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sales@spotsndots.com Copyright 2018.The Daily News of TV Sales Wednesday, February 21, 2018

ONLINE VIEWING “INCREASINGLY SIGNIFICANT” TO TVVIEWING UP, BUT NOT ON TRADITIONAL TV TV viewing on internet-connected devices such as Roku, Apple TV and Google Chromecast keeps growing. Pivotal Research analyst Brian Wieser’s monthly crunching of Nielsen data shows average household viewing on such devices grew 43% during January. That may’ve been a somewhat smaller rate of increase compared to recent months, but Wieser says web TV viewing is “increasingly significant” to the industry. He calculates that it made up 13.5% of viewing among Adults 18-49 last month. That compares to 9.6% in Jan. 2017 and 6.1% in Jan. 2016. At the same time Nielsen data shows total use of television across the whole day slipped 0.3% in terms of average household viewing last month. And among Adults 18-49 year olds Wieser calculates TV viewing slipped 5% (total day) and was down 10% on ad-supported cable and English-language broadcast networks. But those declines may not be what they seem. Wieser says viewing on internet-connected devices accounts for some of the drop. If that viewing was tracked by Nielsen in its standard TV ratings he thinks year-over-year video consumption would be pretty flat. “It doesn’t seem likely that this data will be included in any comprehensive industry-wide total audience metric any time soon,” he added in a new report. So what’s a traditional TV or cable company to do? Go online. That’s exactly what Fox News Channel is doing as it announces the launch of a companion Over-the-Top (OTT) platform Fox Nation. “With our traditional cable viewership at an all-time high, we are proud to announce a new digital offering geared entirely toward the Fox News super-fans,” Fox SVP John Finley says. Programming will be different than what’s on cable and satellite TV. Fox Nation will feature opinion talk plus 20-years’worth of archival FNC programming. The subscription streaming service is set to debut in the fourth quarter. CBSN—the digital news network from CBS—offers a hint of what Fox Nation could do for FNC, whose average viewer age of 65. CBS says nearly 80% of the CBSN audience is between the ages of 18 and 49 and the average age is 38. “As more and more viewing happens on digital platforms, we’re just beginning to benefit from better CPMs as a result of more targeted digital advertising,” CEO Les Moonves said last week. The result is CBS says it has already booked “tens of millions” of dollars in profit from CBSN. (Continued on page 3)

ADVERTISER NEWS Home Depot’s revenue and profit topped Wall Street estimates for the sixth straight quarter as more shoppers visited the home improvement chain and, on average, spent more in an improving housing market. Reuters says ales at Home Depot stores open for more than a year rose 7.5 percent in the fourth quarter, ending Jan. 28. Customer transactions rose 2 percent, while the average check value rose 5.5 percent....Amazon has quietly launched an exclusive line of over-the-counter health products, according

to CNBC. Technically, the company doesn’t own these products, which are produced by private-label manufacturer Perrigo, but it does put Amazon in a position to squeeze other retailers. Amazon launched the ‘Basic Care’ line in August; 60 products ranging from ibuprofen to hair regrowth treatment. Who cares the most? Pharmacies make money when people walk in looking to grab

medicine and end up buying cosmetics and other goods. And they’re already losing traffic as people shop for those products online. Giving them another possible reason to skip the store could hurt even more...Retaildive.com says Albertsons will acquire more than 2,500 Rite Aid stores, creating a company with estimated revenues of $83 billion. The remainder of Rite Aid’s stores — around 2,000 locations — will be sold to Walgreens under an agreement reached with federal regulators, which blocked a full merger of the two companies back in 2015. The combined Albertsons and Rite Aid company will operate around 4,900 stores and 4,300 pharmacies, along with 320 clinics. Albertsons’ pharmacies will be rebranded under the Rite Aid name.... Shares of Fogo de Chao skyrocketed more than 25 percent after the company disclosed it was being acquired by Rhone Capital in a deal worth $560 million. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter...Applebee’s will close as many as 80 restaurants this year on top of the nearly 100 it closed last year, while opening between 10 and 15 as it looks to improve the restaurant’s fortunes. (Continued on page 2)

