Tag Archives: Showtime

Hulu

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http://www.freelogovectors.net/hulu-logo-eps-file/

hulu company logo [1]

Founded: March 2007 by Beth Comstock & Jason Kilar

Jason Kilar

Jason Kilar [3]

Beth Comstock

Beth Comstock [2]

CEO: Mike Hopkins

mike_hopkins

Mike Hopkins [19]

SVP, Head of Distribution: Tim Connolly

tim_connolly

Tim Connolly [19]

SVP, Head of Content: Craig Erwich

craig_erwich

Craig Erwich [19]

SVP, General Counsel: Chadwick Ho

chad_ho

Chadwick Ho [19]

About

Hulu is an OTT (over the top) streaming service launched in 2008 to provide users with “hundreds of thousands of hours of the best of the best television programming and movies to subscribers with limited commercials” [4]. Hulu offers its services in both the United States and Japan on two pay scales: “with limited commercials for $7.99 per month or with no commercials for $11.99 per month” [4]. New users can also try Hulu for a 30-day free trial.

Compared to other OTT streaming services like Netflix and HBO Go, Hulu has the benefit of being owned by three of the largest programming distributors: NBCUniversal, Fox, and Disney-ABC. In total, Hulu has over 500 content partners [4], providing them a great advantage in programming over their competitors. On the advertising side, Hulu has partnerships with over 2,000 brand and companies, helping it gain recognition as one of “the top ad-supported online video sites” [4]. Hulu boasts a subscriber base of 9 Million users whose viewership trends are tracked by ComScore, Nielson, and Quantcast.

 Background

Hulu was first announced during the Super Bowl XLII broadcast via an Alec Baldwin-starring commercial. Initially, the platform was available for free via an ad-supported system and at a premium level called “Hulu Plus” without ads. Archived content from its three powerhouse distributors (NBC/Fox/Disney) could be viewed in on an unlimited basis on both platforms. In 2011; however, Hulu announced that content would be available on the service the day after premiering once users authenticated their service-providers [5]. Later that year, the company struck a deal with the CW Network to also premiere their content next-day [6]. Two years later, Hulu signed on with BBC Worldwide North America to “bring as many as 2,000 episodes from 144 different BBC titles to a wider American audience” [7].

In Early 2015, AT&T struck a deal with Hulu to allow for streaming on “the telecom company’s websites and mobile apps” [11]. In June of 2015, Showtime became “the first premium service to be offered by Hulu” [8], in a monumental deal that allowed the company to effectively compete HBO Go by offering the addition of Showtime‘s premium content at only an additional $8.99/month as compared to HBO Go‘s $11.99/month charge [8]. This deal also showcased the Hulu platform’s ability to support premium add-ons, highlighting them as a powerful distribution tool for premium content providers. In

Original Programming

In 2011, Hulu partnered with documentary film-maker, Morgan Spurlock, on a 6-episode series titled, “A Day In The Life” [9]. The show was available to both free and premium subscribers and chronicled Spurlock as he followed a famous individual around for a day. In 2013, the company ramped up it’s original content by premiering “three original series and seven exclusive shows” [10]. As of April, 2016, the platform boasts 23 original titles, ranging from shows like The Awesomes to Deadbeat. 

Exclusive Rights Deals

Currently, Hulu is focussed on acquiring rights to exclusive content and original series in order to lure potential users. This January, the company gained exclusive rights to stream “Lifetime’s critically acclaimed drama series from A+E Studios, UnREAL” [11] This move, which gambled on the success of a critically acclaimed show after it’s first season, highlights the mindset of much of the company’s moves thus far in 2016. In addition to UnReal, Hulu also picked up the rights to Chance, “a provocative psychological thriller that focuses on a forensic neuropsychiatrist who reluctantly gets sucked into a violent and dangerous world of mistaken identity, police corruption and mental illness” [12].

On January 27, Hulu announced a “landmark output deal” with IFC Films that makes “Hulu the exclusive streaming home for all future documentary releases from IFC Films, which will include all documentaries from the brands IFC Films, Sundance Selects and IFC Midnight” [15]. In a first-of-its-kind deal, all IFC films will now go directly from theaters to the Hulu platform in the first “one-window” agreement of its kind [15].

Curious George [17]

Curious George [17]

In March, Hulu and Universal announced a deal that gives the platform exclusive rights to the Curious George series for past and future releases within the window of a three-year deal [16]. In total, Hulu users “gain access to all nine seasons – over 100 episodes – of CURIOUS GEORGE® TV series”. Additionally, Hulu will be the home to all Curious George feature-length films and the destination of “direct-to-TV specials” [16].

Content Creator

Aside from picking up the rights to existing content, Hulu sees itself as a platform for content creators to flex their muscles. Speaking at the Code/Media conference, CEO Mike Hopkins said, “What we’re trying to do is give creators the resources they need … and go for it” [14]. While the company is “lacking a defining show like “Orange Is the New Black” or “Transparent,” [14] Hulu is confident in its ability to win bidding wars for broadcast smash-hits, something apparent in the company’s success at beating out Netflix and HBO Go for the rights to Fox‘s Empire.

Virtual Reality

On March 24, Hulu announced the launch of it’s virtual reality application. Available on Samsung’s Gear VR platform, Hulu says that it will be bringing all current content to the app and will be “augmenting the experience with some of the very best 360-degree video content available” [18]. Additionally, the company states that users will be able to “watch the entire Hulu 2D library in immersive 360-degree environments” [18].

Overview

With the competitive world of OTT streaming as fiery a battle as ever, Hulu sees to distance itself from the competition by providing its users with innovative, exclusive content. To reel in new customers, the company hopes to be the first to strike gold in new ventures such as virtual reality and will continue to hope that its licensing deals continue to drive revenues.

Sources

[1] http://www.freelogovectors.net/hulu-logo-eps-file/

[2] Dan, Avi. “GE’s CMO Beth Comstock Inspires Innovation Through Instigating.” Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 19 Apr. 2012. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. <http://www.forbes.com/sites/avidan/2012/04/19/ges-cmo-beth-comstock-inspires-innovation-through-instigating/#61e6696d3de4>.

[3] Jason Kilar, Chief Executive Officer of Hulu LLC, Speaks during A…” Getty Images. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. <http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/jason-kilar-chief-executive-officer-of-hulu-llc-speaks-news-photo/123197454>.

[4] About Hulu.” Watch TV and Movies on Xbox, PS3, Apple TV, and More. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. <http://www.hulu.com/press/about>.

[5] Stelter, Brian. “Fox to Limit Next-Day Streaming on Hulu to Paying Cable Customers.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 26 July 2011. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/27/business/media/fox-to-limit-next-day-streaming-on-hulu.html>.

[6] Wasserman, Todd. “Hulu to Get Current Season of Gossip Girl and Other CW Content.” Mashable. N.p., 28 Oct. 2011. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. <http://mashable.com/2011/10/28/hulu-gossip-girl-cw/#0f8HZKPPEsqq>.

[7] Hulu BBC Deal: A Positive Step After Some Cloudy Times » CEOWORLD Magazine.” CEOWORLD Magazine. N.p., 18 Sept. 2013. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. <http://ceoworld.biz/2013/09/18/hulu-bbc-deal-a-positive-step-after-some-cloudy-times>.

[8] Perez, Sarah. “Showtime Becomes The First Premium Service To Be Offered By Hulu.” TechCrunch. N.p., 23 June 2015. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. <http://techcrunch.com/2015/06/23/showtime-becomes-the-first-premium-service-to-be-offered-by-hulu/>.

[9] Emami, Gazelle. “Morgan Spurlock ‘A Day In The Life’: Original Series Premieres On Hulu (VIDEO).” The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/17/morgan-spurlock-a-day-in-the-life_n_929008.html>.

[10] Gates, Sara. “Hulu Expands Original Content, Announces Three Series And Seven Exclusive Shows (VIDEO).” The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/21/hulu-expands-original-content_n_1532718.html>.

[11] Smiley, Minda. “AT&T Strikes Deal with Hulu to Offer Subscription Service to Its Customers.” The Drum. N.p., 25 Apr. 2016. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. <http://www.thedrum.com/news/2015/05/14/att-strikes-deal-hulu-offer-subscription-service-its-customers>.

[12] News.” TV Shows and Movies. Ed. Press Admin. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. <http://www.hulu.com/press/posts/hulu-acquires-exclusive-svod-rights-to-unreal>.

[13] News.” Watch TV and Movies on Xbox, PS3, Apple TV, and More. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. <http://www.hulu.com/press/posts/hulu-picks-up-chance>.

[14] CHMIELEWSKI, Dawn. “Hulu Finally Gets Serious With Original TV Series — But Is It Too Little, Too Late?” Recode. N.p., 18 Feb. 2016. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. <http://recode.net/2016/02/18/hulu-finally-gets-serious-with-original-tv-series-but-is-it-too-little-too-late/>.

[15] Press Admin. “HULU STRIKES FIRST EVER DEAL FOR PAY ONE WINDOW RIGHTS WITH IFC FILMS.” Hulu.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. <http://www.hulu.com/press/posts/hulu-strikes-first-ever-deal-for-pay-one-window-rights-with-ifc-films>.

[16] Press Admin. “HULU and UNIVERSAL INK GROUNDBREAKING DEAL FOR CURIOUS GEORGE® TV.” Hulu News. N.p., 17 Mar. 2016. Web. <http://www.hulu.com/press/news>.

[17] http://www.rivercenter.org/event/curious-george-2/

[18] Press Admin. “Hulu Launches Virtual Reality Application.” Hulu News. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. <http://www.hulu.com/press/posts/hulu-launches-virtual-reality-application>.

[19] Press Admin. “Executives.” Hulu Executives. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. <http://www.hulu.com/press/executives>.

Hulu #1

Posted on by 
Hannah Mesches
Hulu logo (1)

Hulu logo (1) source: Hulu

Company

Hulu is a premium streaming service that offers subscribers hours of content- both television programming and movies- with limited commercials for $7.99 a month or no commercials for $11.99 a month. Launched in 2008, Hulu has remained a leader in redefining how TV and how it is consumed by loyal viewers. The company boasts nearly 9 million subscribers, over 500 content partners, and 2,000 advertising partners. (2) Hulu recently reached a milestone of 700 million hours of content streamed by subscribers.

