect from the show—it's all still there,” executive producer Shonda Rhimes told Netflix.

Also in the cast are Golda Rosheuvel, Jonathan Bailey, Luke Newton, Claudia Jessie, Nicola Coughlan, Ruby Barker and Sabrina Bartlett. Julie Andrews provides the voice of Lady Whistledown. 

Rhimes said this about season two: “We've upped our game a little bit in terms of how we're telling this story. In the first season of Bridgerton, we had to introduce everybody to the world—and now people know what this world is. Now our goal is to just bring them in even deeper, give them more of a sense of what's going on, and let them really see how this world works. And that's exciting.”

The series is inspired by Julia Quinn’s romance novels. ■ 

Grey’s Anatomy is getting season 19 from ABC. Ellen Pompeo stars in the Shonda Rhimes-created medical drama. Krista Vernoff is the showrunner. 

“Grey’s Anatomy is a true phenomenon, beloved by audiences around the world. Whether they catch it live on ABC, or stream it on Hulu or globally on Disney Plus or Star Plus, it’s clear that fans can’t get enough of Shonda Rhimes’ brilliant creation,” said Dana Walden, chairman of entertainment, Walt Disney Television. “We have enormous faith in Shonda, Krista Vernoff, Ellen Pompeo and the entire creative team to unlock new, untold stories that will continue to focus on modern medicine, tackle the issues that shape the world around us, and resonate deeply with loyal fans for years to come.”

Grey’s Anatomy began season 18 in September. Alongside Pompeo in the cast are Chandra Wilson, James Pickens Jr., Kevin McKidd, Kim Raver and Camilla Luddington.

“I couldn’t be more excited that we get to keep telling the stories of Meredith, Bailey, Richard and all of the other doctors at Grey Sloan Memorial for another season,” said Shonda Rhimes. “This is a true testament to Krista Vernoff, the cast, the crew and all the writers who keep the audience on the edge of their seat week after week. And it would not be possible without the generations of incredible fans who have supported Grey’s Anatomy for so many years.”

Rhimes, Vernoff and Betsy Beers executive produce with Debbie Allen, Meg Marinis and Mark Gordon, along with Ellen Pompeo for season 19. Zoanne Clack is medical advisor and executive producer. 

The show is produced by ABC Signature. 

Vernoff was head writer and executive producer of Grey’s Anatomy for its first seven seasons and returned as showrunner in season 14. “Grey’s Anatomy has a global impact that can’t be overstated,” said Vernoff. “Grey’s touches, and sometimes changes, hearts and minds worldwide through the depth of connection people feel with these characters. I’m excited to work with our extraordinary writers to dream up where we go from here, and I’m always grateful to our partners at Disney and ABC for letting us tell bold stories with real impact.” ■ 

Netflix will premiere Inventing Anna, about a woman pretending to be an heiress with a massive trust fund who ripped people off, Feb. 11. The limited series is a Shonda Rhimes production. It is based on a New York Magazine article titled "How Anna Delvey Tricked New York's Party People," by Jessica Pressler. 

Julia Garner will portray Delvey. Garner plays Ruth on Netflix drama Ozark. The cast also includes Anna Chlumsky, Laverne Cox, Alexis Floyd and Katie Lowes.

“Inspired by the true story of a total fake,” is how Netflix described the project. Netflix shared a trailer. There will be 10 episodes. 

The Netflix summary reads: "In Inventing Anna, a journalist with a lot to prove investigates the case of Anna Delvey, the Instagram-legendary German heiress who stole the hearts of New York’s social scene – and stole their money as well.  But is Anna New York’s biggest con woman or is she simply the new portrait of the American dream? Anna and the reporter form a dark funny love-hate bond as Anna awaits trial and our reporter fights the clock to answer the biggest question in NYC: who is Anna Delvey?"

Born Anna Sorokin, Delvey ripped off banks, hotels and socialite pals. She was sent to prison in 2019.

Rhimes and Betsy Beers executive produce. Rhimes shows include Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal and Bridgerton. ■

Netflix said it extended its deal with prolific producer Shonda Rhimes, whose series Bridgerton smashed viewership records for the streaming service.

The new deal covers Rhimes, her company Shondaland and her producing partner Betsy Beers.

