Monty Brinton/CBS 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved
Related: Complete Coverage of TCA Winter Press Tour
CBS Entertainment chairman Nina Tassler stressed the importance of multiplatform and delayed viewing to the network during her executive session Monday at the TCA winter press tour.
The overnight ratings continue to disappear in relevance, at the same times the number of ways that viewers watch our shows and how we get paid for them continues to increase, Tassler said. Her comments followed those made by her and CEO Leslie Moonves Jan. 8 at CES calling overnight ratings basically worthless.
Tassler touted the network's CBS All Access paid subscription app and the importance of delayed viewing. It's about finding all viewers wherever they are whenever they watch-live, three days, seven days, 30 days, she said during the session. But she also insisted that the live-viewing schedule still matters.
The emphasis on scheduling is still as important, because, you talk about our numbers, our live numbers, which are very very strong, that is how people discover shows and will sample shows, she said. So your scheduling decision still need to reflect a flow and still need to protect a new show in terms of its launch.
Speaking to a group of reporters after the session, Tassler also played down the importance of 18-49 ratings.
It's a shrinking demo, Tassler said. Eighteen to 49 is getting smaller and smaller every year. She stressed the importance of syndication and subscription video on demand rights. When we sell our shows, Netflix, Amazon, they don't buy it solely based on 18-49. It just doesn't work that way. Though it currently leads the broadcast networks this season in average total viewers in primetime, CBS is currently in second place to NBC in 18-49 Nielsen ratings.
Tassler also discussed the network's plans for late night, announcing that Stephen Colbert's first episode as the new host of Late Show will air Sept. 8. David Letterman's last Late Show is scheduled for May. In the interim, Tassler said, CBS will air reruns of its primetime programming. She said that Colbert and his creative team just moved into their offices and are in the process of settling on the show's format, which may vary somewhat from that employed by Colbert's predecessor, David Letterman. Tassler said that Colbert's show will include music and guests, but, whether or not he's going to start with an opening monologue, he's working on that right now. The network is open to Colbert experimenting with the format.
Part of the opportunity of being in business with a brilliant talent like Stephen Colbert is really letting him do what he wants to do, she said. We're sitting back and sort of waiting for him to come to us and say what he has in mind.
Tassler also announced renewals for freshmen dramas NCIS: New Orleans, Scorpion and Madam Secretary-the last of which has performed well in total viewers, but struggled in 18-49 ratings. Scheduling Madam Secretary between 60 Minutes and The Good Wife was a perfect fit, Tassler said in her opening remarks. While Good Wife gets well-deserved acclaim, I'm a little surprised by the lack of attention this night has received overall. She added, Advertisers love this block.
Tassler did not renew the network's fourth new drama, Stalker, but called it a contender for next season. She did not mention freshman comedy The McCarthys until fielding a question later about what it would take for that show and Stalker to earn renewals. Ratings is always a factor, she said. We're going to see how the shows continue on this final half of the season.
Other highlights from the panel included:
Tassler repeatedly emphasized the importance of strong female characters to the network, returning to the topic multiple times when discussing the Supergirl project currently in development with Warner Bros. Discussing the planned format of the show, Tassler said it would not be a procedural and drew comparisons to the network's existing female-lead dramas. There'll be cases, Tassler said, comparing the format to The Good Wife and Madam Secretary. She added. What we've been talking to the creators about is What is it about a female crime solver and a female superhero that is supremely unique to that show. And you know, we're big feminists. It's her intellect. It's her skill. It's her smarts. It's all of those elements.
Asked about the network's decision to cancel comedy The Millers, Tassler said, We gave it an opportunity at the beginning of the season and it just didn't take off.
Tassler first saw new Late Late Show host James Corden on Broadway in the play One Man, Two Guvnors. This guy, it doesn't matter who he talks to, they just fall under his spell.
Most recent headlines
17/02/2025
TVBEurope talks to the team who brought a piece of broadcasting history back to life on BBC Wales last night
By Jenny Priestley
Published: February 14, 2025 ...
17/02/2025
Eligible studios will receive the relief directly from their local authorities, with no need to submit a claim
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: February 17, 20...
17/02/2025
As DEI initiatives come under pressure in the USA, supporters of Rise, which promotes diversity in the media and entertainment sector, discuss the continuing im...
17/02/2025
EIB Global loan will partially fund SES's continued O3b mPOWER medium earth orbit (MEO) fleet expansion enabling additional capacity worldwide. O3b mPOWER s...
15/02/2025
At Nielsen, Business Resource Groups (BRGs) play a critical role in nurturing a ...
15/02/2025
Innovation to empower creativity: Explore the latest in Lightroom
Rob Christensen February 15, 2025
0 Comments
Whether you want to remove distracting ...
15/02/2025
Wisycom, a worldwide leader in RF technology and provider of wireless solutions, announces a new distribution agreement with EQUAPHON. An Argentinian profession...
15/02/2025
DPA Microphones, the leading manufacturer of high-quality microphone solutions, is pleased to welcome Nicholas Nick Mariano and Vincent Vince Divine to the ...
15/02/2025
Tuxera, a leading provider of quality-assured file systems and networking solutions, will showcase how Tuxera Fusion SMB enables unprecedented performance for m...
15/02/2025
Bitmovin's latest Video Developer Report indicates an increasing role of AI, the slow adoption of next-generation codecs, and continuing challenges when it ...
15/02/2025
When Michelin Enterprises set out to promote its prestigious Hotel Guide in the new Sleepless in the Kitchen , campaign, veteran German/Slovenian gaffer Robert...
15/02/2025
Formula E, the world's first all-electric racing series, revolutionizing motorsport with cutting-edge technology and a commitment to sustainability has sele...