CEO Mike Hopkins

CEO Mike Hopkins (3) source: Hulu

Senior Vice President, Head of Content Craig Erwich (3)

Senior Vice President, Head of Content Craig Erwich (3) source: Hulu

Senior Vice President, Head of Distribution Tim Connolly

Senior Vice President, Head of Distribution Tim Connolly (3) source: Hulu

Financials

Hulu is not a publicly traded company, thus the company’s financial profile is not available in the same detail as that of a company with quarterly SEC filings. Despite this, on October 6th 2015, Hulu published the news that it and Viacom expanded their content partnership in a new multi-year agreement. (4) With this deal, Hulu became the exclusive subscription video on demand (SVOD) home to full seasons of popular series from Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and MTV such as Inside Amy Schumer, Broad City and Finding Carter. These programs are highly popular with adults 18-34 and will attract cord cutters with the accessibility the company provides through online streaming. (5) 

The deal also expands Hulu’s catalog of children’s programming. Full older seasons of Nickelodeon shows that have never been available for online streaming on the site are now exclusive to the service. In addition to this, all episodes of 90’s and 00’s era programs like The Wild Thornberrys, Drake and Josh, Hey Arnold and Ren & Stimpy will be available for the first time ever on Hulu. The renewal and expansion of this deal will allow the company to acquire programs that audiences who are ditching cable will be looking to watch elsewhere due to their popularity.

Newly Released Content

To compete with Netflix, Hulu released two original series, Casual and RocketJump: The Show in Q4 of 2015 (6), and brought back cancelled program The Mindy Project. On October 21st, 2015, Casual, which stars Michaela Watkins, Tommy Dewey and Tara Lynne Barr, was renewed for a second season due to the success of Producer Jason Reitman’s dysfunctional family comedy. (7) The release date of RocketJump, a documentary series about Youtube filmmaker Freddie Wong and the creation of his action-comedy short films, was delayed until December 2nd, 2015. (8) The original series will still likely draw a substantial audience as name recognition will play a large role.

The Mindy Project (9) source: Geekynews

Hulu also revived cult favorite The Mindy Project starring Mindy Kaling, Chris Messina and Ike Barinholtz exclusively for its streaming service when it was cancelled by Fox. The company signed on for 26 episodes of the program for its fourth season. With more creative freedom given by Hulu, the show has involved more mature themes and plots, and thus has attracted a wider audience. (10) A.V. Club reviewed the Hulu season premiere entitled “While I Was Sleeping” as an A on its scale, calling the episode “an amazing season opener, her best-ever.” (11)

Earlier this year, Hulu premiered the show Difficult People on August 5th, 2015. The series was created by Julie Klausner who stars alongside Billy Eichner. Eichner’s performance immediately garnered positive attention from critics and the show was given an 85% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 76 on Metacritic. (12) After landing a role on Parks and Recreation due to the success of his popular Youtube series Billy on the Street, the actor’s high energy style became in demand as he was cast on several hit programs, but found the most success with Hulu.

Future Content

On February 15th, 2016, Hulu will release its highly anticipated series 11/22/63 based on the 2011 best selling novel written by Stephen King and published by Scribner. (13) The thriller, starring James Franco tells the story of a high school english teacher who travels back in time to prevent the assassination of President. John F. Kennedy. The mission is threatened by Lee Harvey Oswald, a love interest, and the past’s unwillingness to change itself. (14)

11/22/63

11/22/63 (15) source: Entertainment Weekly

Offline, Hulu will be bringing a popular fan experience to Los Angeles this winter. After its success in New York City, Hulu is resurrecting the Seinfeld: The Apartment exhibit for the show’s L.A. fans. (16) The pop up installation features a replica of Jerry Seinfeld’s Upper West Side apartment, and full gallery experience, as well as new items from the series. The exhibit will be located on 8445 Melrose Ave. and will be open from December 16th- 20th. The popularity of both the installation and the series as a whole is imperative for Hulu’s success in streaming Seinfeld in its entirety on the site. A whole new audience is reached as a result, and old fans are able to relive the series in a new way. (17)

Showtime

In addition to the new commercial free subscription that Hulu offers, customers are now able to pay an additional fee to get Showtime as a premium add on for $8.99 a month. Now viewers are able to watch award winning programs such as Homeland, The Affair, Ray Donovan, Masters of Sex and Episodes through the streaming service. (18)

Showtime on Hulu

Showtime on Hulu (19) source: Hulu

 Although this service comes at an extra cost, it will attract millennial viewers as they stray away from more expensive cable packages and move to exclusively online sites such as Hulu and its competitors Netflix and Amazon. (20) Subscribers will be able to take Showtime programs on the go as it is available on Apple devices, Android phones and tablets, Playstation, Wii, and Xbox One.

Overview

Overall, Hulu has had a productive year. From introducing a new subscription free of commercials, to receiving rave reviews for its original series, to expanding its agreement with Viacom and partnering with Showtime, the company is quickly amassing both content and loyal subscribers. Unlike Netflix, the site is able to make content available the day after it airs on live television, which attracts cord cutting fans as the service is less expensive and available on more interfaces. With a highly anticipated release coming in the first quarter of the 2016 fiscal year, Hulu is releasing content at a steady stream that keeps customers invested.

Sources

(1) Hulu – Watch TV, Originals, and Hit Movies.” Hulu. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

(2) “About Hulu.” About Hulu. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

(3) “Executives.” Executives. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

(4) “Hulu and Viacom Expand Content Partnership In Robust, New Multi-Year Agreement.” News. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

(5) “Cord Cutters News – All the News Cord Cutters Need about Cord Cutting! Covering, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Netflix, Hulu, & More!”Cord Cutters News. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

(6) “Hulu Originals Premiere Dates.” Premiere Dates. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

(7) “Jason Reitman’s ‘Casual’ Gets Season 2 on Hulu.” Variety. N.p., 21 Oct. 2015. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

(8) “‘RocketJump: The Show’ Premiere on Hulu Pushed Back to December.”Variety. N.p., 09 Oct. 2015. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

(9) “First Look: Lee Pace in The Mindy Project.” GeekyNews. N.p., 06 Jan. 2015. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

(10) “The Mindy Project Isn’t Cancelled After All, Here’s What’s Happening.”CINEMABLEND. N.p., 15 May 2015. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

(11) “The Mindy Project:.” “While I Was Sleeping” · The Mindy Project · TV Review “While I Was Sleeping” · TV Club · The A.V. Club. N.p., 15 Sept. 2015. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

(12) “‘Difficult People’ on Hulu: Will Critics’ Raves Lead to Awards for Julie Klausner, Billy Eichner?” GoldDerby. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

(13) “11.22.63.” Hulu Press. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

(14) “11.22.63.” IMDb. IMDb.com, n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

(15) “First Look: See James Franco in Stephen King’s Time-travel JFK Assassination Thriller 11/22/63.” Entertainment Weekly. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

(16) “Inside the ‘Seinfeld’ Apartment Pop-Up in New York.” The Hollywood Reporter. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

(17) “Hulu to Bring SEINFELD: THE APARTMENT Fan Experience to LA This December.” Broadway World. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

(18) “Hulu with Showtime.” Hulu. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

(19) “What Is SHOWTIME® on Hulu?” Hulu. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

CBS Corp. (TV broadcast & cable properties only)

Link

by  PATTY TERHUNE

 

CBS Corporation Logo - photo courtesy of imgarcade.com (1)

CBS Corporation Logo – photo courtesy of imgarcade.com (1)

Headquarters

51 W. 52nd Street

New York, NY 10019-6188

1-212-975-4321

www.cbscorporation.com

 

 

Key Executives

sumner

Sumner Redstone, Executive Chairman (2)

Leslie Moonves, President and Chief Executive Officer, CBS Corporation (3)

Leslie Moonves, President and Chief Executive Officer, CBS Corporation (3)

Anthony G. Ambrosio, Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer and Chief Human Resources Officer, CBS Corporation (4)

Anthony G. Ambrosio, Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer and Chief Human Resources Officer, CBS Corporation (4)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About

CBS Corporations holds the most watched television network in the U.S., CBS Broadcast Network, and is one of the largest players in creating global content (5). While the company’s holdings span nearly every medium (cable, publishing, radio, film and more), they play a particularly strong roll in television. They have 29 television holdings including CBS, CBS Sports Network, The Smithsonian Channel, The CW (a 50/50 joint venture with Time Warner’s Warner Bros.), Decades (a 50/50 joint venture with Weigel Broadcasting), Pop (a 50/50 joint venture with Lionsgate), and the Showtime Networks (6). The CBS Network is home to the #1 drama scripted program, NCIS, the #1 sitcom, The Big Bang Theory, the #1 newsmagazine, 60 Minutes, and the #1 daytime drama, The Young and the Restless (7).

 

The CBS "Eye" Logo - photo courtesy of logos.wikia.com (8)

The CBS “Eye” Logo – photo courtesy of logos.wikia.com (8)

History 

CBS Corporation, often referred to as “The Eye Corporation” because of the company’s memorable logo, was founded in 1941. The company started as a radio heavyweight in 1927. The company was also formerly known as “The Tiffany Network” since the company maintained such a high quality of programming under its founder William S. Paley (9). The company has held many official names over time. However, in its time as a broadcast network it has only gone by three names. From 1928 until 1974 it held the name Columbia Broadcasting System, Inc. In 1974 it was shortened to CBS Inc. As of 1997 the official company name is CBS Corporations (10).

 

Viacom's logo - courtesy of cbsnews.com (?)

Viacom’s logo – courtesy of cbsnews.com (13)

In 2000 Viacom purchased CBS (11). This is particularly noteworthy as Viacom was originally created as a spin-off of CBS in 1971 (12). However, in 2005, Viacom split itself into two entities, keeping Viacom and CBS Corporation separate. Sumner Redstone, who is a heavy hitter in media as both the chairman of National Amusements and the Executive Chairman of Viacom, still currently owns CBS.

The CBS Building in New York City - image courtesy of digitaltrends.com (?)

The CBS Building in New York City – image courtesy of digitaltrends.com (14)

Financials

CBS is traded on the NASDAQ under the abbreviation CBS. As of April 16th, 2015 the stock was being traded for $61.78. At a record low on September 9th, 2009 the stock was being traded for $3.06. Since then the stock as been increasing and is currently within a dollar of its highest asking price ever (15). The fourth quarter revenues for 2014 were up 3% from last quarter, hitting $3.7 billion and the diluted earnings per share were up 8% to $.77. This was CBS Corporation’s best fourth quarter revenue and diluted EPS to date (16).

 

Channel News

The Harris Poll logo - courtesy of whatsupwiththat.com (?)

The Harris Poll logo – courtesy of whatsupwiththat.com (17)

Television Network Brand of the Year in 2015 Harris Poll Equitrend Study

The Harris Poll Equitrend Study is an annual study conducted by Harris Poll on brand equity. The EquiTrend Brand Equity Index rates companies on their familiarity, quality and consideration. The Harris Polls have become a staple in the media industry – due to its ability to give relevant insights to the industry after comprehensive and precise public opinion polling. In its 27th annual study in 2015, CBS Corporations took home first place (7).

Showtime's Logo - courtesy of sho.com (?)

Showtime’s Logo – courtesy of sho.com (18)

Bell Media and CBS Corporation Announce Long-Term Contract To Bring Showtime to Canada

For the first time, Showtime and the entirety of its media content will be brought the Canada. In an unprecedented deal between Bell Media and CBS Corporation, hundreds of hours of past, present and future Showtime programming will be brought the Canada and accessible on all Bell Media platforms. This will open up hundreds of thousands of new potential consumers for the already esteemed network (19).

