Vol. 17, No. 839, Thursday, August 13, 2015 Dick Wien, Editor / rwien@cbs.com / 212-975-5607 OUR CONTENT REMAINS KING AT TCA SUMMER PRESS TOUR... MORE CBS, SHOWTIME AND THE CW ARE SHOWCASED AT TCA SUMMER PRESS TOUR On August 10 and 11, CBS, SHOWTIME and THE CW hosted their annual Summer Television Critics Association Press Tour in Beverly Hills, CA. The Tour was attended by more than 200 representatives of the nation s television, radio and online media. Nina Tassler at Summer Press Tour. Panels (at left) SUPER- GIRL, ANGEL FROM HELL, LIFE IN PIECES; (at right) LIMITLESS and CODE BLACK CBS: In her opening remarks to the TCA gathering, CBS Entertainment Chairman Nina Tassler said: We have a very big year ahead at CBS. Let's start with the primetime shows. We have five freshman series for fall. They're all very different, and each brings something new to potentially build on the success. With CODE BLACK, for years we've been (Continued on Page 2)
THE LATE LATE SHOW with JAMES CORDEN TO BE FIRST LATE NIGHT TALK SHOW TO FILM ENTIRE EPISODE INSIDE YOUTUBE SPACE LA On August 21, THE LATE LATE SHOW with JAMES CORDEN will be the first late night talk show to film an entire episode inside YouTube Space LA, when Corden interviews top YouTube stars and participates in unique performances and stunts. The episode will feature YouTube stars Jenna Marbles (with more than 15 million subscribers), Tyler Oakley (one of the most influential LGBT vloggers), Kandee Johnson (whose beauty channel boasts more than 3 million subscribers), The Slow Mo Guys (the biggest channel for slow motion videos on YouTube) and the creators of Epic Rap Battles of History (comedic altercations between historical and pop culture figures in a rap music format). Up-and-coming talent will also be featured. The YouTube channel for THE LATE LATE SHOW with JAMES CORDEN has consistently grown by double-digit percentages monthly since the show s debut, with more than 850,000 subscribers. The channel has nearly 200 million total views across all videos, with numerous viral hits. Among them: Justin Bieber Carpool Karaoke with more than 31 million views, Iggy Azalea Carpool Karaoke with more than 9 million, and James Corden and Tom Hanks Act Out Tom s Filmography with more than 13 million. YouTube Spaces are state-of-the-art production facilities around the world that serve as a creative production facility for both established and emerging YouTube creators globally. For more information, go to: http://bit.ly/1kddez4 (CBS Summer Press Tour, continued from Page 1) looking for a show that had the urgency and the relevance of ER. With LIMITLESS, we were always fascinated (with) what could you do if you could use 100 percent of your brain power? ANGEL FROM HELL was an offbeat, quirky script that Jane Lynch completely embraced and fell in love with. LIFE IN PIECES, a fantastic spec script we got our hands on and a comedy script that just completely got the most excited cast right away. SUPERGIRL, well, she had us at hello. We fell in love with Kara as she balances her day job with CatCo in defining herself as a superhero. Tassler went on to note that CBS s new shows will be launched during a period of great excitment in September and throughout the fall with the arrival of Stephen Colbert and the return of THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL. We'll roll out the new shows in two phases, she said. LIFE IN PIECES, LIMITLESS, and CODE BLACK premiere in September and SUPERGIRL and ANGEL FROM HELL in late October, early November. This will provide each show with very focused scheduling and promotion, giving them the best possible chance to succeed. Among other key points Tassler made: CBS s broadcast of the historic Super Bowl 50 in February will mark the first time any network has two NFL packages and the Super Bowl in the same year.... Also for the first time, CBS will own and produce both of its late night shows.... CBS is in countdown mode (for a) once in a generation moment -- the launch of THE LATE SHOW WITH STEPHEN COLBERT. Tassler concluded her remarks by noting that in a TV business that continues to change at a very fast pace, CBS wants to be wherever people want to watch -- whether on TV, a tablet or phone. In a world of more and more content creators and distributors, buyers and sellers, she said, CBS continues to be at the center of it, both as a network and as a studio and more importantly, as a brand.... In the end, what's always been true is still true. It's about the programs. Whether the viewer is selecting an app or choosing a channel, the show is the driving force. If the program has rich characters and compelling stories, viewers will watch on any platform, and communities and audiences will grow around it. (Continued on Page 3) 2
