In yesterday’s newsletter, I made this observation about MSNOW’s election night coverage:
One problem I have with the coverage on MSNOW - as well as on its rivals - is the insistence on focusing the coverage on what the various network political correspondents think about state results. As opposed to speaking with reporters who actually live and work in the states where voting is taking place.
For instance, I am fine hearing from former Senator Claire McCaskill, but she doesn’t have any special insight into the voting in Maine. So I would prefer to hear about the electoral chances of Graham Platner from a reporter or analyst who actually lives in the state.
So it did make me laugh out loud when I turned on MSNOW last night about an hour after sending out the newsletter to see Claire McCaskill….talking about the election chances of Graham Platner.
Bundling 2.0
When Paramount completes its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery and the HBO Max service later this year, a key question will follow: how exactly will the two streaming services be packaged for consumers going forward?
In a new report from Hub Research, nearly a quarter of consumers (23%) say a $19.99/month HBO Max and Paramount+ bundle would be “a lot more valuable” than subscribing to the two services separately.

For context, 38% of consumers consider the Disney+/Hulu/HBO Max trio bundle “a lot more valuable” than subscribing separately — a big reason why that combination has proven so sticky. Against that benchmark, the future HBO Max/Paramount+ pairing looks surprisingly strong at 23%.
Among current subscribers to each service, that enthusiasm runs even higher: nearly a third of subscribers (31% among HBO Max subs and 32% among Paramount+ subs) say the $19.99/month bundle would be “a lot more valuable” than subscribing separately. The price savings speak for themselves.
The Hollywood Reporter’s Unfortunate Launch In Australia

Hamish Blake and Robert Irwin present the nominees for Best Lead Actress in a Comed the 64th TV WEEK Logie Awards in 2024.
The Hollywood Reporter is launching in Australia, the brainchild of new-to-publishing publisher Paris Raine and new-to-screen-industry editor Sean Sennett. They have licensed the name from Penske Media Corporation, which owns the American mothership.
And as Australia’s Mumbrella reported today, the launch has not gone well:
Given the reputation of the parent THR brand, licensed from US giant Penske Media Corporation, they’ll be expected to deliver the big, authoritative scoops.
And last night came THR-AU’s first. Without even waiting to launch its website, THR-AU took to Instagram to reveal the exclusive, or rather, EXCLUSIVE news: Patrick Brammall is set to host this year’s Logies.
Which seemed like a good call. After all, having had a big local hit with Foxtel’s romcom Colin from Accounts and more recently a decent part in The Devil Wears Prada 2, Brammall is a hot property.
But you know who else is hot? Robert Irwin. A few hours later THR-AU’s Instagram exclusive – sorry, EXCLUSIVE – had been deleted.
And why had the THR-AU story been deleted? Well, as this story on TV Week notes, Robert Irwin - not Patrick Brammall - will be hosting this year’s Logies.
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Odds & Sods
Season two of Diarra From Detroit premieres Wednesday, July 29th on Paramount+. Here is the official logline: “Created by and starring Diarra Kilpatrick, season two finds Diarra Brickland trying — unsuccessfully — to have a hot girl summer without getting wrapped up in yet another deeply unserious and extremely dangerous Detroit mystery. This time around, what starts as a seemingly harmless furniture recovery mission quickly spirals into a triple homicide investigation, a citywide treasure hunt and another trip deep into Detroit’s criminal underbelly. As Diarra attempts to sort out her messy relationship status, she instead finds herself going undercover with a secret society, starring in a Tubi movie, chasing urban legends, dodging gang warfare, and uncovering secrets buried beneath the city itself. Because of course she does.”
On Wednesday, the BBC announced it has scrapped the previously scheduled Christmas special and will put Doctor Who out to "competitive tender." That means that it will solicit proposals from production companies interested in taking over the iconic television franchise.
Hrishikesh Hirway’s podcast Song Exploder is always fascinating to listen to, but I really enjoyed the latest edition, a conversation with Paul McCartney.
Diana Ross once took a penalty kick at the World Cup. It did not go well.
