Pengruin Random House Buys Publisher, Simon & Shuster

ViacomCBS to Sell Simon & Schuster to Penguin Random House for $2.175 Billion

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAC, VIACA) announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell the publishing business, Simon & Schuster (“Simon & Schuster”) to Penguin Random House LLC (“Penguin Random House”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA, for $2.175 billion in cash.

This divesture follows a strategic review of non-core assets ViacomCBS undertook early in 2020. Proceeds from the transaction will be used to invest in ViacomCBS’s strategic growth priorities, including in streaming, as well as to fund the dividend and pay down debt.

This transaction is the outcome of a highly competitive auction that attracted interest from buyers around the world, reflecting Simon & Schuster’s position as one of the world’s best known publishing brands. Simon & Schuster has more than 30 publishing units across adult, children, audio and international. Its portfolio of best-selling authors includes Stephen King, Doris Kearns Goodwin and Jason Reynolds, and it owns a rich backlist of perennial favorite titles such as Catch-22 and The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

The transaction is expected to close in 2021, subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals. Upon close, Simon & Schuster will continue to be managed as a separate publishing unit under the Penguin Random House umbrella, and Jonathan Karp, President & CEO of Simon & Schuster, and Dennis Eulau, COO and CFO, will continue at the helm of the publishing house.

LionTree Advisors is acting as the exclusive financial advisor and Shearman & Sterling LLP is acting as legal advisor to ViacomCBS in this transaction.

Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements:

 

This communication contains both historical and forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements within the meaning of section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Similarly, statements that describe our objectives, plans or goals are or may be forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect our current expectations concerning future results and events; generally can be identified by the use of statements that include phrases such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “foresee,” “likely,” “will,” “may,” “could,” “estimate” or other similar words or phrases; and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that are difficult to predict and which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these statements. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include, among others: the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic (and other widespread health emergencies or pandemics) and measures taken in response thereto; technological developments, alternative content offerings and their effects in our markets and on consumer behavior; the impact on our advertising revenues of changes in consumers’ content viewership, deficiencies in audience measurement and advertising market conditions; the public acceptance of our brands, programming, films, published content and other entertainment content on the various platforms on which they are distributed; increased costs for programming, films and other rights; the loss of key talent; competition for content, audiences, advertising and distribution in consolidating industries; the potential for loss of carriage or other reduction in or the impact of negotiations for the distribution of our content; the risks and costs associated with the integration of the CBS Corporation and Viacom Inc. businesses and investments in new businesses, products, services and technologies; evolving cybersecurity and similar risks; the failure, destruction or breach of critical satellites or facilities; content theft; domestic and global political, economic and/or regulatory factors affecting our businesses generally; volatility in capital markets or a decrease in our debt ratings; strikes and other union activity; fluctuations in our results due to the timing, mix, number and availability of our films and other programming; losses due to asset impairment charges for goodwill, intangible assets, FCC licenses and programming; liabilities related to discontinued operations and former businesses; potential conflicts of interest arising from our ownership structure with a controlling stockholder; and other factors described in our news releases and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and reports on Form 10-Q and Form 8-K. There may be additional risks, uncertainties and factors that we do not currently view as material or that are not necessarily known. The forward-looking statements included in this communication are made only as of the date of this communication, and we do not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

About ViacomCBS:

ViacomCBS (NASDAQ: VIAC; VIACA) is a leading global media and entertainment company that creates premium content and experiences for audiences worldwide. Driven by iconic consumer brands, its portfolio includes CBS, Showtime Networks, Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, BET, CBS All Access, Pluto TV and Simon & Schuster, among others. The company delivers the largest share of the U.S. television audience and boasts one of the industry’s most important and extensive libraries of TV and film titles. In addition to offering innovative streaming services and digital video products, ViacomCBS provides powerful capabilities in production, distribution and advertising solutions for partners on five continents.

For more information about ViacomCBS, please visit www.viacomcbs.com and follow @ViacomCBS on social platforms.

About Simon & Schuster:

Simon & Schuster, a ViacomCBS Company, is a global leader in general interest publishing, dedicated to providing the best in fiction and nonfiction for readers of all ages, and in all printed, digital and audio formats. Its distinguished roster of authors includes many of the world’s most popular and widely recognized writers, and winners of the most prestigious literary honors and awards. It is home to numerous well-known imprints and divisions such as Simon & Schuster, Scribner, Atria Books, Gallery Books, Pocket Books, Adams Media, Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing and Simon & Schuster Audio and international companies in Australia, Canada, India and the United Kingdom, and proudly brings the works of its authors to readers in more than 200 countries and territories.

