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sales@spotsndots.com Copyright 2018.The Daily News of TV Sales Friday, September 20, 2019

REPORT SEES LOCAL TV LAGGING THIS YEAR Next year’s political advertising dollars can’t come soon enough for local television, at least according to new data on how ad sales are tracking for 2019. Magna says core local TV ad sales were down 3.6 percent during the first six months of the year and doesn’t think the second half will look much different. It forecasts core local TV revenue — excluding dollars from events like the political season or the Olympics — to be down 3.5 percent for all of 2019. TV wasn’t the only traditional media that didn’t experience growth in the first half. Print revenue fell 6.7 percent, while out of home (+7%) and radio (+2.4%) posted gains. Digital was up 18.9 percent. The local TV numbers come despite what Magna EVP Vincent Létang says was a “great first half” thanks to a “strong economic environment.” Based on an analysis of media owners’ financial reports, Magna says the overall U.S. ad market grew 7.6 percent in the first half to $107 billion in total spending. The agency credits growth from several key advertising categories, including finance, retail and travel. It says direct-to-consumer brands also continue to expand marketing budgets. Based on the strong first half, Magna now projects full-year 2019 ad sales to increase 6.3 percent in the U.S. That’s up from the 5.1 percent growth rate it released in June. In a first read on the 2020 political cycle, Magna is already convinced a record will be set again for political ad spending, with campaigns generating almost $6 billion in incremental ad revenues. In terms of where political ad dollars will go, Magna expects local TV stations to remain the top recipient although campaign strategists are ramping up their use of social media, digital video and search. In fact, it notes nearly $400 million was spent on social media by campaigns during the 2018 midterm election. Yet even as political dollars flood the market, next summer’s Olympics may also not bring the sort of ad frenzy seen in the past. Magna points out that recent Olympics have posted a 30 percent rating drops versus the previous games. There’s also what it describes as the “problematic time zone” for the Tokyo event. Yet it says higher CPMs should help “stabilize” the Olympic ad total. The impact of the political season and Olympics are a big reason why Magna has just kicked up its 2020 forecast. It now projects overall U.S. ad spending to grow 6.2 percent next year versus a 5.8 percent outlook released in June. Together, it says next year’s cyclical events will go a long way toward mitigating any effect of an economic slowdown. Based on 70 years of forecasting,

(Continued on Page 3)

MAGNA: RECORD POLITICAL SPEND EXPECTED IN 2020ADVERTISER NEWS Banana Republic has long been known as a “skinny brand,” but that’s changing as the Gap-owned fashion retailer embraces diversity and expands its lineup of sizes, Gap CEO Art Peck said. Business Insider reports the retailer will also expand its color palette in a push to attract new customers and boost sales... Madewell took off as

a hip fashion brand for younger women when parent J. Crew launched it 13 years ago, and the smaller brand has continued to resonate with consumers as J. Crew struggles to revive sales at its namesake brand. That’s according to The New York

Times, which reports that plans to spin off Madewell into a separate, publicly traded company illustrates the relevance of the brand’s style in an age of more casual fashions... Luxury parka retailer Canada Goose will open its fifth U.S. store at the Mall of America in Minnesota, with a room cooled to 13 degrees below zero to give shoppers a way to test the coats before they buy. According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Canada Goose’s signature $1,595 Snow Mantra parka is supposed to perform in in temperatures up to 40 below... Walgreens is set make history with a drone pilot in Virginia, Chain Store Age reports. Beginning in October, the drugstore giant and Wing Aviation, a subsidiary of Google parent Alphabet, will partner on a pilot of “store to door” delivery of health and wellness, food and beverage and convenience items via drone delivery. (Prescription deliveries are not available in the pilot.) According to Walgreens, customers will receive their orders within minutes. The pilot will make Walgreens the first retailer to offer on-demand drone delivery service in the U.S. The companies will launch the test in conjunction with FedEx in the town of Christiansburg... Stage Stores, which operates 625 department stores under the Bealls, Goody’s, Palais Royal, Peebles and Stage banners, as well as 158 off-price Gordmans, plans to shift substantially all of its businesses to the off-price banner by the end of its 2020 fiscal year, the Houston Business Journal reports.

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

AVAILS WIS/Gray TV — The No. 1 Television Station and the No. 1 Local Digital Platform in Columbia, S.C., has an opening for an experienced Multi-Platform Consultant. We’re searching for candidates with 3-5 years of sales experience. You must have a proven track record of negotiating and developing business in broadcast sales and digital sales. Qualified applicants, please APPLY ONLINE and attach a cover letter and resume. Candidate must successfully complete pre-employment drug screen and MVR check. No phone calls or emails will be returned. EOE-M/F/D/V.