CBS All Access - courtesy of slashgear.com (?)

CBS All Access – courtesy of slashgear.com (20)

CBS All Access Meets with Affiliates

In mid-April, CBS met with affiliates to discuss their over-the-top streaming service, CBS All Access. Among these affiliates was Steve Hammel, VP and general manager at Capital Broadcasting’s WRAL Raleigh. He, as well as other affiliates, was optimistic about the future of the service and seemed willing to work together to increase the reach of both themselves and the network. However, like many, he said that he would wait until more information was available to opt-in. As of last month, the service has 100,000 subscribers. Currently, a dozen station groups, as well as all stations owned-and-operated by CBS, are on board, representing 55% of all households (21).

CBS Studios - image courtesy of onelip.com (?)

CBS Studios – image courtesy of onelip.com (22)

Company News

Viewers to Volunteers logo - image courtesy of cbsaltitudegroup.com (?)

Viewers to Volunteers logo – image courtesy of cbsaltitudegroup.com (23)

CBS-Toyota Charity App

Viewers to Volunteers, or V2V, is a Toyota sponsored app run by CBS where viewers can give to charity without needing to open their wallet. Viewers watch short video clips, like a CBS news clip about Toyota or a documentary-type clip about a local area hospital, to gain credits. These credits can be exchanged for donations to causes like the Special Olympics or Meals on Wheels America, which CBS will make. CBS is advertising the application on four CBS owned-and-operated stations, as well as by collaborating with non-profit partners such as the Starlight Children’s Foundation to help expand reach. The application premiered nationally in April (24).

 

Neilsen's logo - image courtesy of evigo.com (?)

Nielsen’s logo – image courtesy of evigo.com (25)

Data-Driven Initiative for Network Advertisers

CBS has introduced a new-data driven style to analyzing the effectiveness of advertising. They are called it the Campaign Performance Audit or CPA. They have been trialing this technique on specific advertisers since last fall. However, they are now opening it up to all advertisers that are looking to take advantage of Nielsen analytics to make sure that they get the best return on investment in the company (26).

 

David Rhodes - image courtesy of cbsnews.com (?)

David Rhodes – image courtesy of cbsnews.com (27)

David Rhodes Extends Contract as President of CBS News through 2019

CBS News President David Rhodes who has held the position since 2011, will continue as president of the news division of CBS until 2019. Rhodes was one of the creators of CBS This Morning and also helped to expand Face the Nation with Bob Schieffer and is credited with helping it become the #1 Sunday Public Affairs Show. In addition to his work in broadcast, he also spearheaded CBSN, which is the first digitial streaming news network and has made major contributions the news on CBSNews.com and on CBS News Radio (28).

 

Interns Tour CBS Channel 2 in NYC - image courtesy of red-pr.com (?)

Interns Tour CBS Channel 2 in NYC – image courtesy of red-pr.com (29)

CBS Corporation and CBS Radio being Sued By Former Intern

Former CBS Radio intern Camille Demere, who was an intern into 2009-2010, filed a class-action-seeking complaint in January of 2015 for unfair treatment as an intern by being “excluded from minimum wage.” In March the company responded by saying that they want the entire case thrown out. They also requested that the court deny every request that the Plaintiff (Demere) had, and reimburse the Defendant (CBS Corp.) for all costs spent in defending the law suit (30).

Sources

(1) “CBS Logo,” Imgrarcade, RT: 4/17/15

(2) “Sumner Redstone,” CBS Corp, RT: 4/17/15

(3) “Leslie Moonves,” CBS Corp, RT: 4/17/15

(4) “Anthony G. Ambrosio,” CBS Corp, RT: 4/17/15

(5) “About CBS,” CBS Corp, RT: 4/17/15

(6) “Who Owns The Media?” FreePress, RT: 4/17/15

(7) “2015 Brand of the Year,” CBS Corp, RT: 4/17/15

(8) “CBS Eye,” Logos.wikia, RT: 4/17/15

(9) “Creator: CBS,” TVTropes, RT: 4/17/15

(10) “CBS Corporation,” Encyclopedia Brittanica, RT: 4/17/15

(11) “Viacom Set to Acquire CBS,” Partners.NYTimes, RT: 4/17/15

(12) “Viacom Inc. History,” FundingUniverse, RT: 4/17/15

(13) “Viacom Makes Split Official,” CBSNews, RT: 4/17/15

(14) “Transaction in Own Shares,” Article.wn, RT: 4/17/15

(15) “CBS,” Nasdaq, RT: 4/17/15

(16) “Investor Relations,” CBS Corp, RT: 4/17/15

(17) “Harris Polls,” Whatsupwiththat, RT: 4/17/15

(18) “Showtime,” Sho, RT: 4/17/15

(19) “CBS, Bell Media Pact,” Deadline, RT: 4/17/15

(20) “CBS All Access,” Slashgear, RT: 4/17/15

(21) “CBS Station Chiefs Ponder All Access Offer,” BroadcastingCable, RT: 4/17/15

(22) “Judge Throws Out Fraud Claim,” Onelip, RT: 4/17/15

(23) “Turning Viewers into Volunteers at CBS,” CBS Altitude Group, RT: 4/17/15

(24) “CBS Unveils Charity App,” Wall Street Journal, RT: 4/17/15

(25) “US Nielsen,” Evigo, RT: 4/17/15

(26) “CBS Introduces New Data-Driven Initiative,” CBS Corp, RT: 4/17/15

(27) “David Rhodes,” CBS News, RT: 4/17/15

(28) “CBS Announces New Agreement,” CBS Corp, RT: 4/17/15

(29) “CBS Sued Over Unpaid Internships,” Red-Pr, RT: 4/17/15

(30) “CBS Spurns Intern Lawsuit,” Deadline, RT: 4/17/15

CBS Corp. (TV broadcast & cable properties only)

Posted on by 
by Emily Norman

CBS Corporation

Brief History

Classic CBS Logo, Courtesy of awfulannouncing.com.

Classic CBS Logo. [1]

Founded in 1927 by Arthur Judson as an alternative to NBC, the Columbia Broadcasting System has been delivering news and entertainment for nearly a century.  CBS has flourished in the realm of television, as it produced hits such as The Andy Griffith Show (1960-1968), M*A*S*H (1972-1983), and 60 Minutes (1968-). In 1995, the company was sold to Westinghouse Electric Corporation for about $5 billion.  Today, Westinghouse is known as CBS Corporation [2].

Corporate Information

 Key Executives

Sumner M. Redstone, Courtesy of cbscorporation.com

Sumner M. Redstone, Executive Chairman. [3]

Leslie Moonves, President and Chief Executive Officer, Courtesy of cbscorporation.com

Leslie Moonves, President and Chief Executive Officer. [4]

Anthony G. Ambrosio, Senior Executive Vice President. [5]

Anthony G. Ambrosio, Senior Executive Vice President. [5]

Financials

For the 2014 third quarter, CBS announced a revenue of $3.37 billion, which is up 2% from the 2013 third quarter.  Similarly, advertising revenue also grew 2%, due to Thursday Night Football as well as midterm elections.  However, the company’s adjusted net earnings were just $400 million, down $31 million from the year before.  Also during the third quarter, CBS bought back just under seven million shares of its own stock for about $400 million [6].  As of November 28th, 2014, the price of one share was $54.88.  This was just above of its 52-week low of $48.83 [7].

Broadcast Programming

CBS Daytime Programming

The Cast of The Young and the Restless.

The Cast of The Young and the Restless. [8]

CBS has always excelled in the world of daytime drama.  Now, in 2014, it is the only broadcast network to feature more than one soap opera: The Young and the Restless (1973-) and The Bold and the Beautiful (1987-).  The Young and the Restless saw a 1.3 rating for the 18-49 demo this past September, which is up 8% from March.  This bump in viewership is accredited to the return of Shemar Moore [9].  Meanwhile, its sister-soap, The Bold and the Beautiful, featured a pair of cross-over episodes with Big Brother in celebration of Halloween [10].  Both these daytime dramas have performed spectacularly, routinely beating out NBC’s Days of Our Lives and ABC’s General Hospital [11].

Soap Opera Ratings for the Week of November 3rd - November 7th.

Soap Opera Ratings for the Week of November 3rd – November 7th, 2014. [11]

CBS Primetime Programming

The Cast of Scorpion.

The Cast of Scorpion. [12]

For the 2014-2015 season, CBS launched five new series in the fall.  The majority of the new shows are hour-long dramas, including Scorpion, Stalker, Madam Secretary, and the second spin-off of the hit series NCIS, NCIS: NEW ORLEANS.  CBS only launched one new sitcom this fall: The McCarthys [13].  Of these new series, Scorpion is performing the best, with an average 18-49 demo rating of 2.47 as of November 19th, 2014.  At the bottom of the pack is the network’s lone rookie sitcom, The McCarthys, which is averaging a rating of about 1.51 in the same demo, making it susceptible to cancelation [14].  None of CBS’ new launches have been canceled as of November 20th, 2014 [15].

The Cast of The Big Bang Theory.

The Cast of The Big Bang Theory. [16]

The network boasts The Big Bang Theory as one of its top ratings giants.  Now in its eighth season, the sitcom is consistently one of the highest-rated shows of the week, earning a whopping 4.5 in the 18-49 demo the week of November 10th [17].  The series has already been renewed for a ninth season [15].  Now in its twelfth season, NCIS has consistently ranked high in overall viewership; for the week of November 10th, the series boasted over 17 million viewers, trailing just behind the 20 million that NBC’s coverage of Sunday Night Football brought in [17].  The 2014-2015 season also marks the end of two of the network’s major veteran shows: Two and a Half Men and The Mentalist.  After having lost two of its leading men, Two and a Half Men reached an all-time low average of 10.66 million viewers for its eleventh season, and, while 10 million viewers is still an impressive figure, the show has run its course and will go off the air in May [18].  The Mentalist garnered around 11.5 million viewers in its previous season.  It has been speculated that, should these numbers remain impressive throughout the show’s shortened 13-episode-long final season, Warner Brothers could shop the show to other networks [19].

CBS Ratings

CBS’ Average Ratings for the 2014-2015 Season, As of November 19th, 2014. [14]

Additional Properties Programming

The CW Programming

Grant Gustin as The Flash.

Grant Gustin as The Flash. [20]

The joint venture of Time Warner and CBS, The CW has been a staple in young adult programming since 2006 [21].  For the 2014-2015 season, The CW launched two new series: The Flash and Jane the Virgin [22].  The Flash garnered nearly seven million viewers in the Live+7 ratings for its October premiere, making it the most watched piece of television that the network has ever aired [23].  Meanwhile, Jane the Virgin has accumulated critical acclaim for introducing diversity to The CW’s lineup [24].  Both The Flash and Jane the Virgin were picked up for full-season orders on October 21st [25].

The Cast of Supernatural.