The arrangement gives Netflix and Shondaland Media the opportunity to exclusively produce, stream and distribute feature films as well as gaming and virtual reality content, It also includes a branding and merchandise deal, with live events and experiences contemplated.

“Shonda makes shows that get the world talking, and we’ve seen the power of her creative vision to translate in any language. Shonda’s a brilliant businesswoman and a terrific partner and we’re thrilled to expand our relationship with her for years to come,” Bela Bajaria, head of global TV at Netflix, said. “On a personal note, I’m especially invested in the mentorship and pipeline programs we will support, as I’ve seen firsthand how the power of mentorship can transform careers and lives — and I’m excited by the possibility of what that can look like in Shonda’s hands.”

Upcoming from Rhimes are season two of Bridgerton, which is in production. The series has been renewed for seasons three and four.

Another project set in what Netflix calls the Bridgerton-verse is a limited series looking at the rise of a young Queen Charlotte. 

The series Inventing Anne, created by Rhimes is set to release in 2022. It stars Julia Garner, Anna Chlumsky, Katie Lowes, Laverne Cox and Alexis Floyd.

“Today, Shondaland at Netflix is creatively thriving, profitable as an asset and engaging audiences around the world with stories that fearlessly challenge viewers and keep them highly entertained all at once,” said Rhimes. “Ted [Sarandos, Netflix co-CEO], Bela and the entire team at Netflix have been tremendous partners during every step of the process, supporting my creative vision and showing a continued dedication to the innovation that has made Netflix such a powerhouse. The Shondaland team and I are thrilled and excited to be expanding our relationship with our content partners at Netflix.”

As part of the deal, Netflix said it will support Shondaland in creating DEIA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility) programs. 

Netflix is at work on a Bridgerton spinoff, a limited series based on the origins of Queen Charlotte from season one. Shonda Rhimes will write the series and executive produce alongside Betsy Beers and Tom Verica.

Besides a young Queen Charlotte, the series will also tell the stories of young Violet Bridgerton and Lady Danbury. 

“Many viewers had never known the story of Queen Charlotte before Bridgerton brought her to the world, and I’m thrilled this new series will further expand her story and the world of Bridgerton,” said Bela Bajaria, head of global TV, Netflix. “Shonda and her team are thoughtfully building out the Bridgerton universe so they can keep delivering for the fans with the same quality and style they love. And by planning and prepping all the upcoming seasons now, we also hope to keep up a pace that will keep even the most insatiable viewers totally fulfilled.”

The project does not yet have a title. 

“As we continue to expand the world of Bridgerton, we now have the opportunity to devote even more of the Shondaland fold to the Bridgerton-verse,” said Rhimes, CEO of Shondaland. “We’ve worked with Jess Brownell for over a decade and have long wanted to find the right project to place in her hands. When it came time to pass the baton, I knew this unique voice was vital to the future of the show.” 

Bridgerton premiered on Christmas 2020. Season two, with Chirs Van Dusen running the show, focuses on Anthony Bridgerton’s quest for love. 

Shondaland announced that Jess Brownell will be showrunner for seasons three and four.

Netflix has ordered a second season of period drama Bridgerton. The Shonda Rhimes series premiered on Christmas Day 2020. 

Netflix shared the news on social media. “Season 2 is coming,” the video said. 

It also shared “in Lady Whistledown’s Society Papers.”

“The ton are abuzz with the latest gossip, and so it is my honor to impart to you: Bridgerton will return to production in the spring of 2021. The author has been reliably informed that Lord Anthony Bridgerton intends to dominate the social season. I will have my pen ready to report on any and all of his romantic activities.”

Voiced by Julie Andrews, Lady Whistledown writes an upper-class scandal sheet in the series. 

Bridgerton is based on Julia Quinn’s novels. 

“The eight close-knit siblings of the Bridgerton family look for love and happiness in London high society,” is how Netflix describes the series. The streamer added that “This smart feminist take on Regency England romance unveils the glittering, wealthy, sexual, painful, funny and sometimes lonely lives of the women and men in London's high society marriage mart as told through the eyes of the powerful Bridgerton family.” 

Phoebe Dynevor, Jonathan Bailey and Nicola Coughlan are in the cast. 