Cox Media Group Seattle is searching for an Account Executive. The AE will be responsible for generating media revenues through both broadcast and digital sales. This position requires a positive, team-oriented, self-starting, creative sales professional adept at growing existing accounts while developing direct new business. Proven track record of sales success in a local media setting, and a BA/BS degree with a minimum of two years of media sales,

account management or buying experience preferred. CLICK HERE for more info or to apply. EOE. KMBC-TV/Hearst Television’s ABC affiliate in Kansas City, has an opening for an experienced Account Executive. We are looking for an AE who is highly motivated, can grow revenue on existing accounts and secure new advertisers to the station. Ideal candidate will have strong business development experience as well as the ability to effectively negotiate. If you have a proven track record of producing revenue on multiple platforms, CLICK HERE to apply. EOE. WTAT-TV FOX24 in Charleston, S.C., seeks an energetic and experienced Creative Services Director. The director is responsible for on-air promotion and packaging of the channel’s marketing content and material. This position is both creative and strategic and works closely with station management to develop brand strategy and launch content and create brand identity and packaging. At least five years of creative professional in broadcasting and/or cable on air production required. Please email your resume to jobs@foxcharleston.com, and include your salary requirements and a link to your latest work. EOE.

See your ad here tomorrow! CLICK HERE for details.

ESPN TOP ‘MUST HAVE’ CABLE NET FOR MEN ESPN is the top “must have” cable network among men, and women are hungry for Food Network, according to a new study from Beta Research reported by Broadcasting & Cable. Beta’s Basic Network Evaluation Study also found that cable subscribers found ESPN and Nick Jr. had the highest perceived value among viewers. In its ranking of must-have networks among men, ESPN was named by 47 percent of respondents, followed by History, Discovery Channel and Weather Channel. Among women, Food Network (36%) was followed by Weather Channel and Lifetime Movie Network.

NETWORK NEWS Fox is staging a Big Bang Theory reunion. Mayim Bialik is re-teaming with her former on-screen husband, Jim Parsons, for a Fox comedy called Carla. The multicamera comedy has landed at Fox with a hefty series commitment penalty. Bialik will star in Carla, which revolves around Carla (Bialik) as a 39-year-old woman who struggles every day against her mother to prove that you can’t have everything you want — and still be happy. That’s why she spent the money her parents set aside for her wedding to open a Cat Café in Louisville, Kentucky... The Hollywood Reporter says Dick Wolf may be the only producer on the planet who can top The Big Bang Theory’s five-year, multibillion-dollar streaming and syndication deal with WarnerMedia, which was announced earlier this week. THR reports the prolific producer and executives at Comcast, his home of nearly three decades, are in early discussions for a mass licensing deal that could include the complete catalog of Law & Order and spinoffs SVU and Criminal Intent; his three Chicago shows; potentially CBS’ FBI as well as New York Undercover; and unscripted shows like Cold Justice. That’s 72 seasons and 1,568 total hours of content — plus a possible green light for the updated New York Undercover, which is drawing interest after ABC’s pass in May... CBS has put in development Good Sam, a family medical drama. Good Sam centers on a talented yet stifled surgeon who embraces her leadership role after her renowned and pompous boss falls into a coma. When he awakens and wants to resume surgery, however, it falls to her to supervise this overbearing blowhard who never acknowledged her talents — and happens to be her father.

NBC, CBS REMAIN ATOP 52-WEEK RATINGS As year-round programming has become the norm for broadcast networks, 52-week, September-to-September ratings have become a battleground for bragging rights, The Hollywood Reporter says. With a few days left before the Nielsen-sanctioned start of the 2019-20 season, NBC remains first in the key ad-sales demographic of adults 18-49, and CBS is No. 1 among total viewers. Collectively, the audience for the five English-language broadcast networks declined by 7 percent in the past year: From Sept. 24, 2018, through Sept. 15, 2019, they’ve averaged a combined 24.67 million viewers, down from 26.64 million a year ago. The adults 18-49 demographic fell a bit more, slipping by 11.5 percent year to year (5.4 rating vs. 6.1 in 2017-18). Adding Spanish-language broadcasters Telemundo and Univision to the totals, the total-viewer decline remains at 7 percent. The 18-49 loss increases a bit to 13 percent (6.2 vs. 7.1 a year ago), as both networks lost a bit of their under-50 audience year to year. Fox, with big assists from Thursday Night Football and The Masked Singer, is the only network to increase its total audience. It grew by 7.5 percent to 4.46 million viewers, while remaining flat in adults 18-49 at 1.2. ABC and CBS each took single-digit declines in both the 18-49 demo and viewers.

9/20/2019

Jim Gaffigan

I actually live across the street from my health club.

It’s open 24 hours a day. Still can’t get there.

