> The periodic rumor that Universal Pictures is due for a major shake-up can be put to rest… for now.  It’s been announced that President and COO Ron Meyer has signed a new deal that runs through 2015.  Assuming Meyer stays through his entire contract (always less than a certainty when it comes to studio […]

More grim news for ABC and NBC. ABC:  After ONCE UPON A TIME set the tone with a series-low 2.1, down 0.3 from its last airing, RED WIDOW had a disastrous 2-hour debut at 1.4.  That ended ABC’s chance to launch any successful dramas this season (it still has one comedy on deck), and made […]

> Charlie Sheen will be on the air the night Ashton Kutcher takes over the lead role on Two and a Half Men.  Just not on CBS.  Deadline reports Comedy Central will air its roast of Sheen at 10 pm on Monday, September 19, the same night CBS premieres the new Charlie Sheen-free version at […]

Weekend #25 of 2015 is looking like $202 million for the top 12 films this weekend, significantly above the norm for the same weekend the past few years and way above last year’s misfire on this weekend (see comparisons below). Inside Out from Disney should open with a $70.0 million three-day weekend. Early reviews at RottenTomatoes are unanimous: 100% positive overall […]

On a night of reruns, no one sought out the original programming either. FOX:  Remember when the knock on X-Factor was “well, it’s no AMERICAN IDOL“?  The distance is narrowing:  last night’s 3.6 for Idol matched the X-Factor season high, and wasn’t that far over X-Factor‘s 3.0 fall average.  It was also a scary 1.8 […]

DEMOGRAPHIC DETAIL: For each broadcast program (or hour segment), the chart below displays preliminary live+same day key advertiser demographics (adult 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54 ratings), audience skews (women 18-49, men 18-49 and adults 50+ shares) and total viewership (thousands of people over the age of 2). Note: The fast affiliate-based ratings below measure what aired on […]

> The Hollywood Reporter has the early numbers on Wednesday’s international opening days for HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS (PART 2), and they’re even more sensational than expected.  In only 26 markets (more will open today, and by tomorrow the film will be everywhere except China, where it opens August 4), the movie has […]

Updated International Box Office chart below.  Big movers this week include The Croods (debuting on the chart with $63 million overseas to date), Oz the Great and Powerful (up $42 million overseas this week) and Jack the Giant Slayer (up $38 million overseas this week).