The Cast of Supernatural. [26] 

Supernatural, which began as a WB series in 2005, recently celebrated not only the debut of its tenth season, but also its 200th episode, which garnered the show’s highest ratings since the season premiere: 2.92 million viewers in the Live+3 category [27].  The network has also decreed that a 22nd cycle of America’s Next Top Model be commissioned for the 2015 season [28].  As of Friday, November 14th, the show’s current cycle holds a 0.4 in the 18-49 demo [29].

The CW's Average Ratings, As of November 19th, 2014.

The CW’s Average Ratings for the 2014-2015 Season, As of November 19th, 2014. [30]

Showtime Programming

Kyle MacLachlan as Agent Dale Cooper on Twin Peaks.

Kyle MacLachlan as Agent Dale Cooper on Twin Peaks. [31]

CBS’ cable holding, Showtime, announced this fall its intentions to resurrect  Twin Peaks, which ran from 1990-1991 on ABC.  Showtime will air the original 30 episodes ahead of the new series, which will consist of nine episodes.  The continuation of Twin Peaks will debut in 2016 [32].  In the meantime, Showtime continues to experience success with its critically-acclaimed series Homeland.  The  series garnered a season-best 1.66 million viewers on November 16th, however, when all platforms are taken into account, the series is averaging well over 5 million viewers on a weekly basis.  Meanwhile, The Affair, which airs in the slot following Homeland, delivered roughly 778,000 viewers that same evening, up 16% from the previous week.  As with Homeland, multi-platform viewing accounts for a significant portion of its viewership, resulting in a total number of 3.8 million viewers [33].

Showtime’s Average Ratings for the 2014-2015 Season, As of November 19th, 2014.

Showtime’s Average Ratings, As of November 19th, 2014. [34]

Current Events

CBS All Access

This fall, CBS became the first broadcast network to begin offering a streaming service akin to HBO’s service.  This product is called CBS All Access and costs subscribers $5.99 a month.  That being said, as of October 16th, the service is only offered in seven US markets, and does not feature NFL games.  CBS All Access offers customers a wide array of both current series and canceled series [35].

CBS New York's Coverage of CBS All Access

CBS New York’s Coverage of CBS All Access.  Click for Full Video. [36]

Dispute with Dish

In November of 2014, CBS experienced a dispute with Dish TV over negotiations.  The companies’ previous contract was signed in January of 2012, and was set to expire by the end of November, however, CBS, along with other major broadcast networks, filed a lawsuit against Dish, citing their ad-skipping feature as the main source of conflict.  The feature, which allows the customer to automatically skip over commercials, also prompted an attempt on CBS’ behalf to break their current contract with the satellite company [37].  With multiple Owned & Operated stations on the verge of being blacked out to Dish customers, both companies agreed to a deadline-extension on their current contract; as of November 26th, the extension will reach into early December, prompting further negotiation, while the O&O stations still air their programming [38].

Sources

[1] CBS Logo. Retrieved November 18, 2014, from http://awfulannouncing.com/2013/cbs-sports-chairman-sean-mcmanus-on-that-other-pregame-show-concussions-and-fantasy-football.html

[2] CBS Corporation. Retrieved November 18, 2014, from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/100876/CBS-Corporation

[3] Sumner M. Redstone. Retrieved November 18, 2014, from http://www.cbscorporation.com/ourcompany-executives.php?id=&exec=156

[4] Leslie Moonves. Retrieved November 18, 2014, from http://www.cbscorporation.com/ourcompany-executives.php?id=&exec=150

[5] Anthony G. Ambrosio. Retrieved November 18, 2014, from http://www.cbscorporation.com/ourcompany-executives.php?id=&exec=135

[6] Investor Relations – Financial and Stock Information. Retrieved November 28, 2014, from http://investors.cbscorporation.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=99462&p=quarterlyearnings 

[7] Investor Relations – Stock Quote. Retrieved November 28, from http://investors.cbscorporation.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=99462&p=irol-shareowner_stockquote

[8] The Cast of The Young and the Restless. Retrieved November 18, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Young_and_the_Restless

[9] Big Ratings for Y&R. Retrieved November 18, 2014, from http://www.cbs.com/shows/the_young_and_the_restless/news/1003158/

[10] B&B & Big Brother Spooktacular. Retrieved November 18, 2014, from http://www.cbs.com/shows/the_bold_and_the_beautiful/news_blog/1003342/

[11] Soap Opera Ratings. Retrieved November 18, 2014, from http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/11/15/soap-opera-ratings-the-young-the-restless-the-bold-the-beautiful-general-hospital-up-in-women-18-49-viewers/327190/

[12] The Cast of Scorpion. Retrieved November 19, 2014, from http://www.cbs.com/shows/scorpion/about/

[13] CBS Fall TV Schedule 2014. Retrieved November 19, 2014, from http://tvline.com/2014/05/14/cbs-fall-tv-lineup-2014-the-big-bang-theory-monday/

[14] CBS 2014-15 Season Ratings. Retrieved November 20, 2014, from http://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/cbs-2014-15-season-ratings-33998/

[15] CBS Predictions. Retrieved November 20, 2014, from http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/11/18/cbs-predictions-stalker-is-a-toss-up-to-be-canceled-or-renewed/327282/

[16] The Cast of The Big Bang Theory. Retrieved November 18, 2014, from http://www.movieweb.com/movies-you-havent-seen-with-the-cast-of-the-big-bang-theory

[17] TV Ratings Broadcast Top 25. Retrieved November 19, 2014, from http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/11/18/tv-ratings-broadcast-top-25-sunday-night-football-tops-week-8-with-adults-18-49/329077/

[18] ‘Two and a Half Men’ Final Season. Retrieved November 20, 2014, from http://www.ibtimes.com/two-half-men-final-season-how-show-survived-losing-charlie-sheen-why-season-12-last-1716310 

[19] ‘The Mentalist’ to end on CBS. Retrieved November 20, 2014, from http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/11/04/the-mentalist-canceled/

[20] Grant Gustin as The Flash. Retrieved November 18, 2014, from http://www.comicvine.com/articles/big-change-to-flash-s-role-in-arrow-update/1100-147601/

[21] The CW. Retrieved November 18, 2014, from http://www.cbscorporation.com/portfolio.php?division=95 

[22] The CW’s Fall Schedule. Retrieved November 18, 2014, from http://tvline.com/2014/06/25/cw-fall-tv-schedule-2014-arrow-vampire-diaries/

[23] ‘The Flash’ Premiere Ratings. Retrieved November 18, 2014, from http://deadline.com/2014/10/the-flash-ratings-premiere-most-watched-cw-863045/

[24] ‘Jane the Virgin’ is The CW’s Best Show Ever. Retrieved November 18, 2014, from http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/10/28/jane-the-virgin-is-the-cw-s-best-show-ever.html

[25] ‘The Flash’ ‘Jane the Virgin’ Get Full Season Orders. Retrieved November 18, 2014, from http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/flash-jane-virgin-get-full-739683

[26] The Cast of Supernatural. Retrieved November 19, 2014, from http://www.denofgeek.com/tv/supernatural/29404/supernatural-spin-off-casts-its-leads

[27] The CW’s ‘The Flash’ and 200th Episode of ‘Supernatural’. Retrieved November 19, 2014, from http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/11/16/the-cws-the-flash-and-200th-episode-of-supernatural-hit-best-ratings-since-season-premiere-in-live-3-ratings/328353/

[28] America’s Next Top Model Renewed. Retrieved November 19, 2014, from http://variety.com/2014/tv/news/americas-next-top-model-renewed-the-cw-1201358635/

[29] Friday TV Ratings. Retrieved November 19, 2014, from http://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/friday-tv-ratings-last-man-standing-antm-amazing-race-grimm-shark-tank-34732/

[30] CW 2014-2015 Season Ratings. Retrieved November 19, 2014, from http://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/cw-2014-15-season-ratings-34237/

[31] Kye MacLachlan as Agent Dale Cooper. Retrieved November 19, 2014, from http://inthetreesartpreview.blogspot.com

[32] Cult Favorite ‘Twin Peaks’ to Return. Retrieved November 19, 2014, from http://www.whas11.com/story/entertainment/2014/10/20/15980076/ 

[33] Showtime’s ‘Homeland,’ ‘The Affair’ Continue Ratings Rise. Retrieved November 19, 2014, from http://variety.com/2014/tv/ratings/showtimes-homeland-the-affair-continue-ratings-rise-1201359488/

[34] Showtime’s Average Ratings. Retrieved November 20, 2014, from http://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/showtime-tv-show-ratings-33448/

[35] HBO, CBS Set Up Streaming Service. Retrieved November 20, 2014, from http://movienewsguide.com/hbo-cbs-set-streaming-service/34363

[36] CBS Offers Digital Subscription Service. Retrieved November 20, 2014, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xBLol05Uh8 

[37] Dish Could Lose 16 CBS Stations In Fee Fight. Retrieved November 28, 2014, from http://www.tvpredictions.com/dish110314.htm

[38] Dish Extends CBS Deal Another Week. Retrieved November 28, 2014, from http://adage.com/article/media/dish-extends-cbs-deal-week-standoff-looms/296014/ 

Netflix

Posted on by 
by Micaela Mueller
logo

Company Logo – www.netflix.com

100 Winchester Circle, Los Gatos, CA 95032
(408) 540-3700

 Executives [1]

reed hastings

Reed Hastings, Founder and CEO

david wells

David Wells, CFO

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Twani Cranz, Chief Talent Officer

Twani Cranz, Chief Talent Officer

kelly bennet

Kelly Bennett, Chief Marketing Officer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About [2]

Netflix is an international public company that allows users to stream movies and television shows online with a monthly subscription. They also offer rentals by mail for an additional cost and produce their own original programming.

History

net mail 1

Courtesy of postalnews.com

Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph founded Netflix in 1997 as an online movie rental service. In 2007, Netflix introduced streaming services that allowed members to use personal computers to instantly watch movies and television shows online. In 2012, Netflix began producing original content and became the first Internet TV network to be nominated for the primetime Emmy with 31 nominations in 2013 [3]. Currently in 2014, Netflix has over 53 million members in nearly 50 countries worldwide and accounts for more than 34 percent of the peak wired download traffic in North America [4].

 Financials

Netflix is publically held. According to the company’s 2014 third quarter report, it has $1,223 billion in total revenue, a 27% increase from the same quarter of the previous year. The company reported a 20% increase in domestic revenue from the same quarter of the previous year and a 47% increase in international revenue due to their expanded global market. Netflix predicts a 6% increase in total revenue and an additional 4 million subscribers by the end of the fourth quarter, bringing their total revenue up to $1,305 billion and their global membership to 57 million. Netflix’s two major competitors are Hulu and Amazon [5].

Screen Shot 2014-11-30 at 7.38.49 PM

Courtesy of finance.yahoo.com

Over a 3-month period, Netflix’s highest share price was $484.39. However, after a massive 25% drop on October 16th, the price dropped to $361.70 and eventually reached it’s lowest share price of $346.59 on November 30th [6].

