Programming Insider

-Did You Know?:
Melissa Gilbert has co-starred in three series since the demise of “Little House on the Prairie”: Fox sitcom “Stand by Your Man” (opposite Rosie O’Donnell) in 1992; NBC legal drama “Sweet Justice” (opposite Cicely Tyson) in 1994-95; and season one of ABC crime solver “Secrets and Lies” in 2015.

Sunday 5/07/17

Household Rating/Share
CBS: 5.3/ 9, ABC: 3.6/ 6, NBC; 3.5/ 6, Fox: 1.2/ 2

Percent Change from the Year-Ago Evening:
ABC: +44, NBC: + 9, Fox: no change, CBS: -13

Ratings Breakdown:
CBS topped this first Sunday in May in the metered market overnights, besting No. 2 ABC by 47 percent in households. But ABC was most improved thanks to 9-11 p.m.special, “The Last 100 Days of Diana,” which scored a very respectable 4.9 rating/8 share in households. Comparably, that built from week-ago time period occupants “The Match Game” (2.3/ 4) and “American Crime” (1.4/ 3) by an average of 165 percent. And it increased from lead-in “Once Upon a Time” (#3: 2.0/ 3 at 8 p.m.) by a hefty 145 percent.

CBS had a typical Sunday, meanwhile, with its line-up of granddaddy “60 Minutes” (#1 for the night: 7.2/13), “NCIS: Los Angeles” (#1: 6.1/10), “Madam Secretary” (#1: 5.2/ 8) and “Elementary” (#3: 2.8/ 5), which is still awaiting word on its fate.

For more (including the breakdown by half-hour) for Sunday, May 7, clickhere
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Fast Affiliate Results
Friday 5/05/17: Click here
Saturday 5/06/17: Click here

Live + Same Day Data
Monday 5/01/17: Click here
Tuesday 5/02/17: Click here
Wednesday 5/03/17: Click here
Thursday 5/04/17: Click here

“The Kentucky Derby” on A&E Rises to Second-Best Overnights in 25 Years
NBC’s telecast of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, won by Always Dreaming, rose to the second-best Derby overnight in the past 25 years (since 1992). It averaged a 10.5 rating/23 share, building by 12 percent from 2016. The top markets were Louisville (39.0 rating/65 share); Ft. Myers (21.3/39); Cincinnati (18.8/37); Buffalo (17.9/31); Knoxville (17.0/28); Dayton (16.2/29); Pittsburgh (15.5/30); Cleveland (15.1/29); Richmond (15.0/29); and West Palm Beach (14.8/27).

In social media, The Kentucky Derby was the most-streamed historically, delivering 281,000 uniques and 9 million minutes, which generated increases of +25 percent and +30 percent, respectively, versus 2016.

Source: Nielsen Media Research

NBC Orders Dramas “Rise” and “For God and Country” for 2017-18
NBC has greenlit scripted dramas “Rise” and “For God and Country” for the 2017-18 TV season. “Rise,” based on the book by Michael Sokolove and life rights of Lou Volpe, is inspired by a true story and revolves around a working-class high school drama department and the students who come alive under a passionate teacher and family man whose dedication to the program galvanizes the entire town. It stars “How I Met Your Mother’s” Josh Radnor.

“For God and Country” is described as a heart-pounding look into the complex world of the country’s bravest military heroes who make personal sacrifices while executing the most challenging and dangerous missions behind enemy lines. It stars Mike Vogel (“Under the Dome”), Anne Heche, Natacha Karam, Noah Mills, Tate Ellington, Sofia Pernas, Demetrius Grosse, Hadi Tabbal

NBC presents its fall 2017 primetime schedule to advertisers and the media onMonday, May 15 at Radio City Music Hall.

Speaking of NBC…
The network unveiled this teaser art on one series of note returning this fall:

MTV Movie and TV Awards: And the Winners Were…  
At MTV’s first-ever cross-platform celebration, the MTV Movie and TV Awards last night, Disney’s “Beauty And The Beast” and Netflix’s “Stranger Things” each took home the night’s top prizes. “Beauty And The Beast” won Movie of the Year and its star Emma Watson won for Best Actor in a Movie. “Stranger Things” won Show of the Year and its star Millie Bobby Brown was cited for Best Actor in a Show. (The acting categories were gender-neutral, mixing male and female performers within each group.)

The ceremony, hailing from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles and hosted by Adam Devine, also featured non-traditional categories including Best Kiss (Ashton Sanders and Jharrel Jerome – “Moonlight”), Best Fight Against the System (“Hidden Figures”) and Best Tearjerker — Jack (Milo Ventimiglia) and Randall (Lonnie Chavis) at karate from NBC’s “This Is Us”. For the complete listing of winners, click here

Jay Cutler Joins the NFL on Fox as On-Air Game Analyst
Fox Sports recently announced it hired former NFL Pro Bowl quarterback Jay Cutler as game analyst for the 2017 NFL season, joining their No. 2 broadcast grouping of play-by-announcer Kevin Burkhardt, analyst Charles Davis and sideline reporter Pam Oliver.

Cutler spent 11 years in the NFL, the first 3 of which with the Denver Broncos and the latter 8 with the Chicago Bears. He went to the Pro Bowl in 2009 and led the Bears to the 2010 NFC Championship Game. Cutler holds the Bears’ franchise record as its all-time passing leader. He finishes his playing career with a total of 2,782 completions, 32,467 passing yards and 208 touchdowns.

Cutler is the second new high-profile former quarterback to join the network broadcast booth this year. In April, Tony Romo, rumored to being wooed by Fox to work alongside Burkhardt, joined CBS’s No. 1 NFL team with Jim Nantz and Tracy Wolfson.

Let’s Play Chess with the Network Lineups: Click here

Cable Upfront Recaps at PromaxBDA:
-BET Announces New Series from Kevin Hart, Chris Rock and Steve Harvey – Clickhere
-TV One Looks to “Represent” the African American Community – Click here
–Freeform Prepares for Life Without “Pretty Little Liars” – Click here
–More Scripted Programming on Tap at Nat Geo – Click here
-Pop Targets “Modern Grown Ups” with New Slate – Click here
-Discovery Turns Its Focus to Digital – Click here
-Lifestyle Matters, According to Scripps – Click here
-Nickelodeon Touts 700 Hours of Original New and Returning Programming – Click here

Season eight of “MasterChef” will open on Fox on Wednesday, May 31 at 8 p.m. ET. This season features 40 contestants from all walks of life, representing 18 states – including a debt collector, dentist, PE teacher, Harvard student, swimsuit model and two ministers – all with the hopes of turning their culinary dreams into reality.

“Raven’s Home,” the upcoming “That’s So Raven” spin-off, will debut on Disney Channel on Friday, July 21 at 10 p.m. ET (following the premiere of theatrical “Descendants 2”). Geared toward kids 6-14 and their families, the sitcom will pick up with Raven (Raven Symone) and Chelsea (Anneliese van der Pol), who are now divorced single mothers raising their two separate families in one chaotic, but fun household full of friends. When one of Raven’s kids begins to show signs that they have inherited her trait of catching glimpses of the future, the already hectic household gets turned upside down, keeping even Raven on her toes.