PAGE 2 The Daily News of TV Sales @ www.spotsndots.com

NETWORK NEWS The lead role in ABC’s cop drama pilot Safe Harbor has been given to Lynn Collins (Manhunt: Unabomber). She will play Oriana “Ori” Cloverfield who gives up her legal career to become a rookie cop. She will join Aasif Mandvi (Shut Eye) and Kris D. Lofton (Ballers) in the pilot written by Jason Richman and directed by Michael Offer. Safe Harbor will chronical the colorful, complicated lives of cops on and off the beat. Viewers will follow the cast into harrowing, emotional, and often humorous situations. Richman is will also be an executive producer of the pilot along with Mandeville’s David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman and Laurie Zaks……. ABC’s multi-camera comedy pilot from Kenya Barris (Black-ish) and Julie Bean (Grown-ish) has been pushed off the pilot cycle by the network. Deadline.com is reporting that the change was made for casting reasons. Actor Alec Baldwin (30 Rock) was also an executive producer of the unnamed project and was set to star. It landed at ABC in December with a straight-to-series order. It was reduced to pilot status about two weeks ago when Baldwin opted to not be in the cast. Baldwin was considering the project as a potential starring vehicle. Baldwin decided he wanted to go in a different direction. The project was described as a classic dysfunctional family comedy series about a stuck-in-his-ways, opinionated, fading TV star who moves in with his progressive daughter, her girlfriend and the child they are raising together. Barris will now focus his attention to Bright Futures, the comedy pilot that just picked up a late pilot order from NBC……. Olympic skater Adam Rippon has turned down NBC’s offer to be an on-air commentator for the network’s Winter Olympics coverage. Rippon tweeted, “I’m flattered that NBC wanted me to work as a correspondent for them here in PeyongChang. Doing this would require me to leave Team USA and move out of the Olympic Village. I don’t want to do that, so I had to decline the opportunity.” He added, “My teammates were there for me during my events, and now I NEED to be there for them.” Rippon has been wildly popular with skating fans during the Olympics……. NBC has secured a new multi-year affiliation agreements with Sinclair Broadcast Group. Inc. The stations and markets included in the new deal are KSNV in Las Vegas, WJAC in Johnstown, PA, and WTOV in Wheeling, WV. The agreement also covers the NBC affiliation for KRNV in Reno, NV which is owned by Cunningham Broadcasting Group that is provided sales and other services by Sinclair. The four renewed markets serve approximately 14 million households. The companies have previously agreed to TV Everywhere digital rights and a framework for Sinclair’s NBC affiliated stations to opt-in to OTT deals……. CBS Corp. surpassed its expected revenue in the fourth quarter of 2017. The company reported revenue of $3.9 billion marking an all-time high in revenues. The earnings report highlights the company’s goal of diversifying revenue streams to become less reliant on TV advertising. That category accounted for 44% of its revenue in the quarter, down from 51% in the fourth quarter 2016.

AVAILS WLKY, Hearst’s CBS affiliate in Louisville, KY, seeks an enterprising, results-oriented AE to sell advertising across our market-leading platforms. The ideal candidate thrives in a goal-oriented, team environment. If you are motivated by an excellent product, great compensation, and working with a talented team of professionals, look no further. We provide the tools for powerful multi-platform marketing solutions that will create partnerships to retain and grow our existing and new client base. You provide a positive

attitude, client focus, and the desire to WIN! APPLY HERE. EOE. WABC-TV in New York City has an outstanding opportunity for an Account Executive with a minimum of three years of broadcast and digital sales experience. The candidate must have a proven track record of success in both agency and direct business negotiations. Requirements include developing new business opportunities for all of our platforms, coupled with strong communication and presentation

skills. A minimum of three years of broadcast and digital sales experience is preferred. Please CLICK HERE to apply. No calls please! EOE WAVE 3 News, the NBC affiliate in Louisville, KY, seeks an enthusiastic and highly motivated Media Sales Consultant to grow revenue across all screens. This position offers great autonomy for a proven sales person looking for a move into a top 50 market. Ideal candidates have a minimum of 2 years in media sales, a track record of New Business development and are internally motivated to succeed. CLICK HERE for more info or to apply now. No calls, please. Drug screen required. EOE-M/F/D/V WMC-TV, a Raycom Media property, and a leader in local digital content in Memphis, TN is seeking a talented, creative and motivated Senior Digital Sales Specialist. This position is responsible for developing digital marketing campaigns & revenue by working independently and with members of the station’s marketing/sales department. The Senior DSS will then help create custom tailored solutions that are designed, implemented and executed for the client’s success. If qualified, please CLICK HERE to apply online. No calls please. EOE-M/F/D/V

ADVERTISER NEWS (Continued from page 1)....In 2017, U.S. comparable same-restaurant sales fell 5.3% at Applebee’s, and also slipped at sister chain, IHOP, where they declined 1.9% last year.... Walmart, which had improved its e-commerce operations over the past year, stumbled in the fourth quarter after misjudging its online inventory for the holiday season, sending its stock tumbling and slicing more than $31 billion from its market capitalization, says the Wall Street Journal. Walmart shares fell more than 10% Tuesday, with the downdraft pulling many retail stocks along. It was the biggest one-day drop in stock price in more than two years for the world’s largest retailer.

