Village Soapbox: NFL Deal, NewFronts, Ashleigh Banfield, Tucker Carlson and Cocktails

This Week in MediaVillage Knowledge Exchange

This week's we are privileged to present two episodes of Legends & Leaders from Jack Myers.

Myers interviews Ashleigh Banfield, host of NewsNation's daily interview show "Banfield". Learn about what drives this successful and engaging TV personality and some of the historic moments that she has covered. This is truly a fun, informative interview that will leave you thinking, but also with a smile. Watch Banfield on "Banfield", Women in the News, the Royal Family and More

Although the celebrations in the real world may have been muted this year, MediaVillage celebrated St. Paddy's Day with another Legends & Leaders interview; an actual former Grand Marshall of the 2012 St. Patrick's Day parade, Francis X. Comerford who is NBCU president of local ad sales. Grab a Guinness and enjoy NBCU's Francis X. Comerford on the Value of St. Patrick's Day. A Legends & Leaders Conversation.

Rishad Tobaccowala guides us through the near future and how three overriding factors will impact the nature of strategy. Read this week's Restoring the Soul of Business column, Rishad's Thoughts on Strategy..

Brian Jacobs explores the ethical question, do/should agencies and marketers care where their ads run as long as they reach their target audiences in Content Controversies: Should Advertisers Buy Eyeballs and Look the Other Way.

A recent comment made by Tucker Carlson on Fox News unleashed a torrent of criticism by Members of Congress and, in a very unusual move, the U.S. military. Erich J. Prince reflects on whether it was appropriate for the military to do so in The United States vs. Tucker Carlson.

Oriana Schwindt's latest about Hearst's latest pub will have you hungry for more. Schwindt speaks with Delish Editor-in-Chief, Jo Saltz about the launch of the new hit quarterly print magazine. Get your culinary on with Subscribers Scarf Down New Delish Quarterly Magazine.

Brands have increasingly found value in aligning with social good, taking a stand and championing important issues. While that can be rewarding on many levels including ROI, it can also be disastrous if not well planned and executed. Ken Beaulieu vice president of marketing & communication for the ANA provides a summary of best practices and guidelines that the ANA has recently released in Activating Brand Purpose is Easier Said Than Done.

How many Zoom cocktail parties have you been to in the past year, and what has been your go to drink at those soirees? Data guru Tamara Alesi raises a glass of insight around these topics in What Are We Drinking While On-Premise is Off Limits?.

What is an S-Curve and why is it possible that it is one of the most important concepts to understand when optimizing your national media plan with local advertising? How have optimizers advanced to include context into the algorithm? Find out from ROI expert Bill Harvey in OptiBrain Optimizes TV ROI Nationally and Locally.

Paul S. Maxwell takes on the issue that tends to follow every change in administration, net neutrality. Read Maxwell's latest take on the issue, Like a Headache Run Amok, Net Neutrality Just Won't Go Away!.

In light of Google's recent industry-shaking announcement about Identity, a4 Advertising steps up and reminds us that they have been working on a privacy-compliant non-cookie solution that you can use now. Read a story by Kevin O'Reilly, a4 Advertising's Approach to a Cookieless Environment.

When I have travelled abroad, I have always noticed that the news in the countries that I visit seems to focus on global events to a much greater extent than in the U.S. Kent M. Harrington looks at how the public's lack of global knowledge or interest in them impacts the way our country is perceived and the policy options at President Biden's disposal. Read Harrington's piece, No News Isn't Good News: Biden's Foreign Policy Challenges Begin at Home.

This Week inAdvancing Diversity.

Learn about an exciting and important new partnership between IBM and The Female Quotient that gives women an opportunity to innovate with a goal of improving the world. Read Call for Code: Meet Women Changing the World in FQ's Modern Guide to Equality.

Dr. Christopher Boulton examines the underlying why diversity efforts within the advertising agency world have failed so epically and what can be done to change that moving forward. This is an important, not-to-miss piece. Read Diversity: Moving Forward From a Failed Past.

Don't miss Kate Byrne's interview with founder and president of Ibis Communications, MaryAnne Howland in Warrior Rising: MaryAnne Howland on 'You Do You' and Launch of This!.

Kate Byrne also speaks with the CEO of Nia Impact Capital, Kristin Hull on how to mix social good and smart investment strategy together in Putting Your Values and Money to Work for the Good of the World.

This Week in Media.

Major NFL media rights announcements this week

• CBS and Fox will retain Sunday daytime games.
• NBC will continue to host Sunday evening games.
• ESPN will keep Monday Night Football.
• NFL Network will continue to air select games throughout the season
• ABC will air the Super Bowl in 2026 and 2030.
• In the clearest signal yet that digital transformation is changing everything, Amazon has gained exclusive rights to Thursday Night NFL Football.

Compared to the current distribution deals, the networks are paying a 108% increase to carry NFL games from 2023-2033. All in, the NFL has sold the rights for around $105B compared to the $43B on the current rights deals.

Although most details have not yet been disclosed, all networks have reportedly received enhanced digital rights under the new agreements. It has been reported that CBS will stream Sunday afternoon AFC games on Paramount+. ABC/ESPN will be able to simulcast ESPN games on ESPN+, and in a huge move for Tubi, Fox has included the right to stream NFL games on the streaming service.

According to research from the Motion Picture Association, global online video streaming subscriptions reached 1.1B, +26% year over year accounting for $68.8B in global revenue.

If you have an Amazon Fire TV stick (or enabled TV), access to local news will likely no longer be a barrier to cord cutting. Amazon has announced that as of today (3/19) they will begin rolling out live and on-demand local news to 88 markets. The local stations come from distributors including: ABC Owned TV station, CBSN, E.W. Scripps, Altice USA, Tegna and Cox.

The IAB NewFronts have been announced for May 3 - 6. Amazon, Vizio, A+E Networks, Entercom, Estrella Media and Penske Media will be participating for the first time. Roku will kick off the NewFronts with BBC News, Buzzfeed, Condé Nast, Crackle Plus, Digitas, Ellen Digital, fuboTV, Meredith Corporation, Samsung Ads, Snap Inc., TikTok, Tubi, Twitter, Verizon Media, Vevo, VICE Media Group and YouTube all returning.

Channel Factory, OpenAP, Oracle Advertising, Spectrum Reach, and Tegna will be presenting insights during the event.

The Village Soapbox will be taking a break next week. For those who celebrate, we wish you a Happy Passover!

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The opinions expressed here are the author's views and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillage.com/MyersBizNet.