The 25% drop in share price occurred a day after Netflix reported that the company’s subscriber growth was below the original forecast. Netflix speculates that the subscriber growth was lower than anticipated as a result of the increased price for membership that was announced in May 2014 [7]. The price increased $1 from $7.99 to $8.99 monthly [8].

Recent News

International Expansion

international

Courtesy of gigaom.com

For the past couple of years, Netflix has been working to increase their international presence. Since 2012, Netflix has been available internationally in the UK, Ireland, Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden and in the Netherlands since 2013. In September of 2014, Netflix announced that streaming services are now available to subscribers in Germany, France, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium and Luxembourg via all devices with Internet access including computers, smartphones, and video game consoles [9].

Then, in November of 2014, Netflix announced, that by March of 2015, it will expand into New Zealand and Australia [10].

Netflix and Nielsen

Since its start in 1997, the company has never released how many people watch each show on Netflix. The company claims that because their revenue comes from subscribers and not advertisers, the only number that matters is their subscriber count. The company’s decision bothers networks such as HBO, Showtime, and Starz, who also rely on subscribers and not advertisers, but who have their ratings recorded by Nielsen [11].

However, according to the Wall Street Journal, Nielsen is going to start measuring viewership for streaming services like Netflix. Starting next month, Nielsen will use already existing in-home metering devices to record Netflix viewership without the need of the company’s permission. Nielsen, however, will not be able to record viewership via mobile devices, a platform heavily used for Netflix streaming [12].

Recent Original Content

Netflix started producing original programming in 2012 with the release their first series Lilyhammer starring former Sopranos star Steven Van Zandt [13]. Since then, the company has produced a number of successes such as Orange is the New Black, winning 3 Primetime Emmy Awards [14], and House of Cards, winning 4 Primetime Emmy Awards [15].

chelsea handler 1

Courtesy of netflix.com

In addition to producing their own content, Netflix picks up dropped on-the-air television shows and continues to produce them. Arrested Development, for example, was off the air for a number of years before Netflix produced its fourth season in 2013. In August of 2014, the network confirmed that it will be producing a fifth season in the coming year [16].

On June 19, 2014, Netflix announced the company’s pairing with Chelsea Handler to produce a Netflix original comedy talk show. Handler decided to pair with Netflix in order to keep herself new and interesting. The talk show will debut in early 2016 [17]. However, on October 10th, the network premiered a stand up comedy performance from Handler’s latest comedy tour, Uganda Be Kidding Me, as her debut to Netflix [18].

 Looking Ahead

Film

crouching tiger

Courtesy of imdb.com

On September 30, 2014, Netflix announced their pairing with the Weinstein Company to release their first original movie. The movie will be a sequel to Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, a 2002 martial-arts epic movie directed by Ang Lee, also the director of Life of Pi and Brokeback Mountain [19]. The sequel will be titled Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon: The Green Legend and will be directed by Yuen Wo-ping. It will be produced by Harvey Weinstein, Academy Award winner for The King’s Speech, Peter Berg, Emmy Award winner for Friday Night Lights, and Sarah Aubrey, producer of Lone Survivor. The film tells a martial arts story where good and evil battle for the fate of the Martial World. Major stars of the film will include Harry Shum Jr., Jason Scott Lee, Roger Yuan, and Eugenia Yuan [20]. It will be released and available to all subscribers on August 28, 2015 as well as in select global IMAX theaters [21].

Days later, on October 2nd, Netflix announced a deal they made with Adam Sandler, comedy actor and founder of Happy Madison Productions [22]. Sandler, alongside Happy Madison Productions, committed to acting and producing four films exclusively available through Netflix. The first movie could come as early as late 2015 and currently has no theatrical component [23].

Television

marcopolo

Courtesy of netflix.com

Netflix will be premiering two original programming pieces on December 12, 2014. The first is Marco Polo, a series centered on Marco Polo’s exploration during the time of the 13th century war in China and will be produced by The Weinstein Company [24].

The second is a stand-up comedy special, American Ham, with actor Nick Offerman, known for his role in NBS’s Parks and Recreation. The special will appear in the US, Canada, the UK, and Ireland [25].

The company will continue their original series in 2016 with a relationship sitcom called Love. Judd Apatow, known for producing Knocked Up and 40-Year-Old Virgin, will co-write and produce this Netflix original series [26].

grace and frankie

Courtesy of joblo.com

Another sitcom in the works is Grace and Frankie, starring Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda. The show is targeted to premier in summer 2015 [27].

 

 

Sources

[1] “Officers and Directors”, ir.netflix.com, RT: 11/29/14

[2] “Company Overview”, pr.netflix.com, RT: 11/29/14

[3] “Company Timeline”, pr.netflix.com, RT: 11/29/14

[4] “Netflix Crowned King of Streaming With More Than a Third of Peak Traffic”, Time Magazine, 5/14/14, RT: 11/29/14

[5] “Letter to Shareholders”, ir.netflix.com, 10/15/14, RT: 11/29/14

[6] “Netflix, Inc.”, Yahoo!Finance, RT: 11/30/14

[7] “Netflix Shares tank 20% on Weak Results”, CNN Money, RT: 11/29/14

[8] “A Quick Update on Our Streaming Plans and Prices”, blog.netflix.com, 5/9/14, RT: 11/29/14

[9] “Netflix Launches in Belgium and Luxembourg”, Multichannel News,9/9/14, RT: 11/29/14

[10] “Press Releases”, pr.netflix.com, 11/18/14, RT: 11/29/14

[11] “How Much Longer Can Netflix Keep Ratings a Secret?”, Forbes, 9/18/14, RT: 11/29/14

[12] “We’re Still a Long Way Away From Knowing How Many People Watch Netflix and Amazon Shows”, vulture.com, 11/20/14, RT: 11/29/14

[13] “Lilyhammer, Netflix’s First Original Show, Available to Watch Online Now”, Huffington Post, 2/6/12, RT: 11/29/14

[14] “Orange is the New Black Awards”, IMDb.com, RT: 11/29/14

[15] “House of Cards Awards”, IMDb.com, RT: 11/29/14

[16] “Will Arnett Confirms ‘Arrested Development’ Season 5 Is Happening”, Huffington Post, 8/8/14, RT: 11/29/14

[17] “Press Releases”, pr.netflix.com, 6/19/14 RT: 11/29/14

[18] “Chelsea Handler to Launch Netflix Talk Show”, CBS News, 6/19/14, RT: 11/29/14

[19] “Ang Lee”, IMDb.com, RT: 11/29/14

[20] “Press Releases”, pr.netflix.com, 9/30/14, RT: 11/29/14

[21] “Netflix to Release First Original Movie”, Time Magazine, 9/30/14, RT: 11/29/14

[22] “Adam Sandler”, IMDb.com, RT: 11/29/14

[23] “Press Releases”, pr.netflix.com, 10/2/14, RT: 11/29/14

[24] “Press Releases”, pr.netflix.com, 4/8/14, RT: 11/29/14

[25] “Netflix Sets Premiere for Nick Offerman’s ‘American Ham’ Stand-up Comedy Special”, bostonherald.com, 11/24/14, RT: 11/29/14

[26] “Netflix (NFLX) to Stream Original Content Love in 2016”, zacks.com, 9/18/14, RT: 11/29/14

[27] “Netflix Orders Comedy Series to Star Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin”, Variety 3/19/14, RT: 11/29/14

 

 

 

 

 

CBS Corp. (TV broadcast & cable properties only)

Link

by Mike Liebenson
CBS Corporation's Logo

[1] CBS  Logo

CBS Headquarters
51 W. 52nd Street
New York, NY 10019-6188
1-212-975-4321 [1.5]

KEY EXECUTIVES 

CBS EXECUTIVE

[2] Leslie Moonves- President and Chief Executive Officer, CBS Corporation

2

[3] Sumner M Redstone- Executive Chairman

[4] Joseph Ianniello- Chief Operating Officer

[4] Joseph Ianniello- Chief Operating Officer

Anthony G. Ambrosio, Senior Executive Vice President, Human Resources and Administration, CBS Corporation.

[5] Anthony G. Ambrosio, Senior Executive Vice President, Human Resources and Administration, CBS Corporation.

OVERVIEW

CBS Corporation is an industry-leading mass media company that creates and distributes content across a multiple platforms to audiences worldwide. Spanning virtually every field of media and entertainment, CBS’s operations include cable, film, radio, publishing, local TV, and interactive/social media. [6]

 Network Portfolio

[7] All of CBS’s Assets

CBS is home to one of the world’s largest libraries of media content, making it one of the most recognized brands in business. Specific to television, CBS’s businesses include CBS Television Network, The CW, Showtime Networks, TVGN, CBS Sports Network, Smithsonian Networks, CBS Television Studios, and CBS Television Stations [6].

 CBS CURRENT FALL SEASON

One of the Thursday Night Football games featuring San Diego at Denver.

[8] One of the Thursday Night Football games featuring San Diego at Denver.

The 2015 season has been kind to “The Big Eye,” with the network averaging 12.2 million viewers daily. This puts the network ahead of every other network, with NBC trailing behind at 9.8 million [9]. Part of this is due to their addition of Thursday Night Football to their fall line-up. Each week their installment of football, which replaced conventional series for the first two months of the season, topped Thursday nights for total viewership. The final game aired earned a 13.2 rating and 23 percent share [10]. That’s slightly less than the all-time high overnight household rating of 13.7 when the season opened on September 11. While Thursday Night Football has done well, analysts projected it to do even better. Yesterday RBC Capital Markets’ David Bank dropped his earnings forecast for CBS by 27 cents to $3.07 because of the ratings letdown [8].

Newcomers

Among CBS’s five other newcomers for the 2014-2015 season, only one was a half-hour sitcom. The Mccarthys, which debuted 1.7/5 in the 18-49 share and 8.08 total million viewers [12], but has fallen to 1.4 and 6.53 total million viewers [13].

[11] First Look

Of the four dramas that premiered this season, consisting of Madame Secretary, Scorpion, NCIS: New Orleans, and Stalker, Scorpion has the strongest for the 18-49 share while the NCIS spin off has the highest overall views.  Scorpion debuted at 3.2 share, but has decreased to a low 1.9 as of their 11/24 episode [14].

[15] First Look

NCIS New Orleans debuted at 17.37 million views, and as kept most of its view with their most current episode garnering 14.47 million views. NCIS: New Orleans, along with its predecessor, both skew older and target viewers above the age of 50 [16].  All four of the new dramas have been picked up for full seasons as of 10/28/14 [17].

[18] First Look

Returning Shows

The cast of The Big Bang Theory

[19] The cast of The Big Bang Theory

Of its current series, CBS boasts the most watched scripted series by both total views and 18-49 shares. The Big Bang Theory, which moved back to Thursdays as of 11/20, has consistently had highest 18-49 share for a scripted series with their most current rating averaging a 4.1 as of 11/25 [20]. Their eighth year’s average is lower so far than their past season, which averaged a 5.1 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 17.65 million total viewers. The series is renewed until season 10, though, with higher salaries for their lead actors as well [21].