15/02/2025
Agile Content, a global leader in TV and video technology solutions, announces its rebranding to AgileTV.
The transition to AgileTV stems from a commitment to ...
15/02/2025
Hiltron Communications will promote the latest additions to its range of satellite communication products, systems and supporting services at GovSatCom 2025. Th...
15/02/2025
Following the success of the original Airglow Booklight, DoPchoice debuts a new addition to their inflatable line the Float. This lightweight, inflatable, round...
15/02/2025
LAS VEGAS Marshall Electronics has announced that it will debut its newest camera controller, the RCP Plus, at the 2025 NAB Show at Booth N2649 between April 5 ...
15/02/2025
ATLANTA Gray Media has named Blake Sebo as the next general manager of KTUU and KYES, Gray's NBC and CBS affiliates in Anchorage, Alaska....
15/02/2025
KOKKEDAL, Denmark DPA Microphones will feature its new CORE+ technology for distortion-free microphone sound at the 2025 NAB Show, April 5-9, in Las Vegas....
15/02/2025
SWANSEA, U.K. QuickLink will launch StudioPro-NDI and StudioPro-3, two new models of its QuickLine StudioPro video production platform, at the 2025 NAB Show, Ap...
15/02/2025
Live From 2025 NBA All-Star Game Weekend: After 25 Years, Turner Sports All-In F...
15/02/2025
NASCAR Driver Cam on Max Embraces Cloud-Based Workflow for 2025 Season Chris Brown of WBD Sports says Mobii will play key part in delivering signals from the tr...
14/02/2025
Last month, we officially launched the Spotify Partner Program, a powerful new m...
14/02/2025
From an island off the coast of Lutruwita to the global stage in France SBS & ...
14/02/2025
The future of electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) land systems is evolving so that ...
14/02/2025
Here are 5 reasons why you should attend ISE 2025
Discover more about Calrec: Learn more about Calrec's legacy of innovation in broadcast audio solutions ...
14/02/2025
World Radio Day: On the same wavelength
By Graham Murray, International Sales Manager at Calrec
To mark World Radio Day, Calrec's International Sales Ma...
14/02/2025
DALLAS and TYSONS, Va. Tegna has concluded a broadcast rights agreement that makes Tegna's KFAA in Dallas the exclusive local television partner of the Dall...
14/02/2025
Amazon's Prime Video has released a new app for Apple TV that the streamer said delivers an improved streaming experiences with faster scrolling, improved s...
14/02/2025
CLEVELAND Telos Alliance announced a software update for its Axia Quasar XR and SR line of audio-over-IP (AoIP) mixing consoles and will show the offering at th...
14/02/2025
Puget Systems Returns to HPA Tech Retreat 2025 with New Analysis Tools for Puge...
14/02/2025
Glass Animals: Tour of Earth Uses Blackmagic Live Production Workflow
Brie Clayton February 14, 2025
0 Comments
80six deploys Blackmagic URSA Broadcas...
14/02/2025
A dispute between Paramount and Youtube TV that would have pulled CBS stations and Paramount's cable channels from the streaming service has been temporaril...
14/02/2025
Colourist Deidre (Dee) McClelland details how she helped shape the distinct look and feel of whimsical Oscar-nominated stop-motion film, Memoir of a Snail
By C...
14/02/2025
BitFire said it intends to introduce forward-looking services that simplify the launch of live production workflows, and enhance real-time collaboration
By Jen...
14/02/2025
The claim by the liquidators is the latest twist in the ongoing saga of the companys collapse at the end of 2021
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: February 14, ...
14/02/2025
A carriage dispute between YouTube TV and Paramount could come to a head today (Feb. 13), with the virtual pay TV provider threatening to pull all of the progra...
14/02/2025
ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J. LG Electronics USA has opened a new in-house, state-of-the-art virtual production studio at its 360,000-square-foot North American headqu...
14/02/2025
NEW YORK In a bid to help local broadcasters find new ways of monetizing their content, the Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) and TVB have relea...
14/02/2025
WASHINGTON Three Democratic U.S. Senators have sent a stern letter blasting FCC Chair Brendan Carr for the weaponization of the agency for attacking broadcast...
14/02/2025
Years after launching the streaming service Apple TV+ in November of 2019, Apple has finally released a version of its steaming app for Android devices....
14/02/2025
FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif. Red Digital Cinema will make its V-RAPTOR [X] and KOMODO-X camera systems available with Nikon's premier Z Mount, providing filmmaker...
14/02/2025
DAYTONA, Fla. The Fox Sports production of this year's Daytona 500 will see the addition of a few new tech elements and the continued unfolding of the broad...
14/02/2025
Watch Bryson Battles Blind Audition on The Voice Get a Four-Chair Turn Michael Bubl said the Boston Conservatory at Berklee musical theater senior might have...
14/02/2025
2025 Daytona 500: FOX Sports Looks To Ride Super Bowl LIX Momentum Into NASCAR S...
14/02/2025
14 Feb 2025
VEON's Kyivstar and the Come Back Alive Foundation Raise USD 2....
14/02/2025
Max Renews THE PITT, Starring Noah Wyle, For A Second Season
Max
Warner Bros. Television Group
The Pitt
New Episodes Of The Medical Drama From John...
14/02/2025
This year, Technicolor proudly celebrates 110 years of shaping the magic of cinema pioneering color, visual effects, and innovation that bring unforgettable l...
14/02/2025
NBA All-Star: More Games, More Teams, More Music, More Sound From the Court Turner Sports' team will deploy familiar tech to capture all the audio By Dan D...
14/02/2025
LIV Golf Continues To Innovate With Drones, Data-Driven Graphics, and All-Access...
Monty Brinton/CBS 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved 