2/21/2018

Jim Gaffigan

Can we stop acting like we’re interested in Curling yet?

The Daily News of TV Sales @ www.spotsndots.com PAGE 3

MORE PROOF OF TV’S POWER TVB President and CEO Steve Lanzano was quoted in an article at campaignsandelections.com, pointing out that Facebook’s prioritizing of local news demonstrates broadcast TV’s power. He notes that Facebook’s recent commitment to prioritize local news confirms local broadcast TV’s role in serving as a trusted news source. This is especially true during political campaigns, when voters are looking for reliable information on candidates. “The political stakes in 2018 are high with 34 U.S. Senate seats and 36 governorships in contention, plus control of the House. Due to this competitive environment and the growing concern over fake news, campaigns will be looking for the most trustworthy platforms to place their ads. As candidates across the country plan their advertising, the key to winning will remain the same: local broadcast TV.” Read the full post HERE

GENESIS SNUB ANGERS SOME DEALERS While some Hyundai dealers in key markets are relieved to have the chance to bid for Genesis franchises, other dealers are bitter over the tumultuous rollout of the luxury brand’s retail network, and the fact that they’ll be left out of it. The Genesis launch has been less than optimal, conceded Andrew DiFeo, chairman of the Hyundai National Dealer Council. It took some back and forth with the automaker to get something close to a fair deal to compensate the disenfranchised dealers, DiFeo said, but some dealers still aren’t happy with the outcome. When the rollout is complete, the vast majority of Hyundai’s 850 dealers will lose their right to carry Genesis products, including all of the nearly 500 stores that sell only the Genesis G80, as Genesis trims its network to about 100 stores concentrated in 48 markets. Just a few years ago, Hyundai believed it could launch luxury vehicles without stand-alone stores. He recalled the brand saying that luxury buyers didn’t care about fancy countertops and buildings. Now, the strategy has flipped, and he thinks the brand is preoccupied with trying to be Lexus, says autonews.com

NATIONAL TV AD MINUTES UP IN JANUARY The average number of national TV advertising minutes per hour grew by its fastest rate in over three years in January. Television News Daily quoted Pivotal Research Group saying national advertising loads grew 3.9% to 11 minutes per hour across all Nielsen-tracked programming during January 2018 -- up from 10.5 minutes per hour in January 2017 and 10.4 minutes per hour in January 2016. This helped networks keep commercial impressions at a mid-single-digit decline -- 7.3% in January 2018. “If ad loads held constant year-over-year, commercial impressions delivered would have fallen by double digits during the month,” writes Brian Wieser, senior research analyst at Pivotal.

FCC LIFTS ANOTHER UNNECESSARY RULE The FCC has approved a proposal to eliminate the requirement for television stations to keep paper copies of their Code of Federal Regulations—containing the FCC’s rules—on hand. The Commission unanimously voted last September to advance the Media Bureau’s recommendation that the old policy had become “needless regulation” in the words of one agency attorney. The FCC acknowledged that broadcasters are able to immediately access FCC rules via the internet so a rule that

requires stations to retain hard copies of the rules is no longer necessary. It also conceded that the online version is “often more current than the printed version, which is published only once a year. “Removing this requirement also would help small broadcasters in particular by enabling them to cut unnecessary costs,” the order said. “In the digital era, it doesn’t make much sense to require someone to file what you can already access online,” FCC chair Ajit Pai said earlier this month.

FACEBOOK DELIVERING FEWER PUBLISHER HITS Facebook promised to show less publisher news in user news feeds, and it looks like it’s already happening. Only a month after the announcement, Chartbeat data has shown that traffic from Facebook to publisher websites has declined by six percent since the beginning of January, per Digiday. However, referrals from Facebook were already down before the announcement — with a decrease of 15 percent in 2017. Although news articles appear to be dropping, it looks like engagement posts have seen an increase in the last few months. Google is taking advantage of the changes, with a 25 percent increase in websites using their news AMP service since October (to 31 million). The first week of February 2018, Google sent 466 million more pageviews to AMP websites than it did in January of 2017 (a 40 percent increase), per Recode.

2/21/2018

FunnyTweeter.com

I’m pretty bad at math until someone orders mozzarella

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