For more information, visit our website at www.simonandschuster.com.

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"Friends" Gets "Nick at Nite" Renewal

Nickelodeon Renews Hit Sitcom Friends for Nick at Nite as Part of Multi-Series ViacomCBS Syndication Deal

Net Presents “Super-Stuffed Friends-Giving” beginning Monday, Nov. 23, with Classic Episodes and Thanksgiving-Themed Marathon

Share it : @nickatnitetv

HOLLYWOOD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nickelodeon announced the renewal of the Emmy® Award-winning series Friends, from Warner Bros. Television, for its nighttime programming block Nick at Nite. The agreement, negotiated for ViacomCBS by Barbara Zaneri, Executive Vice President of Global Content Acquisitions, was part of a multi-year, multi-series deal that included several renewals of top-rated syndicated series from Warner Bros. Television that air across ViacomCBS' portfolio of cable networks. Also included in the deal were the off-network cable premiere rights to TV’s number-one comedy series, Young Sheldon, scheduled to begin on Nick at Nite on Monday, Nov. 30, 2020.

Year to date, Nick at Nite ranks as cable’s top network with Women 18-49 and is also currently delivering its highest share of Adults 18-49 since 2017. The highly successful NAN programming block of family comedies where Friends and Young Sheldon will air, also includes popular Warner Bros Television series such as Mom and Full House.

Beginning Monday, Nov. 23, 2020 at 9 p.m. (ET/PT), fans can celebrate Thanksgiving with their favorite friends as Nick at Nite presents “Super-Stuffed Friends-Giving,” featuring a lineup of classic Friends episodes with beloved funny moments from the series airing throughout the week, and a marathon of Thanksgiving-themed episodes on Thursday.

Friends, which debuted in 1994, follows the lives and loves of a close-knit group of friends while they navigate their way through their twenties living in New York City: siblings Ross (David Schwimmer) and Monica Geller (Courteney Cox), along with friends Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry), Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow), Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc) and Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston).

Friends was created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, who executive produced the series with Kevin Bright through Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television.

Nickelodeon, now in its 41st year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The brand includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, digital, location based experiences, publishing and feature films. For more information or artwork, visit www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of ViacomCBS Inc. (Nasdaq: VIACA, VIAC).

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2021 Grammy Award Nominations to Be Announced Nov. 24th

Save the Date: 63rd GRAMMY Awards® Nominations

Chair and Interim Recording Academy® President/CEO Harvey Mason Jr. and Eclectic Group of Music Creators to Reveal Nominees in All 84 Categories During the Virtual Livestream Event

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Recording Academy® will announce nominees for the 63rd Annual GRAMMY Awards® on Nov. 24, 2020. The hour-long livestream will begin at approximately 9:00 a.m. PT/12:00 p.m. ET with Chair and Interim Recording Academy President/CEO Harvey Mason Jr. reading categories and will be joined by past GRAMMY® winners, nominees and hopefuls from remote locations across the country. The nominations virtual livestream will be available to view on GRAMMY.com.

Immediately following, all nominees for the 84 categories will be released via press release, on GRAMMY.com, and the Recording Academy's social media platforms. The 63rd GRAMMY Awards will be broadcast in HDTV and 5.1 surround sound on the CBS Television Network, Sunday, Jan. 31, 2021 at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT.

Follow "Recording Academy / GRAMMYs" on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook and use #GRAMMYs to join the conversation as it unfolds on Nov. 24, 2020.

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CBS All Access Canada Now Streaming "Console Wars" Documentary

CBS All Access’ First Feature-Length Documentary “CONSOLE WARS” Now Available in Canada

From Legendary Television and CBS Studios, the Documentary Film Provides a Front Row Seat to the Iconic ‘90s Battle Between Video Game Companies Sega and Nintendo

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CBS All Access, ViacomCBS’ subscription video on-demand and live streaming service, today announced that its feature-length documentary CONSOLE WARS is available to stream on the service in Canada starting, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2020. CONSOLE WARS is currently available to stream for CBS All Access subscribers in the United States and marks the first feature-length documentary for both the service and Legendary Television.