Chris Van Dusen, formerly of Scandal, is the showrunner on Bridgerton. He is executive producing, alongside Rhimes and Betsy Beers through Shondaland.

London period piece Bridgerton, based on Julia Quinn’s novels, starts on Netflix Dec. 25. Shonda Rhimes is behind the show. 

“The eight close-knit siblings of the Bridgerton family look for love and happiness in London high society,” is how Netflix describes the series. The streamer added that “This smart feminist take on Regency England romance unveils the glittering, wealthy, sexual, painful, funny and sometimes lonely lives of the women and men in London's high society marriage mart as told through the eyes of the powerful Bridgerton family.” 

Chris Van Dusen, formerly of Scandal, is the showrunner on Bridgerton. He is executive producing, alongside Rhimes and Betsy Beers through Shondaland.

Phoebe Dynevor, Jonathan Bailey and Nicola Coughlan are in the cast. 

The first of Quinn’s many Bridgerton books is called Bridgerton: The Duke and I. 

The Time’s Up advocacy group has named WNBA president Lisa Borders as its first-ever president and CEO of the organization.

Borders will lead the organization’s work to ensure equal opportunity and to ensure protection for all working women as Time’s Up seizes this unprecedented moment and transforms it into meaningful and institutionalized change across culture, companies and laws. according to the organization.

In taking the Time’s Up appointment, Borders will leave her current position as WNBA president and CEO after three years of service where she was responsible to overseeing the day-to-day operations of the league. Prior to the WNBA, Borders was vice president of global community affairs at The Coca-Cola Company and chair of the Coca-Cola Foundation.

RELATED: Borders helps WNBA Step Up its Business Game

“With Lisa’s skills and leadership, Time’s Up is now in the best position to achieve what we all started – to create a more positive future for workplace culture and a more powerful network for working women of all kinds,” said Shonda Rhimes, CEO of Shondaland, seed founder of TIME’S UP and member of the TIME’S UP president and CEO search committee in a statement.

Borders added: “Time’s Up is both a natural extension and a bold advancement of the work I have been doing for the last four decades. I’m honored to have this opportunity to combine my experience working across all three sectors, as real, systemic change will require collaboration from each of these arenas. To disrupt and reinvent the ingrained status quo, we will need all hands-on deck to create and sustain enduring change. I’m thrilled to lead Time’s Up and I am convinced that together, we will shift the paradigm of workplace culture.”

Netflix is amping up its originals slate, putting 85% of all new spending toward content production, chief content officer Ted Sarandos said.

Speaking at MoffettNathanson’s Media & Communications Summit Monday (May 14), Sarandos said the SVOD service expects to have nearly 1,000 originals by the end of the year, about half of which have not yet premiered.

The OTT juggernaut added 7.41 million streaming subscribers worldwide in the first quarter, bringing its global customer base to about 125 million, and it leads the pack in a category forecast to continue booming. Following a gain of 41% in 2017, U.S. OTT revenue is expected to grow another 40% this year, reaching $16.6 billion, according to Convergence Research Group's study The Battle for the American Couch Potato: OTT, TV, Online.

Against that backdrop, Netflix apparently believes Peak TV's apex is still to come.

But while Sarandos evangelized Netflix's content vision, he dampened speculation that Netflix has aspirations in sports and news, saying the company has no plans at this time to pursue either.

More from the MoffettNathanson Summit | via CNBC: How Netflix Budgets New Shows

New Production Deals

Among the most high-profile of Netflix's programming investments is an exclusive production deal with writer/producer/director Ryan Murphy that kicks in July 1. Two new Murphy-produced original series are already lined up, Ratched and The Politician. 

Before luring Murphy away from his FX deal earlier this year, Netflix last summer signed prolific series creator Shonda Rhimes, long attached to ABC, to a multi-year production deal.

Recent new series orders include sci-fi drama Another Life, starring Katee Sackhoff (Battlestar Galactica), and multi-camera comedy series Mr. Iglesias, starring Gabriel "Fluffy" Iglesias, whose deal includes two stand-up specials as well.

Upcoming Returns

Netflix on Wednesday (May 16) released its first look at season four of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, which returns this month. The season will play out in two halves, with six episodes launching May 30.

Other upcoming returns include Arrested Development (May 29) and GLOW (June 29).

