Category: The TV Biz

Streaming Video is Storming the Walls of Broadcast TV

Looks like it won’t be long till streamers make up the majority. And, yes, when it happens we’ll proudly proclaim, “Toldja!”

Nielsen: Americans are streaming 8 billion hours of content per month on connected TVs
by Sarah Perez

With the rise of streaming services and the trend toward cord cutting, the way U.S. consumers are watching video is also changing. Today, more than two-thirds of U.S. homes have devices that are able to stream video, according to Nielsen . In a new report out this morning, the measurement firm looked at the impact these services are having on the “connected living room” experience, noting also that Americans are now streaming nearly 8 billion hours per month on connected TV devices like Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV. read article

Ava DuVernay’s $100 Million Deal: What It Really Means

We live in interesting times. Here’s an example of a small thing – a creator’s new deal – being  a pivotal example of humongous change. (Yeah, we know a hundred million bucks isn’t exactly chump change, but deal-making is the most basic step in the biz. Know what we mean?)

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP/REX/Shutterstock (9665735kq)

Ava DuVernay $100 Million Deal: How the Studio ‘Megadeal’ Defies Netflix
by Michael Schneider

The TV arms race continued…with Warner Bros. TV Group announcing a multi-year deal, reportedly worth at least $100 million, with Ava DuVernay and her Forward Movement shingle. They will produce TV projects for every platform — including broadcast, cable, and streaming services — and it’s the latest in the ongoing battle for media supremacy in the OTT age.

Netflix is viewed as the master of this realm, snapping up superstar producers Shonda Rhimes and Ryan Murphy, but traditional studios aren’t taking it lying down; there’s too much at stake. Locking up talent, especially writer/producers known for their volume, becomes increasingly critical as the marketplace braces for a flood of new outlets. Streaming outfits Apple, Disney+, and WarnerMedia’s as-yet-unnamed service are all set to go online next year. Meanwhile, networks like HBO and FX have also announced plans to ramp up series orders. read article

This Year’s Writers Guild TV Awards Nominees

TVWriter™ Press Service

The Writers Guild of America West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) have announced nominations for outstanding achievement in television, new media, news, radio/audio, and promotional writing during 2018. Winners will be honored at the 2019 Writers Guild Awards on Sunday, February 17, 2019, at concurrent ceremonies in Los Angeles and New York City.

TVWriter™ congratulates everyone listed below. read article

Thoughts on the Future of YouTube TV

New technologies mean new markets for our work as writers/content creators. But that very expansion can lead to all kinds of new barriers to getting thing out to the public. “Case,” as a certain Mr. Serling used to say, “in point:”

The Road Ahead for YouTube’s TV Plans is Harder Than Ever
by Steve Greene

As things stand in the streaming platform arms race, the competition has separated into tiers. Netflix and Amazon have the longest reach, moving into territories around the globe with catered programming. Hulu has nabbed some awards success and, in “The Handmaid’s Tale,” still has a show that captured public attention in a way that few shows have. read article

WGAW December 2018 Calendar

Knowing what’s going on in the Writers Guild of America can be helpful to TV and film writers in many ways, even if you aren’t a member. So, for your edification:

Events listed are current at time of publication. Dates and details are subject to change during the month. To see the live calendar, click here. (Member Login required for that, sorry.)