DIY Network has announced its "Fixer Upper" spinoff, "Woodwork," which will launch May 9. The new series stars Clint Harp and his wife, Kelly; Clint is a woodworker who was featured on "Fixer Upper."
The Federal Communications Commission is taking steps to open spectrum in the C-band for shared use by license holders for fixed satellite service, a move being praised by the American Cable Association. The commission also put a freeze on new applications and opened a 90-day window to update licenses and registrations.
AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson took the stand Thursday to stress the importance of vertical integration and targeted advertising "to keep up in the tech era," Chloe Aiello writes. Stephenson said that the antitrust claims used to block AT&T's acquisition of Time Warner are "absurd," and he echoed Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes' testimony, saying that the merger is needed to keep up with tech giants such as Facebook and Google.
Comcast has partnered with Independence Health Group to launch a health care technology platform. The platform will digitize itineraries through TV and a mobile app for patients who have undergone surgical procedures or have health conditions, says Independence Blue Cross division's Brian Lobley.
AT&T is planning to launch an over-the-top skinny bundle called AT&T Watch, CEO Randall Stephenson revealed during testimony in the antitrust case against AT&T and Time Warner. The sports-free service will cost $15 per month and could launch over the next few weeks, Stephenson said.
Paramount Network has ordered 10 episodes of "The First Wives Club," a series based on the 1996 Paramount Pictures film. Paramount has also announced the film "Rocketman," a biopic about singer Elton John.
Forty-eight percent of US broadband households intend to purchase at least one smart home device this year, per Parks Associates research. Thirty-four percent of households indicate that they strongly intend to buy at least one such device this year, the research shows.
Over-the-top platforms and virtual MVPDs are ramping up their TV ad spends, with Hulu leading the pack. From Jan. 1 through April 18, Hulu spent $60 million on TV advertisements, followed by Netflix at $45.7 million, Sling TV at $23.3 million and YouTube at $17.2 million.
Executives from AT&T and Time Warner testified recently that the companies need to merge to keep up with tech giants such as Facebook and Google. AT&T's data capabilities would help Time Warner better serve consumers, Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes said.
Nielsen Watch research shows that consumers who viewed relevant ads on Twitter were 23% more likely to subsequently watch football games on television. The study also reviewed BET's joint Twitter and TV campaign for the "Hip Hop Awards," which resulted in those who were exposed to ads on both channels being more likely to watch the show than those who only saw the television ads.