Too Much TV: Your TV Talking Points For Tuesday, January 19th, 2021
Here's everything you need to know about the world of television for Tuesday, January 19th, 2021. I'm writing this from the Twin Cities suburbs, where AllYourScreens HQ is powered by coffee and a teriyaki bowl.
TUBI AND THE STATE OF STREAMING 2021
Today Tubi announced findings from its audience report, The Stream: 2021 Actionable Audience Insights for Brands. This is a link to the complete report, but here are some worthwhile takeaways:
* Tubi has 33 million monthly active users with 2.5 billion hours streamed in 2020.
* 18 percent of Tubi streamers don't subscribe to cable.
* On average, Tubi streamers are 20+ years younger than linear television customers.
* 80 percent of Tubi streamers can't be reached across the Top 25 cable TV channels.
* More than 3 out of 5 Tubi streamers also have a Netflix subscription.
NETFLIX AND YOUTUBE
If you pay any attention to Netflix's Top Ten lists, you've likely seen the animated kids series Cocomelon quite a bit. If you've wondered why, this piece by Emily Horgan does a really nice job of laying out how Netflix has become a force on YouTube in the kids genre and has used partnerships with content creators to build out their children's content ion Netflix's streaming service:
The most noteworthy entrant has been Cocomelon. This animated, nursery rhyme property is the most viewed English language channel on YouTube. It recently became the third channel to hit 1 billion subscribers. Shortly after being acquired by Moonbug Entertainment over the Summer, they launched on Netflix. Success thus far climaxed with a record-breaking streak in the top 10 charts, and strong US results recorded by Nielsen. Moonbug CEO, René Rechtman, claimed in October that it was the platform’s 3rd most-watched show in the US.
The format embraced by Cocomelon on Netflix is worth looking at. It follows the strategy of fellow Moonbug properties Morphle and Little Baby Bum. The short form ~3-minute duration native to YouTube is consolidated into episode lengths of around an hour. This negates parental guilt associated with “play next” decisions and cuts out the instant interest blip of credits. Another batch is scheduled for imminent release.
How much incremental audience is watching Cocomelon on Netflix that isn’t watching on YouTube? Does that even matter? The unquestionable upside is that a truly walled garden will give parents the confidence to let their pre-schoolers consume more freely. As Netflix embraced becoming an entertainment company, YouTube attempted to bury its head in a tech ethos that shirked the responsibility of young audiences. This culminated in significant fines levied by the FTC last year and associated platform changes that followed.
This is an IP approach that often flies under the radar of many Netflix watchers. Yes, Netflix doesn't own Cocomelon, Mighty Little Bheem or Little Baby Bum. But by partnering with companies producing content that is already popular on YouTube, Netflix is optimizing the cost/effectiveness equation that is a challenge for any media company.
WHAT'S ON TODAY:
Here is a rundown of the paltry number of new television programs premiering today:
1) Brother And Sister (MHz Choice)
A 50-something lawyer’s solitary life is upended when he discovers he has a 15-year-old half sister.
2) FBI: Most Wanted Season Premiere (CBS)
The team searches for a young woman who is heading down a deadly path of vengeance, using ties to an online radical conspiracy organization to further her cause. Also, Barnes must make a life-changing decision, finding it hard to not let the dark side of her job affect her.
3) Finding Your Roots Season Premiere (PBS)
Actress Glenn Close and filmmaker John Waters discover their privileged lineages.
4) Hello Ninja Season Four Premiere (Netflix)
BFFs Wesley and Georgie and their silly cat sidekick Pretzel transform into ninjas and enter a magic world, where they solve problems and save the day.
7) The Night Caller (Sundance Now)
In the early 1960s, Perth was a peaceful city, until it was suddenly devastated by a spate of disparate, seemingly senseless killings. The residents became convinced that there was a serial killer on the loose, and the press fanned the flames by nicknaming him ‘The Night Caller.’ However, the local police failed to connect and attribute the murders to one man until it was far too late. With unprecedented access to the killer’s wife and the two men wrongly convicted of his crimes, creator and director Thomas Meadmore explores the devastating aftermath of a serial murderer. Throughout the series, he uncovers how the community and those affected have come together through grief to pursue closure, redemption and finally hold the police accountable.
8) The War Is Over Series Premiere (MHz Choice)
The War is Overis based on the heart-wrenching true story of the “Children of Selvino” – 800 child Holocaust survivors cared for by former soldiers in a little northern Italian town. In real life, they ended up living in a school formerly used by Fascist elites. In the drama, they find refuge on a seemingly abandoned estate owned by a marchioness with her own tragic connections to the war.
This newsletter is called "Too Much TV" because....well, it's hard to keep track of all the new television premiering everyday. To help you prioritize your viewing, click here to see our list of more than 400 upcoming television premieres, movies and finales. You'll find listings from more than 70 networks, as well as streaming services and web shows.
I'll be back with another one tomorrow. If you have any feedback, send it along to Rick@AllYourScreens.com and follow me on Twitter @aysrick.
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