An Official Selection of the 2020 SXSW Film Festival, CONSOLE WARS takes viewers back to 1990 when Sega, a fledgling arcade company, assembled a team of underdogs to take on the greatest video game company in the world, Nintendo. It was a once-in-a-lifetime, no-holds-barred conflict that pit brother against brother, kids against grownups, Sonic against Mario and American’s unique brand of capitalism against centuries-old Japanese tradition. For the first time ever, the men and women who fought on the front lines for Sega and Nintendo discuss this battle that defined a generation.

CONSOLE WARS is produced and directed by Jonah Tulis and Blake J. Harris, author of the bestselling book of the same name, and also produced by Legendary Television and CBS Studios. Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen, James Weaver, Josh Fagen (Point Grey Pictures) and Scott Rudin and Eli Bush (Scott Rudin Productions) are executive producers, and Julian Rosenberg (Circle of Confusion), Doug Blush (MadPix Films) and Katie Mustard produced the film.

About CBS All Access Canada:

CBS All Access is ViacomCBS’ direct-to-consumer digital subscription video-on-demand and live streaming service. For $5.99 CAD, CBS All Access offers Canadian viewers more than 8,500 commercial-free episodes on demand, spanning full current seasons of select CBS series, entire previous seasons and classic shows, as well as the ability to live stream CBSN, CBS News’ 24/7 streaming news service. CBS All Access is available in Canada at cbsallaccess.ca, on iOS and Android mobile and tablet devices, and connected device platforms including Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast and Roku devices. In addition, the service is now available on the newly launched Apple TV Channels.

To sign up for CBS All Access in Canada, visit: cbsallaccess.ca

About Legendary Television:

Legendary Television is a leading global full-service television studio specializing in financing, developing and producing quality genre and character-driven projects for multiple platforms. Championing compelling auteur-driven storytelling featuring renowned talent, Legendary’s Television roster includes: the reboot of the classic family adventure series LOST IN SPACE, for Netflix; CARNIVAL ROW, a fantasy noir drama starring Orlando Bloom and Cara Delevingne, for Amazon; and PACIFIC RIM, an original anime series expanding the story of the first two live action movies, for Netflix. Upcoming projects include: DUNE: THE SISTERHOOD, based on one of the most popular science fiction franchises of all time, for HBO Max; PAPER GIRLS, based on Brian K. Vaughan’s best-selling graphic novel, for Amazon; and DEBRIS, the sci-fi drama from J.H. Wyman and starring Jonathan Tucker and Riann Steele, for NBC. To learn more visit: www.legendary.com.

 

About CBS Studios:CBS Studios is one of the industry’s leading suppliers of programming with more than 70 series currently in production across broadcast and cable networks, streaming services and other emerging platforms. The Studio’s expansive portfolio spans a diverse slate of commercially successful and critically acclaimed scripted programming, genre-defining franchises including the ever-growing “Star Trek” universe, award-winning late night and daytime talk shows, and an extensive library of iconic intellectual property.

 

A review of Console Wars the original book is here.

 

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 Amazon wants me to inform you that the link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the ad below AND buy something(s).

 

 

ViacomCBS Announces New Streaming Video-on-Demand Service

VCNI to Launch a Premium SVOD Service for Audiences of All Ages with a Super-Sized Selection of the Best ViacomCBS Content

Service will premiere SHOWTIME® exclusively alongside CBS All Access originals

International roll-out from Q1 2021 – priority markets Australia, Latin America, Nordics

Roll-out in parallel with ongoing expansion of free streaming service, Pluto TV

LONDON & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As announced on the ViacomCBS Q2 Earnings call, ViacomCBS Networks International (VCNI), a division of ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAC), is launching a premium streaming service internationally, appealing to audiences of all ages with a competitively priced and super-sized selection of ‘must-see’ exclusives, premieres and box-sets from ViacomCBS’s much-loved entertainment brands.

The new SVOD service will start its international roll-out early in 2021, offering exclusive premieres of all new SHOWTIME series, including Halo and American Rust. CBS All Access originals will also premiere exclusively on the new service, such as Guilty Party and The Harper House. Building a bespoke content offering in select major territories from launch, the service will also combine movies from Paramount Pictures and premieres and box sets from Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon and Paramount Network, as well as originals from ViacomCBS International Studios in some markets.

