Attorney General Barr made a stab at stand-up with his press conference last week when he rolled out the Mueller report, but his attempt to mimic a classic from The Daily Show didn't come close to its star's old routine: Jon Stewart playing the news desk anchor, suddenly goggle-eyed, finger pointing and hollering, "Squirrel!"

As brands and agencies press media sales organizations for deeper analytics on the connections between consumer data and media consumption patterns, the focus on reaching ever-more targeted audiences will accelerate.  While “reach” has always been the prime ingredient in media plans, along with managed frequency, attaching the word “relevant” elevates reach even further in the hierarchy of media decision-making.  With privacy controls and intensifying consumer backlash jeopardizing the availability and usage of data, government intervention is inevitable, as noted by the creation of Privacy for America, an intra-industry organization as an industry advocacy group focused on managed federal regulation (representing ANA, IAB, 4As, Digital Advertising Alliance and Network Advertising Initiative).  This creates an interesting conundrum and opportunity for the television industry -- the networks, cable and satellite distributors, OTT providers, studios and brand marketers who depend on video advertising as the mainstay of their investments.  Powerful statistical insights derived directly from consumer behavior is the strong suit of Google, Facebook and Amazon, which continue to capture more than 85% of the growth in marketers’ ad spending.  Here’s the conundrum for the television industry.  In the race to develop improved audience data and insights and to compete more effectively with Google, Facebook and Amazon, will the inevitable imposition of regulatory controls over the uses of that data advance or impede the TV industry’s competitive position?  The Myers Report shares exclusive answers to that question in this week’s summary of our new industry survey of 750 advertiser and agency professionals engaged in the media planning and buying process.  For details on MyersBizNet corporate membership and research subscriptions contact Maryann Teller at Maryann@mediavillage.com.  Research member company executives can obtain their personal TomorrowToday password by contacting Maryann.

Friends, it isn’t often that American networks attempt to adapt a Spanish-language telenovela, likely out of fear that the very specific brand of comedy will get lost in translation or the premise will be too much of a departure from their usual programming.  The CW, however, took that risk back in 2014 with Jane the Virgin, an American adaptation of the Venezuelan telenovela Juana la Virgen.  The satirical dramedy follows Jane Gloriana Villanueva (Gina Rodriguez), her multigenerational family and the many outlandish situations that occur in their lives.  Coming from a telenovela-obsessed family, Jane has been a true pleasure to watch.

Something interesting has been happening on the other side of the Hudson.  In August, the New Jersey legislature passed the "Civic Information Bill," which designated $5 million in state funding for local news.  The state, sandwiched between the local television markets of New York and Philadelphia, has relied heavily on newspapers in the past for local news.  Thus, New Jersey has been hit heavily by drying up local papers.  Critics have, of course, rightfully pointed out concerns about anything resembling government-funded media, even as praise for the measure tumbled in from the organization Free Press to The Philadelphia Inquirer.  But, more than anything, the New Jersey proposal is indicative of the dire state of affairs when it comes to the financial health of local news.

It's been 10 years since Buddy Valastro, the owner and head baker at Hoboken, New Jersey's Carlo's Bakery, became an unlikely television star on TLC's Cake Boss. Since then, Valastro has opened 18 additional Carlo's locations as well as an event planning and catering company, and he's gone on to star in more than a half-dozen Discovery Networks programs including TLC's Next Great Baker, Food Network's Buddy vs. Duff, and Food Network's newest, Bake You Rich, which premiered on April 14 and airs Sundays at 10 PM. In a first-time move for Food Network, Bake You Rich has incorporated e-commerce into the program by offering the winning dessert for sale on the Carlo's Bakery website immediately following each episode's airing.

In real estate, a property's value depends on "location, location, location."  For media companies during Upfront season, the signifier of importance is "timing, timing, timing."  To people outside the industry, Xandr scheduling its Upfront presentation for May 14 wouldn't appear to be worthy of note.  After all, many digital and cable brands are planning to formally unveil offerings to brands and agencies this spring.  But for media insiders, having AT&T;'s advertising arm presenting during the same week that ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, Fox and The CW are producing events is notable and signifies a particularly high level of buying community interest in, and respect for, the company's offerings.