Bookmark This:MCN's Complete Coverage of Netflix

Prolific producer, director and writer Ryan Murphy is the latest big name talent to defect to Netflix from the television industry, signing an exclusive multi-year production deal with the streaming service.

The groundbreaking deal calls for Murphy, who has produced such Emmy Award-winning shows as FX's The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, Feud and American Horror Story – as well as breakout new Fox broadcasting series 9-1-1 – to produce new series and films exclusively at Netflix beginning July 1, according to the service. 

Murphy’s move from traditional television and cable networks to the digital streaming service follows producer/creator Shonda Rhimes, who signed an exclusive deal with Netflix in August after producing such shows as Scandal and How to Get Away With Murder for broadcast network ABC.

Netflix is already slated to premiere two new Murphy-produced original series, Ratched and The Politician.

“Ryan Murphy’s series have influenced the global cultural zeitgeist, reinvented genres and changed the course of television history,” said Ted Sarandos, chief content officer at Netflix, in a statement. “His unfaltering dedication to excellence and to give voice to the underrepresented, to showcase a unique perspective or just to shock the hell out of us, permeates his genre-shattering work. From Nip/Tuck -- our first licensed series -- to American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson and American Horror Story, we’ve seen how his brand of storytelling captivates consumers and critics across the globe. His celebrated body of work and his contributions to our industry speak for themselves, and we look forward to supporting Ryan in bringing his broad and diverse stories to the world.”

READ MORE: Comcast, FX Team on Commercial-Free Subscription Option

The deal comes two months after 20th Century Fox agreed to sell key content assets to the Walt Disney Co., including its movie and television production studios and cable networks FX, FXX and National Geographic. While Murphy's current FX and Fox shows will repotedly remain on their respective channels, his depature is a major loss for the company. 

Murphy in a statement said: "The history of this moment is not lost on me. I am a gay kid from Indiana who moved to Hollywood in 1989 with $55 dollars in savings in my pocket, so the fact that my dreams have crystallized and come true in such a major way is emotional and overwhelming to me. I am awash in genuine appreciation for Ted Sarandos, Reed Hastings and Cindy Holland at Netflix for believing in me and the future of my company, which will continue to champion women, minorities and LGBTQ heroes and heroines, and I am honored and grateful to continue my partnership with my friends and peers at Fox on our existing shows."

Shonda Rhimes is heading to Netflix.

Rhimes, whose Shondaland has produced ABC series such as Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal and How to Get Away With Murder, has inked a multi-year production deal with the streaming giant.

“Shondaland’s move to Netflix is the result of a shared plan Ted Sarandos and I built based on my vision for myself as a storyteller and for the evolution of my company,” said Rhimes. “Ted provides a clear, fearless space for creators at Netflix. He understood what I was looking for -- the opportunity to build a vibrant new storytelling home for writers with the unique creative freedom and instantaneous global reach provided by Netflix’s singular sense of innovation.”

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Betsy Beers, Rhimes’ producing partner, is also making the trek.

“Shonda Rhimes is one of the greatest storytellers in the history of television,” said Ted Sarandos, chief content officer, Netflix. “Her work is gripping, inventive, pulse-pounding, heart-stopping, taboo-breaking television at its best. I’ve gotten the chance to know Shonda and she’s a true Netflixer at heart -- she loves TV and films, she cares passionately about her work, and she delivers for her audience. We’re so excited to welcome her to Netflix.”

Grey’s, Scandal and Murder will continue to air on ABC under the direction of Shondaland.

Epix has renewed its documentary series America Divided for a second season, the network announced Tuesday during its Television Critics Association summer press tour session.

Related: Complete Coverage of the 2017 TCA Summer Press Tour

The eight-story first season, executive produced by Norman Lear, Shonda Rhimes and Common, featured narratives around inequality in education, housing, healthcare, labor, criminal justice and the political system. It also included celebrities such as America Ferrera, Zach Galifianakis, Amy Poehler, Peter Sarsgaard and Jesse Williams.

“Season two will bring more eye-opening stories to light,” said Epix president and CEO Mark Greenberg. “We look forward to working with that talented team on season two.”

Epix also announced premiere dates for the spohomore seasons of drama/thriller series Berlin Station (Oct. 15) and comedy series Graves (Oct. 22).