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While press tour used to be the place for newspapers’ TV reporters to come to gather quotes to feed their stories for the year to come, the event is now far more populated by digital outlets and blogs who turn the TV news around online and on social media as it happens. As a result, like Comic-Con, TCA has turned into one of the networks’ best opportunities to get the marketing jump on their fall fare.
Below, Brief keeps a running tally of all the key news from this summer’s biggest TV junket:
TCA: PBS Boss Focuses on Drama, Digital
PBS chief Paula Kerger unveiled a host of new programs Tuesday as she said the public broadcaster would be putting a heavier focus on both digital and drama.
TCA 2014: FX Re-Ups ‘Fargo’ and ‘Louie’
FX boss John Landgraf told the TCA summer press tour on Monday that fan favorites “Fargo” and “Louie” were both coming back for new seasons.
But Landgraf said he didn’t think “Fargo” needed another movie star to helm the upcoming second season, a role played by Billy Bob Thornton this year.
FXX Plans Mega Marathon and Ultimate Digital Hub for “Simpsons” Roll Out
FXX will celebrate the launch of “The Simpsons” in cable syndication with a potentially record-breaking 12-day marathon and an ambitious new “Simpsons World” digital hub that will let fans watch any episode of the iconic series on demand.
TCA 2014: The CW Seeks Balance, while Showtime Looks to Premieres
The CW, which has spent much of its relatively short life trying to serve young women, is now working on broadening that base, with shows such as “Arrow,” “Flash,” “Whose Line Is It Anyway” and ”Jane the Virgin,” said Mark Pedowitz, president of The CW Network, at summer press tour in Beverly Hills on Friday.
TCA 2014: Fox Defends New Structure, Talks Pilot Season
Chairman and CEO Peter Rice defined Fox’s plans with pilot seasons Sunday, saying that some assumptions made from what Kevin Reilly had announced were slightly misunderstood. Pilot season stays, but will be far more flexible and be more a year-round strategy. Rice also touched on creating hits under new TV heads Gary Newman and Dana Walden, stressing the need for a better ratings system.
Cast and crew of “Gotham” touched on how they will attract both fanboys and adults in its violent DC Comics-inspired story, and John Mulaney charmed the tour with his plans for a self-titled sitcom coming this fall.
TCA 2014: Tassler Promotes CBS’ Profitability, Diversity
CBS, television’s most-watched network, is also probably its most-bought network, with lucrative SVOD, cable and syndication deals in place for such CBS-produced shows as “Elementary,” “NCIS” and its spin-offs, “The Good Wife,” “Under the Dome” and “Extant,” CBS Entertainment Chairman Nina Tassler pointed out to reporters at summer press tour at the Beverly Hilton on Thursday.
That’s because CBS is savvy both about making international and digital deals for its shows, getting them sold in as many windows as possible to make them as profitable as possible.
TCA 2014: ABC’s Lee Promotes Diverse Slate
ABC finished fourth in the all-important demographic race this season, but reporters focused more on the diversity of ABC’s upcoming line-up, which includes such shows as Shonda Rhimes’ latest, “How to Get Away with Murder,” starring Viola Davis; “Black-ish,” starring Anthony Anderson; “Cristela,” based on the comedy of Cristela Alonzo; “Selfie,” starring John Cho; and “Fresh off the Boat,” about an Asian family’s culture shock when they move to suburban Orlando from DC’s Chinatown.
“It is a mission statement to reflect America. We think that’s our job, and in a way that’s not so much diversity as authenticity if you’re reflecting America,” said Lee.
TCA 2014: NBCU’s Cable Nets Take the Stage
Monday was all about NBCU’s cable properties, with Oxygen offering free mani/pedis, courtesy of their show, “Nail’d It,“and “Chrisley Knows Best” passing out banana pudding parfaits. And USA showed off the first full trailer of its new limited series, “Dig,” from “Homeland”‘s Gideon Raff and “Heroes’” Tim Kring,
TCA 2014: NBC Turns to ‘Sunday Night Football’ to Drive Viewership
NBC’s turned the biggest game in town, the NFL, to the biggest show in town and it doesn’t plan to rest on its laurels.
Amazon and Hulu make bigger splashes than expected at summer tour, while NBC kicks off the broadcast networks’ turn at the podium.
TCA: Friday Updates from MTV, VH1, Starz and Pivot:
“Naked Dating!” Incest! TV execs admitting fallibility. Friday had a little bit for everyone with a pack of cable nets taking the stage.
In serious news: MTV unveiled their stab at launching a “Game of Thrones” of their own, pivot renewed a critical darling for a third season, and Starz announced more plans for the launch of “Outlander.”
TCA: Everything You Need to Know About Thursday’s News:
HBO announced 11 new documentaries slated to debut this year as part of its Monday night block as well as its TV premiere of Beyonce/Jay-Z’s “On the Run” tour this fall. Also in the plans are a comeback for “The Comeback” and miniseries “Oliver Kitteridge” starring Frances McDormand, Richard Jenkins, Tom Hanks, and Bill Murray.
Cinemax renewed Clive Owen-starrer “The Knick” and El Rey did the same with “Matador” before their first seasons premiered, and truTV revealed a new logo and four reality-based new series.
6 Things We Learned from Discovery and BBC America:
Discovery announced the new series “Heartbreakers,” a three-part series that mixes a dose of “20/20” with a major helping of Aaron Spelling. The concept? Kevin Sorbo, Nicole Eggert, Tracey Gold, Antonio Sabato, Jr, Judd Nelson, and assorted other stars re-enact true stories of dreamboats who turned into total nightmares. Animal Planet is adding scripted programming to its lineup, with “The Whale” starring Martin Sheen.
BBC America renewed fan favorites “Orphan Black” and “Broadchurch,” adding that the clone drama’s Twitter activity improved by seven times from season one to season two. It’s also ordered new series “Tatau” and “The Last Kingdom.”
TCA: Nat Geo Undergoes Remake with Monroe at Helm:
New CEO Courteney Monroe (also a PromaxBDA Board Member) wants to return the company to its educational and informative roots, unveiling a slate of new docu-series and science specials including “9/10: The Final Hour,” “Mapology,” a new series hosted by Kal Penn, “Eat: The Story of Food” and “Sleepless in America.”
To dig even deeper into the TCA news, here are a few blogs and news sites we follow, beyond the typical trades:
You can also follow TCA on Twitter where a lively conversation is usually going on at #TCA14.
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