The new SVOD service will be available to on-demand audiences of all ages by combining blockbuster and classic movies, premium scripted series, kids, comedy and entertainment, reality and specialist factual content and will eventually aim to match or exceed other streaming services with a selection of thousands of hours of content in every market.

David Lynn, President and CEO of VCNI, commented, “Launching a super-sized premium streaming service will be a game-changer for ViacomCBS and can help us become as powerful a player in international streaming as we are in linear TV. We will market a world-class content offering at a very competitive price, and we’re convinced it will have significant appeal for audiences everywhere and strong growth potential in every market.”

Launch priority will be given in 2021 to fast-growing OTT markets where ViacomCBS has identified the opportunity to become a leader in paid-for streaming based on its competitive position. These include: Australia, where its existing 10 All Access service will be rebranded and significantly expanded; Latin America, including Argentina, Brazil and Mexico; and, the Nordic countries.

ViacomCBS will work with existing distribution partners, as well as new distributors, to market the service to their subscribers, as well as retailing the service D2C.

Making best use of ViacomCBS’s unrivalled TV and film libraries and its global original content pipelines, the service will utilize the technology and platform that powers CBS All Access. The roll-out will be executed using ViacomCBS’s existing international infrastructure, which spans offices in more than 30 countries, to improve cost-efficiency and allow investment to be focused on-screen.

Pierluigi Gazzolo, President, Streaming for VCNI, added: “With more than 200 million new streaming subscriptions due to come online internationally by 2025, we’re very confident we can build a meaningful subscriber base in the next few years. ViacomCBS is one of a very small handful of elite content companies with broad enough content pipelines and deep enough content libraries to lead in all segments of the video entertainment market.”

The international launch of the new streaming service will progress in parallel to the ongoing roll-out of ViacomCBS’s free streaming service, Pluto TV, which recently debuted across Spanish-speaking Latin America countries, following previous launches in the UK and Germany. Having enjoyed phenomenal early growth in Latin America, the service has plans to expand into Brazil and Spain by the end of 2020 and France and Italy in 2021.

ViacomCBS will reveal the brand of this new super-service closer to launch.


ViacomCBS Networks International:
ViacomCBS Networks International, a unit of ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAC), comprises many of the world’s most iconic entertainment brands, including Network 10, Channel 5, Telefe, Viacom 18, ViacomCBS International Studios, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, BET, Paramount Network and Pluto TV. In addition to offering innovative streaming services and digital video products, ViacomCBS Networks International provides powerful capabilities in production, distribution and advertising solutions for partners on five continents and across more than 180 countries.

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"Young Sheldon" Joins "Nick at Nite's" Lineup in November 2020

Genius Loves Company as Top-Rated Sitcom "Young Sheldon" Joins Nick at Nite’s Family Comedy Lineup in November

HOLLYWOOD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nickelodeon announced it is adding TV’s number-one comedy series, Young Sheldon, to its Nick at Nite programming lineup this fall. Joining popular hit family comedies, including the Emmy®-winning series Friends, as well as George Lopez and Mom, Young Sheldon will premiere on Nickelodeon’s nighttime programming block in November, starting with the first three seasons (65 episodes), with latter seasons coming to Nick at Nite beginning fall 2021. Year to date, Nick at Nite ranks as cable’s top network with Women 18-49 and is also currently delivering its highest share of Adults 18-49 since 2016.

In the single camera, half-hour comedy Young Sheldon, viewers get the chance to meet the iconic, eccentric and extraordinary Sheldon Cooper in childhood in East Texas, as the young once-in-a-generation mind (series star Iain Armitage) embarks on his innocent, awkward and hopeful journey toward the man he will become in The Big Bang Theory. In addition to Armitage, Young Sheldon stars Zoe Perry, Lance Barber, Montana Jordan, and Raegan Revord, with Annie Potts and Jim Parsons, who narrates as the voice of Sheldon. Created by Chuck Lorre & Steven Molaro, the series is produced by Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc., in association with Warner Bros. Television.

Created by Chuck Lorre (The Big Bang Theory, Mom, Mike & Molly) and Steven Molaro (The Big Bang Theory, The Class), Young Sheldon is executive produced by Lorre, Molaro, Steve Holland, Jim Parsons and Todd Spiewak. Produced by Chuck Lorre Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television, the hit comedy series is distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. International Television Distribution.