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

MAGNA: RECORD POLITICAL SPEND EXPECTED(Continued from Page 1)Magna says the main driver behind fluctuations in ad spending remains what’s happening in the economy overall. And while it’s not expecting a recession, the agency says there’s a growing consensus that things are slowing down. Still, the personal consumption rate — the metric best correlated with advertising spending — is expected to remain strong next year. Nevertheless, Magna has reduced its outlook for core ad spending growth. It now expects total core ad revenue growth next year to be 3.8 percent,

compared with 6.3 percent this year. “The economic slowdown might take a toll on the spending in several key verticals,” it says, pointing to key TV spenders like automotive, retail and finance. That’s why innovation will be increasingly important. Magna says it will attract marketing dollars. It forecasts OTT-based consumption of TV and video content on connected TVs will generate $4.3 billion in ad revenues in 2020. That will help offset the estimated

3.4 percent decline in core ad revenue it expects for local TV next year.

ACCOUNT ACTIONS The Boston Beer Company’s Sam Adams and Truly Hard Seltzer brands have RFPs out for new creative agencies in the U.S., Campaign reports. Truly worked with Johannes Leonardo on its latest creative campaign, while the Sam Adams brand has no agency serving as AOR right now. In the past, MMB worked on creative for Sam Adams. The creative review is reportedly being managed by Avidan Strategies... Also from Campaign: Wunderman Thompson has won a five-year contract with the U.S. Marine Corps worth $529.9 million. The RFP for its advertising business was issued in December 2018 after working with WPP’s JWT (before it merged with Wunderman) for more than 70 years. According to a government document released at the time, the “purpose of this contract is to provide full-service advertising agency support to furnish the supplies and services to enhance the USMC’s recruiting efforts.”

9/20/2019

Orson Welles

I hate television. I hate it as much as peanuts. But I can’t stop eating peanuts.

TUESDAY NIELSEN RATINGS - LIVE + SAME DAY

NEXSTAR COMPLETES TRIBUNE ACQUISITION... Nexstar Media says it has completed its $7.2 billion acquisition of Tribune Media Co. to create the biggest broadcaster in the U.S. The combined company, with 197 full power, owned or serviced, stations in 115 markets, will reach 39 percent of U.S. households, figuring in the FCC’s UHF discount. That’s after completing the sales of 21 stations for $1.33 billion to comply with government regulations. With Tribune Media, Nexstar also acquired the WGN America cable network and 31 percent ownership of Food Network, Broadcasting & Cable reports. “The completion of our accretive acquisition of Tribune Media increases Nexstar’s geographic diversity and audience reach with national coverage and an expanded presence in top 50 DMAs, while offering complementary media assets and investments, scale driven synergies and further cash flow diversification,” said Nexstar CEO Perry Sook. “Nexstar Media Group is now the nation’s leading creator and distributor of local news, entertainment, sports, lifestyle and network programming through its broadcast and digital media platforms.”

... AS TEGNA LANDS 11 LOCAL NEXSTAR STATIONS TEGNA says it has completed its acquisition of 11 local TV stations, including eight Big Four affiliates, from Nexstar Media Group for $740 million in cash. The acquisition adds complementary markets to TEGNA’s existing portfolio of top network affiliates, including four affiliates in election battleground states. TEGNA now owns or operates 62 TV stations across 51 markets, reaching more than 38 percent of U.S. television households. The acquired stations include WTIC/WCCT (Fox/CW), Hartford-New Haven, Conn.; WPMT (Fox), Harrisburg-Lancaster-Lebanon-York, Pa.; WATN/WLMT (ABC/CW), Memphis, Tenn.; WNEP (ABC), Wilkes Barre-Scranton, Pa.; WOI/KCWI (ABC/CW), Des Moines-Ames, Iowa; WZDX (Fox), Huntsville-Decatur-Florence, Ala.; WQAD (ABC), Davenport, Iowa and Rock Island-Moline, Ill.; and KFSM (CBS), Fort Smith-Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, Ark. “These acquisitions enhance and diversify our portfolio of Big Four stations in key markets, including election battleground states, and reinforce our commitment to creating value for our shareholders,” Dave Lougee, president and CEO of TEGNA, said in a news release.

THIS AND THAT AT&T’s Xandr adtech unit has added Vudu and Bloomberg to its premium video marketplace, which Xandr calls a “cross-screen addressable solution.” Adweek says Xandr Community now has 18 tier-one media brand partners, including Hearst Magazines, Tubi, truTV and Cheddar... YouTube is launching large home page masthead ads for its connected TV app globally that autoplay on all compatible devices, according to company officials, Marketing Land reports. Marketers can purchase the ads with reserved placement on a cost-per-impression basis across platforms or for one connected TV system for targeted audiences and have been beta-tested by a variety of brands.