Hulu has ordered a revamped season of the reality series The Circle, which ran on Netflix for seven seasons.
The documentary The Welcome Table premieres Tuesday, June 23rd on HBO. Here is the official logline: “We are on the verge of one of the largest mass migrations in human history, and for many, it has already begun. One out of every three people will lose their homes due to climate change, making climate displacement one of the defining crises of our time. The Welcome Table tells the story of climate migrants across six continents, centering the voices and experiences of survivors on the front lines of the climate crisis while asking hard questions such as “where will we be safe?,” “where will my family be safe?,” and “how do we welcome those in harm’s way?” With the powerful music of John Boutté and other legendary New Orleans artists, Fox brings together people from around the world who have lost their homes, safety, or stability to a changing planet, and asks audiences to imagine a more generous response to a crisis that continues to reshape lives.”
The series Worst Neighbor Ever premieres Wednesday, July 1st on Netflix. Here is the official logline: “You think you know your neighbors? Think again. This new series features firsthand accounts of violence, intimidation, and harassment that are more shocking than ever. Through compelling testimonials, startling body cam footage, and animated reenactments, Worst Neighbor Ever proves the people next door aren’t just a nuisance - they’re lethal.”
The Salisbury Poisonings: A Spy Next Door premieres Sunday, July 12th on CNN.
The Shards premieres Wednesday, August 5th on FX and Hulu. Here is the official logline: “Set against the vivid backdrop of 1980s Los Angeles, the series follows a group of privileged high school seniors at an elite prep school as they navigate identity, sex, jealousy, obsession and the dangers lurking beneath the surface of American adolescence. At its center is Bret (Igby Rigney), an aspiring writer and keenly observant teenager whose reality begins to unravel with the arrival of a mysterious and magnetic new student, Robert Mallory (Homer Gere). Transferring in just before his senior year, Robert’s appearance coincides with the growing terror of The Trawler, a serial killer targeting teenagers across the city. “
The Problem Facing Hollywood That California Tax Credits Won’t Solve.
Cole Haddon’s 5AM Story Talk newsletter is a must read for people in the television industry and just people interested in the future of the media.
His recently wrote about something he thought every country should do and it’s an argument you have read from me a few times:
For a decade now, I’ve been warning filmmaker friends that Hollywood studios and streamers were slowly buying up foreign production companies and shifting production overseas as a means of evading the high production costs in the U.S. For example, a streamer can buy a script from an Australian screenwriter for a fraction of what it would pay a Writers Guild of America member. Then, the streamer can produce it in Australia where actors, crew, post — almost everything — is cheaper and do it with the help of extraordinary government tax credits. Even the U.K. is looking more favorable than the U.S. right now. The problem is, when Hollywood corporations swoop in to cut costs this way, they do so by producing U.S.-leaning stories or, at best, internationally-leaning ones. Not stories that prioritize the local culture and, thus, local storytellers. The only way to fix that is for countries to impose production quotas, ensuring a percentage of foreign investment goes toward telling local stories.
What’s Coming Tonight And Tomorrow
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10TH:
All The Queen's Men Season Five Premiere (Paramount+)
Big Girls Wanted: Escaping Pearadise (Investigation Discovery)
Colors Of Evil: Black (Netflix)
Criminal Record Season Two Finale (Apple TV)
Every Year After Series Premiere (Prime Video)
Most Extreme Humans Series Premiere (TLC)
My Family (Netflix)
Outlast: The Jungle Series Premiere (Netflix)
Rosario Tijeras (Netflix)
The Floor Season Five Finale (Fox)
The Rest Is Football (Netflix)
THURSDAY, JUNE 11TH:
Funny Thing About Love (ALLBLK)
Guy's Feast Club Series Premiere (Food)
Mark Vs. The Mountain Series Premiere (Great American Pure Flix)
Surviving Earth Series Premiere (NBC)
Sweet Magnolia (Netflix)
The Evil Lawyer Series Premiere (Netflix)
Viral Hit Series Premiere (Netflix)