The cast of NCIS

[23] The cast of NCIS

NCIS captures the most viewers for a scripted series every week with their 11/25 episode garnering 16 million viewers. This season is also down from last, with their 11th season of NCIS averaged a 2.8 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 18.5 million total viewers [22]. Even with their top shows dipping in the numbers slightly, CBS is maintaining a steady flow of cash revenue.

FINANCIALS

2014 Q3 earnings for CBS

[24] 2014 Q3 earnings for CBS

CBS is publicly held. As of their 2014 third quarter report, CBS’s shares rose 2.3% from $3.30 billion in 2013 to $3.37 billion now [24].  This was mostly thanks to a 4% increase in content licensing and distribution revenues from higher domestic and international licensing of their television programming. The main Entertainment unit, which includes the CBS TV network and studios, saw a 1% increase in revenues to $1.91 billion.  Thanks to the political revenues of the midterm elections and their introduction to Thursday Night Football on CBS, the corporation saw their advertising revenue increase by 2%. In cable networks, like Showtime, revenues were up 5% to $624 million due to the company’s increased rates and increased cash flow from license agreements for its original series [25]. As of December 1 at 4:02 pm, CBS’s stock closed at $54.47, a .75% decrease from the day before [26].

MAJOR HAPPENINGS

CBS All Access

[27]

On October 16, 2014 CBS announced a first for any of the major traditional broadcast networks; subscription based multi-platform access to their content called CBS All Access [28]. For $5.99, the network will offer subscribers episodes from their current and classic shows on-demand across computers, tablets, and smartphones. Subscribers will also have the ability to live stream local CBS television stations in 14 of the most popular U.S. markets; And that number will only grow [28]. The most important amenity of this new service is that customers do not have to be subscribers of a cable or satellite company to access this service; They just need to pay their subscription to seamlessly interact with CBS’s content across their multiple platforms.

TVGN to POP

pop-cable-channel-network

[29] Redesigned Logo

The TV Guide Network, a joint venture between CBS Corp. and Lionsgate, is planning to receive a major facelift in January of 2015. TVGN will be rebranded as POP, a network centered on the celebration of American fan boy culture [30]. The theme has a much more unique POV, allowing the channel to look at anything that draws on the experience of high intensity fans. POP will launch with more than 400 hours of original programming, featuring A New Kids on The Block reality series, a scripted series, entertainment news, red-carpet specials, and other exciting new content. One series in particular, The Story Behind, will look inside the origin stories of successful hit series [29]. CBS is hoping to be able to obtain more money a month per subscriber. The current TVGN commands two cents a month in comparison to networks garnered towards similar audiences, like E!, that get 24 cents a month per subscriber. Their hopes extend to increased ad revenue as well, since it is on the smaller side [30].

CBS vs. Dish Dispute

Tensions are rising between CBS and the no. 2 Satellite Distributor over this past month. On November 14, CBS reached out to Dish Network subscribers to inform them of the impending loss of their affiliated channels due an unresolved deal between the two companies after their carriage contract expires at the end of November. CBS has extended the deadline twice, with their deal now supposed to close by the end of the first week in December [31]. The deal seems to me more about rights over CBS content rather than financial issues, specificaly Dish’s ability to include it in the over-the-top service that it aims to launch as well as offering out-of-home viewing rights to their subscribers. There is been concern over Dish’s Hopper DVR service that allows users to record large amounts of primetime with one button. The rollout of this new DVR launched lawsuits against Dish by the major broadcasters, not just CBS [32].

 Works Cited

 [1] CBS Logo, Deadline.com, RT: 12/1/14

[1.5] CBS Contact, cbscorporation.com, RT: 12/1/14

[2] Photo of Leslie Moonves, cbscorporation.com, RT: 12/1/14

[3] Photo of Sumner Redstone, cbscorporation.com, RT: 12/1/14

[4] Photo of Joseph Ianniello, cbscorporation.com, RT: 12/1/14

[5] Photo of Anthony Ambosio, cbscorporation.com, RT: 12/1/14

[6] About CBS, cbscorporation.com, RT: 12/1/14

[7] Assets of CBS, cbscorporation.com, RT: 12/1/14

[8] Photo of Thursday Night Football, deadline.com, RT: 12/1/14

[9] CBS 2014-2015 Ratings, tvseriesfinale.com, RT: 12/1/14

[10] ‘Thursday Night Football’ Ends on High Note, hollywoodreporter.com, RT: 12/1/14

[11] The Mccarthy’s- First Look, youtube.com, RT: 12/1/14

[12] Thursday Final Ratings (10/31), tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com, RT: 12/1/14

[13] Thursday Final Ratings (11/25), tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com, RT: 12/1/14

[14] Scorpion: Season One Ratings, tvseriesfinale.com, RT: 12/1/14

[15] Scorpion- First Look, youtube.com, RT: 12/1/14

[16] NCIS: New Orleans: Season One Ratings, tvseriesfinale.com, RT: 12/1/14

[17] NCIS: New Orleans, Scorpion, Madam Secretary, Stalker: CBS Orders Full Seasons, tvseriesfinale.com, RT: 12/1/14

[18] NCIS: New Orleans- First Look, youtube.com, RT: 12/1/14

[19] The Big Bang Theory Cast Photo, moviepilot.com, RT: 12/1/14

[20] The Big Bang Theory: Season Eight Ratings, tvseriesfinale.com, RT: 12/1/14

[21] ‘Big Bang Theory’ Renewed Through Season 10, hollywoodreporter.com, RT: 12/1/14

[22] NCIS: Season Twelve Ratings, tvseriesfinale.com, RT: 12/1/14

[23] NCIS Cast Photo, jenniferbadger.com, RT: 12/1/14

[24] CBS Corporation Earnings Release, cbscorporation.com, RT: 12/1/14

[25] CBS Narrowly Beats Q3 Earnings Estimates, deadline.com, RT: 12/1/14

[26] CBS Interactive Stock Chart, finance.yahoo.com, RT: 12/1/14

[27] CBS Offers Digital Subscription Service, youtube.com, RT: 12/1/14

[28] CBS New Multi-Platform Digital Subscription Service, cbscorporation.com, RT: 12/1/14

[29] Meet POP, variety.com, RT: 12/1/14

[30] TV Guide Network To Relaunch In Early 2015 As POP, variety.com, RT: 12/1/14

[31] CBS Will Star on Dish Through the Weekend, deadline.com, RT: 12/1/14

[32] Carriage Talks Progress, variety.com, RT: 12/1/14

CBS Corps.

Posted on by 
By Maggie O'Reilly

CBS Corporation

CBS Logo, photo courtesy of forbes.com

CBS Logo, photo courtesy of forbes.com

CBS Headquarters
51 W. 52nd Street
New York, NY 10019-6188
1-212-975-43211-212-975-4321

http://www.cbscorporation.com/

About CBS Corporation [1]

CBS Corporation is a mass media corporation, primarily operated in the United States. Originally founded as Viacom in 1971, the modern-day CBS Corporation is the result the 2005 split of Viacom into two publicly traded companies. With the split, CBS Corporation retained the rights to all CBS broadcast networks as well as pay-cable stations. Their current television assets include CBS, Showtime, and CBS Sports Network. They also have a 50/50 share of the CW with Time Warner’s Warner Bros division.

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Key Executives [2]

Sumner M. Redstone

Sumner M. Redstone, photo courtesy of CBS Corporate website

.

Sumner M. Redstone: Sumner M. Redstone serves as Chairman of the Board of both CBS Corporation and Viacom. He assumed these roles after the 2005 split of Viacom into two separate companies. Prior to the split, Redstone had served as Chairman of the Board of Viacom since 1987 and CEO of Viacom since 1996. Currently, he is the controlling shareholder of both companies.

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Leslie Moonves

Leslie Moonves, photo courtesy of CBS Corporate website

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Leslie Moonves: Leslie Moonves is President and Chief Executive Officer of CBS Corporation. He was was named CEO of CBS Corporation upon its creation in 2005. Prior to this, he had served as CEO of CBS Television since 1998 and was briefly Co-President and Co-Chief Operating Officer of Viacom from 2004 to 2005.

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.

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Financials

CBS Corporation has been publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange since  January 3, 2006. On March 6th, 2014, their stock price hit an all time high, reaching $67.55. Since then, the stock price has been steadily decreasing. Their current stock price is $60.64.[3]

photo courtesy of nasdaq

photo courtesy of nasdaq.com

In the 2013 fiscal year, CBS earned revenues of $15.3 billion with net earnings of
1.9 billion, a strong 19.4% increase from their 2012 net earnings. At the end of the 2013 fiscal year, CBS Corporation’s assets were valued at 26.4 billion while their debts are currently calculated at roughly 6.5 billion. [4]

.

Assets [5]

.CBS EyeCBS: The CBS broadcast network, formerly the Columbia Broadcasting System, first launched as a radio network in 1927. Currently, CBS is one of the “Big Four” television networks, competing with NBC, ABC, and FOX.

.Showtime: CBS Corporation’s premium-cable channel, Showtime, launched on JuShowtimely 1, 1976. The original Showtime channel has served as a flagship for Showtime Networks, which now consists of over 10 premium cable channels, including The Movie Channel, FLIX, and Smithsonian Networks.

the CWThe CW: The CW was launched on September 18, 2006. The CW is the result of merger between UPN (formerly operated by CBS) and the WB (formerly operated by Warner Bros). The CW’s target demographic skews a bit younger than CBS and Showtime networks.

CBS Sports

CBS Sports: CBS Sports is sports-oriented cable channel that was originally launched as the National College Sports Network in 2002. In 2011, the channel was re-branded as CBS Sports Network. The channel currently airs the PGA tour, US tennis, NCAA basketball, and college football.

.