(CBS Summer Press Tour, continued from Page 2) Turning to next year s Presidential election, Rhodes said CBS News will mount very comprehensive coverage of the campaign, complete with digital journalistic components. And he announced that CBS News will present a primary debate with the Democrats on Saturday, November 14, and with Republicans on Saturday, February 13. Mark DeBevoise (l) and David Poltrack At a CBS Research/CBS Interactive briefing, David Poltrack, Chief Research Officer, CBS Corporation/President, CBS Vision, and Marc DeBevoise, EVP and General Manager, CBS Digital Media, provided a look at the evolution of the television medium across platforms. They provided, among other information, a forecast of where television will be five years from now, and showed how CBS and other content companies like it are uniquely positioned to capture audiences across screens -- both now and in the future. Highlighting CBS s Tour were panels with the stars and producers of the freshman series SUPERGIRL, ANGEL FROM HELL, CODE BLACK, LIMITLESS and LIFE IN PIECES. ***** CBS s Tour concluded with a presentation by THE LATE SHOW s new host, Executive Producer and Writer, Stephen Colbert. CBS News hosted a panel featuring Division President David Rhodes and FACE THE NATION Anchor/Political Director for CBS News, John David Rhodes and John Dickerson Dickerson. Rhodes reported that The CBS News division is doing very well.we ve seen significant growth in both our legacy broadcasts and in many of the things we're doing as digital extensions. CBS THIS MORNING is seeing its largest audiences in 20 years (while) THE CBS EVENING NEWS WITH SCOTT PELLEY is seeing its best audience in ten years. Rhodes went on to point out that the core principles of the CBS News brand, embodied in broadcasts like 60 MINUTES and all the other core properties, and extending them out over all of the main broadcasts and new opportunities like CBSN. David Nevins at Press Tour SHOWTIME: In his executive session Showtime Networks President David Nevins announced the pickup of RAY DONOVAN and MASTERS OF SEX for their fourth seasons; the return of HOMELAND and THE AFFAIR on Oct. 4; the premiere of BILLIONS on Jan 17, along with the the return of SHAMELESS; an upcoming CIA documentary, SPYMASTERS, executive produced by 48 HOURS Senior EP Susan Zirinsky and directed by the Naudet brothers (the Emmy and Peabody Award-winning film "9/11"); plus a new collaboration with PENNY DREADFUL s John Logan based on rock legend Patti Smith's bestselling memoir "Just Kids"; and the debut on the Network of TWIN PEAKS, which starts production in September. (Continued on Page 4) 3
(SHOWTIME, continued from Page 3) At the Tour SHOWTIME mounted panels with the casts and producers of the upcoming 12 episode drama BILLIONS, starring Damian Lewis and Oscar nominee and Emmy and Golden Globe winner Paul Giamatti, and returning hits MASTERS OF SEX and THE AFFAIR. Showtime panels BILLIONS (top) and THE AFFAIR ***** THE CW: At the Tour it was reported that the 2014-15 season was pivotal for the Network, which had grown total audience for the third year in a row. The freshman series, THE FLASH, was the most-watched and highest-rated show among men in The CW s history, and the comedy, JANE THE VIR- GIN, was the most-awarded and most criticallyacclaimed series ever for The CW. Noting that success all hinges upon having quality programming, THE CW President Mark Pedowitz cited as key elements in the Network s programming strategy for next season the upcoming 2015-16 series CRAZY EX-GIRL- FRIEND, LEGENDS OF TOMORROW, and CONTAIN- MENT, along with the return of the critically-acclaimed series THE 100. SHOWTIME also announced that in the pipeline are two pilot pick-ups: executive producer Jim Carrey s "I'm Dying up Here" about the L.A. comedy scene in the '70s, and an untitled coming-of-age story about growing up as a young African-American male. Plus, three documentaries will get a bonafide theatrical release under the newly created Showtime documentary films banner: "Listen to Me Marlon," "Prophet's Prey," and "Dreamcatcher" all believed to be serious Academy Award contenders. Upcoming In the sports arena is a new series -- "A Season with Notre Dame Football"; a new sports documentary about New York Giants star Victor Cruz, and the Floyd Mayweather/Andre Berto match-up scheduled for Sept. 12. Nevins, who is being elevated to CEO, concluded his remarks with a tribute to Matt Blank who continues as Chairman of the Division. THE CW s Tour included a panel session with the stars and producers of the new comedy CRAZY EX- GIRLFRIEND, The cast of The CW s CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND and a special panel -- 'Running The Show: The Women Executive Producers of THE CW -- that featured Aline Brosh Mckenna (CRAZY EX-GIRL- FRIEND), Jennie Snyder Urman (JANE THE VIR- GIN), Gabrielle Stanton (THE FLASH), Diane Ruggiero-Wright (IZOMBIE), Wendy Mericle (ARROW), Julie Plec (THE VAMPIRE DIARIES, THE ORIGINALS, CONTAINMENT), Caroline Dries (THE VAMPIRE DIARIES), and Laurie McCarthy (REIGN). (Continued on page 5) 4
THE STARS SHINE AT THE CBS, SHOWTIME AND THE CW TCA PRESS PARTY CODE BLACK s Luis Guzmán and Marcia Gay Harden, with Nina Tassler Chairman, CBS Entertainment, David Stapf, President, Television Studios LIFE IN PIECES star Colin Hanks and MOM s Anna Faris James Corden, host of THE LATE, LATE SHOW WITH JAMES CORDEN, CBS President and CEO Leslie Moonves and Stephen Colbert, host of THE LATE SHOW WITH STEPHEN COLBERT LIMITLESS stars Jake McDorman and Hill Harper BILLIONS cast members Malin Akerman, Maggie Siff and Condola Rashad with SHOWTIME President, David Nevins JANE THE VIRGIN Executive Producer Jennie Snyder Urman, with stars Jaime Camil, Gina Rodriguez, and Yael Grobglas NCIS: LOS ANGELES stars Chris O'Donnell, Barrett Foa, Renée Felice Smith, Miguel Ferrer, Daniela Ruah, LL COOL J, and Eric Christian Olsen SHOWTIME Networks Chairman and CEO Matt Blank with THE AFFAIR s Joshua Jackson
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