Top Rated Programming

The CBS Television Network, has been #1 in total viewers for 10 of the past 11 years. [6] This is largely due to CBS’s successful prime-time lineup. Currently, CBS airs television’s #1 drama, NCIS. During the first week of February 2014 sweeps, NCIS brought in an impressive 19.53 viewers. CBS also airs several other acclaimed television dramas, including NCIS: Los Angeles, Blue Bloods, and Person of Interest. [7]

photo courtesy of nbcpressexpress.com

Cast of NCIS, photo courtesy of nbcpressexpress.com

CBS is also home to television’s #1 sitcom, The Big Bang Theory. In the first week of February 2014 sweeps, The Big Bang Theory drew in 17.53 million viewer whereas ABC’s best performing sitcom, Modern Family, only attracted 9.87 million viewers. CBS also airs several other incredibly successful sitcoms, including 2 Broke Girls, Mike & Molly, and Two and a Half Men. [8] [9]

photo courtesy of nbcpressexpress.com

Cast of The Big Bang Theory, photo courtesy of nbcpressexpress.com

In the week of April 7th, 2014, it was reported by Nielsen that 7 of the weeks top 10 broadcasts aired on CBS, helping to further cement CBS as the top rated channel on television. [10]

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CBS in the News

How I Met Your Mother Ends Legendary Nine Year Run

Cast of How I Met Your Mother, photo courtest of cbspressexpress.com

Cast of How I Met Your Mother, photo courtesy of cbspressexpress.com

CBS’s long running sitcom, How I Met Your Mother, came to an end on March 31st, 2014 after nine successful seasons. The series followed the lives of main character, Ted Mosby, and his group of friends living in Manhattan. During How I Met Your Mother’s nine season run, it received 28 Emmy Award nominations, of which it won 9. The series also turned several of its stars into household names, including Neil Patrick Harris and Jason Segel. The series finale was met with mixed reviews from critics and fans. While some praised the finale for tying up loose ends, others were left disappointed, believing that the writers disregarded nine seasons of character development. Despite the mixed reaction, How I Met Your Mother’s series finale was the highest rated episode of the series, drawing in 13.13 million total viewers. It was also the #1 18-49 broadcast during the week that it aired, with a 5.4 rating. [11] [12] [13] [14]

NCAA Basketball Tournament Draws In Big Numbers for CBS

NCAA Division I Championship Game, photo courtesy of CBS philadelphia

NCAA Division I Championship Game, photo courtesy of CBS philadelphia

The NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball championship game aired on CBS on April 7th, 2014, drawing in an impressive 21.2 million viewers and a 7.2 rating in the 18-49 demo. However, the UConn vs Kentucky game did not beat the numbers of the 2013 championship game between Louisville and Michigan, which brought in 23.4 million viewers. The rest of the tournament games averaged 9.3 million viewers, which is a 3% increase over 2013 numbers. [15] [16]

David Letterman Announces Late Show Retirement, Stephen Colbert Named as Replacement

 Long time Late Show host David Letterman announced his retirement from the program on April 3rd, 2014. Letterman, who has hosted the show since August 1993, will leave his position as host of the Late Show when his contract expires in 2015. The news of his retirement comes not long after the retirement of his foremost late night competitor, Jay Leno, who hosted his last episode of NBC’s The Tonight Show on February 6, 2014. Jay Leno has since been succeeded by the much younger Jimmy Fallon, who has been averaging an impressive 1.53 rating in viewers 18-49 since taking over. Comparatively, Letterman has been averaging a .56 rating in the same time period. [17] [18]

Stephen Colbert (left) and David Letterman (right), photo courtesy of yahoo.com

Stephen Colbert (left) and David Letterman (right), photo courtesy of yahoo.com

On April 10th, 2014, CBS announced that they plan to replace David Letterman with Stephen Colbert, who currently hosts The Colbert Report on Comedy Central. Interestingly, The Colbert Report has also been averaging a .56 rating among 18-49 year olds. Reactions to CBS’s decision to bring Stephen Colbert on as host of The Late Show have been mixed. While many agree that Colbert is definitely comedically competent enough to take over The Late Show desk, some wonder if CBS missed an opportunity to change the current trajectory of late night. [19] [20]

.

On The Horizon

CBS Renews Most of its Lineup
CBS recently renewed 18 of its current programs, including favorites like The Big Bang Theory,  The Good Wife, Elementary, and Two and a Half Men. CBS also renewed several newcomers, including The Millers and Mom. [21]

current CBS schedule, courtesy of cbs.com

current CBS schedule, courtesy of cbs.com

Thursday Night Football
In February, CBS won the bid to air Thursday night football this upcoming fall. This will certainly affect their current schedule, as their #1 sitcom, The Big Bang Theory, currently airs on Thursday nights. Nevertheless, CBS plans to broadcast eight Thursday night games this fall. [22]

.

Sources

[1] CBS Corp, About CBS, Retrieved April 15th, 2014

[2] CBS Corp, Executives, Retrieved April 15th, 2014

[3] Google Finance, CBS, Retrieved April 20th, 2014

[4] CBS Corp, SEC Filings 2014 10-k Annual Report, Retrieved April 15th 2014

[5] CBS Corp, “Our Portfolio” Retrieved April 15th, 2014

[6] CBS Corp, “Leslie Moonves” Retrieved April 15th, 2014

[7] TV by the Numbers, “Tuesday Final Ratings: ‘NCIS’, ‘Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ & ‘The Originals’ Adjusted Up; ‘NCIS: Los Angeles’, ‘ The Goldbergs’. ‘Supernatural’ & ‘Trophy Wife’ Adjusted Down” Retrieved April 15th, 2014

[8] TV by the Numbers, “Thursday Final Ratings: ‘The Big Bang Theory’, ‘American Idol’, ‘Two and a Half Men’ & the Olympics Adjusted Up; ‘The Millers’ Adjusted Down” Retrieved April 15th, 2014

[9] TV by the Numbers, “Wednesday Final Ratings: ‘Super Fun NIght’ Adjusted Down”, Retrieved April 15th, 2014

[10] Nielsen, Top Ten, Retrieved April 20th, 2014

[11] TV by the Numbers, “TV Ratings Broadcast Top 25: ‘How I Met Your Mother’ Tops Week 28 With Adults 18-49; ‘The Big Bang Theory’ Leads Total Viewers” Retrieved April 18th, 2014

[12] Time, “How I Met Your Mother Watch: Mate and Switch”, Retrieved April 18th, 2014

[13] The Guardian, “How I Met Your Mother: the latest show to fail in the search for a perfect ending” Retrieved April 18th, 2014

[14] DailyMail, “SPOILER ALERT: A wedding, a funeral and a French horn… How I Met Your Mother delivers a legendary series finale” Retrieved April 18th, 2014

[15] Forbes, “March Madness Ratings and Revenue Keep Reaching New Heights” Retrieved April 20th, 2014

[16] CBS, “2014 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship Averaging 9.3 Million Total Viewers; Highest Viewership in 21 Years”, Retrieved April 20th, 2014

[17] The Wall Street Journal, “David Letterman Announces Retirement from CBS’s ‘Late Show'”, Retrieved April 20th, 2014

[18] TV by the Numbers, “Late Night TV Ratings For April 7-April 11, 2014”, Retrieved April 20th, 2014.

[19] CBS, “CBS ANNOUNCES STEPHEN COLBERT AS THE NEXT HOST OF THE “LATE SHOW”, Retrieved April 20th, 2014.

[20] USA Today, “Will real Colbert be a loser on ‘Late Show’?”, Retrieved April 20th, 2014

[21] The Hollywood Reporter, “CBS Renews 18 More Shows for 2014-15 Season”, Retrieved April 20th, 2014

[22] CBS Sports, “CBS to broadcast eight Thursday night football games in 2014”, Retrieved April 20th, 2014.

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CBS Corporation

Posted on by 
By Gabrielle Sferra

Courtesy of CBS Corporation [1]

CBS Headquarters

51 W. 52nd Street
New York, NY 10019-6188
1-212-975-4321

History

CBS Corporation is a major media conglomerate founded by William S. Paley in 1928. While the company originated in radio broadcasting, television broadcasting soon became CBS’s area of success. Historically, programs such as “I Love Lucy”, “Gunsmoke“, and     “All in the Family” catapulted CBS into profitable success [2]. In 1995, Westinghouse Broadcast bought CBS and sold it again in 2000. Viacom and CBS Corporation were considered a unit since 1970, but in 2006, the company split into two and CBS Corporation became what it is today [3].

Executives

Sumner M. Redstone

Courtesy of CBS Corp.

Courtesy of CBS [5]

Mr. Redstone is the CBS’s Executive Chairman of the Board, as well as Viacom’s. His role as executive chairman resulted from the split of the two companies in 2006.  He is the leading shareholder in both companies. [4]

Leslie Moonves

Courtesy Of CBS

Courtesy Of CBS [7]

Mr. Moonves is the President and Chief Executive Officer of CBS Corporation. He is responsible for all of the corporations holdings. He has held this position since the Viacom/CBS split in 2006. He has pushed the company to new limits, and brought the network and its various programs to more than 100 countries. [6]

Financials

Courtesy of Reuters

Courtesy of Reuters [8]

CBS Corporation is a publicly traded company in NYSE exchange. The current value of share is $58.89. This past year, the stock price has steadily increased. Starting the year at a much smaller exchange rate ($37.98), each quarter has produced more profit than the previous [9]. This past quarter, the company has earned $3.6 Billion, which is an increase of 3% from last quarter [10].

Company Holdings

Courtesy of CBS Corp.

Courtesy of CBS Corp. [15]

CBS Corporation is responsible for many different stations, including, but not limited to, CBS Television, CBS News, The CW, Showtime, and The Smithsonian Channel. [11] CBS is consistently the number one station on broadcast television in total viewers. However, does not lead in viewers in the ideal 18-49 demographic [12]. CBS Television is definitely geared to a much older demographic. In recent years, with the introduction of programs such as “2 Broke Girls” and “Hawaii Five-0“, the network has been trying to breach this gap. However, their popular programs are also watched by the desired 18-49 demographic, contrary to popular belief [13] [14].

Successful Programs

The Big Bang Theory 

Courtesy of Chicagonerds

Courtesy of Chicagonerds.com [21]

“The Big Bang Theory” is CBS Corporation’s number one comedy, consistently bringing in viewers every week [16]. The show premiered in September 2007. Syndication rights were bought by TBS and is currently the number one syndicated program, both off-network and first-run syndication [17]. Each episode costs TBS around $2 Million to air [18]. Before the show aired this September, three of the lead actors (Cuoco, Galecki, & Parsons) were bargaining for higher salaries, as they currently make $350,000 an episode. The negotiations have not begun yet, however [19]. Finally, the show appeals to many advertisors, as it is popular both within and outside of the 18-49 money demographic. Each 30 second spot costs aprox.  $326,260, the second highest rate for primetime television, behind NFL Primetime Games [20].

How I Met Your Mother

Courtesy of TV Listings [24]

The popular series “How I Met Your Mother” will conclude this year in its ninth season. Syndication of the popular show began in 2008 with Lifetime Network. FX picked up syndication rights as well in 2011. The non-exclusive deal allows both networks to air the program. To air an episode, it costs $725,000 [22].

With the show concluding in May, CBS has just announced a spin-off called “How I Met Your Dad”, which will focus on the feminine version of the “How I Met Your Mother” story [23].

Fall Season 

CBS introduced six new shows this season, including the new primetime hit The Crazy Ones, starring Robin Williams, and The Millers, starring Will Arnett. Other series, such as Hostages starring Toni Collette, and Mom, starring Anna Faris, have not pulled in high ratings. All of the new CBS shows, unfortunately, have been dropping audience numbers week-to-week [25].

Upcoming

Courtesy of Fansided.com [27]

CBS Corporation recently worked out a deal with Netflix to air the first four seasons of the hit show “Dexter“, in order to entice people to buy subscriptions to their network Showtime. The four seasons will be available until January 1, 2014, when they will be replaced by the next four season [26].

Another news program is in the early stages of production, as Charlie Rose and Gayle King may sign on to revamp the failing program “The Early Show.” During a block of daytime talk shows, CBS is interested in pursuing a hard-hitting news show to counter program. An announcement is expected anytime for the future of the two-hour program [28].

The CW Network has had a great season for CBS Corp., as the three new shows this season (“Reign“, “The Originals“, “The Tomorrow People“) were all picked up to finish  their seasons in May. Nielsen says that ratings for the CW are up 9% from last year, averaging around 2 Million viewers. While the network’s target audience is a younger demographic, the 18-49 Demo is up 11% this year for the CW [29].

Courtesy of Youtube

Courtesy of Youtube [30]

This past week, CBS became the first network of the season to sweep four straight nights of viewers in the 18-49 demo, as well as total viewers, from Tuesday to Friday [31].

CBS Fall Schedule: 

Courtesy of The Wire

Courtesy of The Wire [32]

Sources 

[1] CBS Corporation Logo

[2] William Paley Obituary NY Times

[3] Dominick, Joseph R., Fritz Messere, Barry L. Sherman, and Joseph R. Dominick.Broadcasting, Cable, the Internet, and Beyond: An Introduction to Modern Electronic Media. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2012. Print.

[4]CBS Company Portfolio

[5] Ibid.

[6] CBS Company Portfolio 

[7] Ibid. 

[8] Reuters CBS Portfolio

[9] Wall Street Journal 

[10] CBS Corporation Investor Profiles

[11] CBS Company Portfolio

[12] TV By The Numbers – Ratings CBS

[13] The Wire – CBS Demo

[14] TV By The Numbers – CBS 18-49 Demo

[15] CBS Company Portfolio

[16] TV By The Numbers – Big Bang Theory 

[17] TV Media Insights – Syndication 

[18] Deadline – Syndication of Big Bang Theory

[19] Hollywood Reporter – Big Bang Theory Pay Raise 

[20] AD Week – Big Bang Theory Advertisement Rates

[21] Chicago Nerds – Big Bang Theory Picture

[22] TV By The Numbers – November 18th Ratings

[23] Deadline – How I Met Your Mother Syndication

[24] Yahoo News – HIMYM Spinoff

[25] Zap2it – HIMYM Picture

[26] TV By The Numbers – Netflix & Dexter Deal

[27] Fansided- Dexter Picture

[28] NY Times – CBS’ The Early Show Revamp

[29] Variety – The CWTV

[29] Youtube CW Sizzle Preview

[30] Variety – The CWTV & CBS

[31] The Wire – CBS Fall Schedule

[32] Columbia Journalism Review

Lionsgate Entertainment

Posted on by 
Taylor Kowalski

lionsgate logo

Courtesy of Lionsgate Entertainment [1]

Company Contact Information

Los Angeles Address:

Lionsgate Corporate

2700 Colorado Ave.

Santa Monica, CA 90404

(310)-449-9200

[1]

Executives

Jon Feltheimer, CEO since March 2000.

Michael Burns, Vice Chairman since March 2000.

Steve Beeks, President since February 2004

Joe Drake, Preisdent of the Motion Picture Group since August 2007

Jim Keegan, Chief Financial Officer since April 2002

[1]

Company Overview

Lionsgate Entertainment Corporation is a leading multimedia entertainment company that maintains a presence in film and television production and distribution, home and family entertainment, digital distribution, as well as international distribution and new channel platforms.  Committed to low overhead, entrepreneurial business models, cost discipline, and niche focus, Lionsgate has recently seen the success of their 12-year growth strategy, which led to Lionsgate becoming a major name in the world marketplace. [6]

Lionsgate Film’s list of successful films includes The Hunger Games, The Saw Saga, and a long list of Tyler Perry’s films. In addition, Lionsgate Television’s current programming includes successes such as FX’s Anger Management, AMC’s Mad Men, ABC’s Nashville, and Showtime’s Nurse Jackie.

Other Lionsgate holdings and subsidiaries include Lionsgate Music and Publishing, Tigergate, Mandate Pictures, Maple Pictures, Kix, Epix, Thrill, TVGuide.com, FEARnet.com, Debmar-Mercury, Elevation Sales, and Break.com.

Brief History

Lionsgate Entertainment Corporation was founded by Frank Giustra in 1997 in Vancouver, British Columbia.  A majority of the funding for its founding was put forth by Yorktown Securities, a bank with stake in Frank Giustra’s mining assets.  [2]

To further itself in the industry, Lionsgate acquired other small production houses, purchasing Cinepix Film Properties, which was then dubbed Lionsgate Films, as well as North Shore Studios, then renamed to be Lionsgate Studios.  After more purchases, the Lionsgate Media subsidiary was founded to produce content for television.  [2]

After Feltheimer became CEO, Lionsgate Entertainment acquired Trimark Pictures for approximately $50 million in June of 2000.  Lionsgate also purchased Artisan Entertainment in 2003.   They went on to purchase Rebus Film Distribution of the United Kingdom in October 2005, which became Lionsgate UK on February 23rd, 2006.  Also in 2006, Lionsgate sold Lionsgate Studios to Bosa Development Corporation.  In June of 2007, Lionsgate Music and Publishing was founded. [2]

In 2009, Lionsgate acquired the TV Guide Network. [3]

In January of 2012, Lionsgate acquired Summit Entertainment, the producers of The Twilight Saga, which helped Lionsgate cross the $1 billion dollar threshold for the first time.  This success is also attributed to the release of The Hunger Games. [1]

images

Courtesy of The Hunger Games [16]

Competitors

DreamWorks Studios

Imagine Entertainment

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Incorporated

[18]

Finances

As the fiscal year ended March 31st, 2013, the annual financial reports for Lionsgate have not been released yet.

Their first-quarter financial report for 2013 reported revenue of $471.8 million, with a price of $.33 per share with the first quarter of fiscal 2013 ending June 30, 2012. [4]

The second-quarter earnings release reports revenue of $707.0 million with a price of $.56 per share with the second quarter of fiscal 2013 ending September 30, 2012. [4]

The third-quarter earnings release reports revenue of $743.6 million with a price of $.28 per share with the third quarter of fiscal 2013 ending December 31, 2012. [4]

View Available Financial Reports

Screen Shot 2013-04-08 at 12.01.12 AM

Courtesy of Yahoo Finance [5]

At the closing of April 5th, Lionsgate’s stock had gone up .74 of a point, a 3.29% increase.

With blockbuster films such as The Hunger Games: Catching Fire being released in 2013, Lionsgate is likely to have a comparable year to that of 2012, during which the release of franchised movies, including The Twilight Saga and The Hunger Games, led to more than $2.5 billion being made at the worldwide box office in 2012. [6]

Recent News

dredd

Courtesy of IMDB [14]

January 22, 2013– Lionsgate’s comic-based film DREDD achieved a DVD and Blu-Ray release that made it the best-selling new release title of the year.  DREDD also became the top film download of the week, beating out all other films in digital sales as well.  This feat adds to Lionsgate’s list of films that have made up for a lacking box office performance through DVD and Blu-Ray sales, helping Lionsgate be the industry leader in DVD-to-box office conversion. [7]

Official DREDD Trailer

February 12 and 13, 2013– Media Investor Gordon Crawford joined Lionsgate’s board of directors, increasing the size of the board to 13 members.  In addition, Wayne Levin signed a long-term agreement to act as Lionsgate’s General Counsel and Chief Strategic Officer. [8] [9]

March 5, 2013– Andrew Kramer was named Chief Operating Officer of International Distribution. [10]

BD-2-wallpapers-breaking-dawn-part-2-32962100-1680-1050

Courtesy of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 [15]

March 5, 2013– Lionsgate reported that Summit Entertainment’s The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 sold 3.85 million DVD’s and Blu-Rays in its first weekend of release.  This news is more significant due to the fact that 27% of the sales were Blu-Ray copies, up from the 22% seen for The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1, which further indicates the growing acceptance of the Blu-Ray format.  Similarly, 20% more transactions were electronic, such as Video On Demand, for this film. [11]

Official Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 Trailer

March 21, 2013– Lionsgate and the new digital entertainment service M-GO announced that they are partnering to bring Lionsgate’s library of films and television programs, such as The Hunger Games, Twilight, Madea, and Mad Men, to the digital service for customers to purchase or rent. [12]

TVGuideNEWlarge

Courtesy of TV Guide [15]

March 26, 2013– CBS Corporation and Lionsgate officially partner in a 50/50 ownership of the TV Guide Network as well as TVGuide.com, a cable channel that reaches 80 million households. [3]

Future

Though Lionsgate may not have as profitable of a fiscal year in 2013 and 2014 due to The Twilight Saga wrapping up and no longer overlapping The Hunger Games, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire as well as the rest of the trilogy are sure to be box office successes for Lionsgate.

Other upcoming films for Lionsgate include The Big Wedding, We the Peeples, You’re Next, I, Frankenstein, and Tyler Perry’s A Madea Christmas.  Lionsgate is also planning to add to the Texas Chainsaw 3D franchise. [13]

Official We The Peeples Trailer

Official You’re Next Trailer

Official Tyler Perry’s A Madea Christmas Trailer

In addition, Summit Entertainment’s upcoming 2013 slate includes Now You See Me, Red 2, The Tomb, and Ender’s Game.

Sources

1. Lionsgate Official Website  http://www.lionsgate.com

2. Lionsgate History http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/lions-gate-entertainment-corporation-history/

3. Lionsgate and CBS for TV Guide Network http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/lionsgate-eyes-sale-tv-guide-282649

4. Lionsgate Quarterly Earnings http://investors.lionsgate.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=62796&p=quarterlyEarnings

5. Yahoo Finance Report http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=LGF

6. Lionsgate Company Overview http://investors.lionsgate.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=62796&p=irol-homeprofile

7. DREDD Press Release http://investors.lionsgate.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=62796&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1776610&highlight=

8. Gordon Crawford Press Release  http://investors.lionsgate.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=62796&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1784145&highlight=

9. Wayne Levin Press Release  http://investors.lionsgate.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=62796&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1784588&highlight=

10. Andrew Kramer Press Release  http://investors.lionsgate.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=62796&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1792410&highlight=

11. Twilight Press Release  http://investors.lionsgate.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=62796&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1792214&highlight=

12. M-GO Press Release  http://investors.lionsgate.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=62796&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1798829&highlight=

13. Lionsgate Films http://www.lionsgate.com/?section=film

14. DREDD on IMDb  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1343727/

15. Breaking Dawn – Part 2 Photo Page  http://www.breakingdawn-themovie.com

16. The Hunger Games Official Website  http://www.thehungergamesmovie.com/index.html

17. TV Guide Network  http://www.tvguide.com

18. Yahoo Finance, Lionsgate Competitors  http://finance.yahoo.com/q/co?s=LGF+Competitors