Nickelodeon, now in its 41st year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The brand includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, digital, location based experiences, publishing and feature films. For more information or artwork, visit www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of ViacomCBS Inc. (Nasdaq: VIACA, VIAC).

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Nickelodeon's Animated "Star Trek: Prodigy" Gets a Director

Award-Winning Director and Producer Ben Hibon to Direct Nickelodeon’s Animated Series, Star Trek: Prodigy

Share it: @Nickelodeon @NickAnimation @StarTrekProdigy @StarTrek @CBSTVStudios

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nickelodeon and CBS Television Studios announced that award-winning director and producer Ben Hibon (Codehunters) will direct, co-executive produce and serve as the creative lead of Nickelodeon’s all-new animated series Star Trek: Prodigy. The CG-animated series, which expands the Star Trek Universe, follows a group of lawless teens who discover a derelict Starfleet ship and use it to search for adventure, meaning and salvation. Star Trek: Prodigy will debut exclusively on Nickelodeon in 2021 for a new generation of fans.

    “Getting the chance to work on an IP like Star Trek has been an incredible opportunity, particularly when partnered with the talented teams at Nickelodeon, CBS and Secret Hideout - who have been pushing the boundaries of what animation and serialized storytelling for younger audiences can deliver.”

“Ben’s contributions to the world of animation are immeasurable, and we are so lucky to have his vision and creative genius on Star Trek: Prodigy. As an incredible storyteller and a world builder with a distinct vision, his original approach paired with this beloved property will bring the characters to life in a whole new way,” said Ramsey Naito, Executive Vice President, Animation Production and Development, Nickelodeon Group.

Said Hibon, “Getting the chance to work on an IP like Star Trek has been an incredible opportunity, particularly when partnered with the talented teams at Nickelodeon, CBS and Secret Hideout - who have been pushing the boundaries of what animation and serialized storytelling for younger audiences can deliver.”

Hibon’s incredible gift as a storyteller parlayed him into directing the animated “Tale of Three Brothers” sequence in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (PART 1), which was nominated as part of Warner Bros.’ VFX submission to the Academy Awards. Hibon along with David Yates also won the British Animation Award for this sequence.

Star Trek: Prodigy will be from CBS’ Eye Animation Productions, CBS Television Studios’ new animation arm; Secret Hideout; and Roddenberry Entertainment. Alex Kurtzman, Heather Kadin, Katie Krentz, Rod Roddenberry and Trevor Roth will serve as executive producers alongside Kevin and Dan Hageman. Mac Middleton will serve as a producer with Aaron Baiers as co-executive producer.

Ben Hibon is represented by UTA; Goodman, Genow, Schenkman, Smelkinson & Christopher, LLP; Heitmann Entertainment’s Tarik Heitmann and Sentient’s Renee Tab.


About Nickelodeon:
Nickelodeon, now in its 41st year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The brand includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, digital, location-based experiences, publishing and feature films. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of ViacomCBS Inc. (Nasdaq: VIACA, VIAC).

About CBS Television Studios:
CBS Television Studios is one of the industry’s leading suppliers of programming with more than 70 series currently in production across broadcast and cable networks, streaming services and other emerging platforms. The Studio’s expansive portfolio spans a diverse slate of commercially successful and critically acclaimed scripted programming, genre-defining franchises including the ever-growing “Star Trek” universe, award-winning late night and daytime talk shows, and an extensive library of iconic intellectual property.

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Winners at The "BET Awards" 2020 Announced

Lizzo, Chris Brown, Migos, DaBaby, Megan Thee Stallion, Michael B. Jordan, Issa Rae, and "Queen & Slim" Take Top Honors at the “BET Awards” 2020

THE “BET AWARDS” 2020 OPENED WITH A POWERFUL PERFORMANCE OF PUBLIC ENEMY’S “FIGHT THE POWER” FEATURING CHUCK D, FLAVOR FLAV, NAS, BLACK THOUGHT, RAPSODY, QUESTLOVE, JAHI AND YG

BEYONCÉ KNOWLES-CARTER HONORED WITH HUMANITARIAN AWARD

GLOBAL SUPERSTAR LIL WAYNE HONORED THE MEMORY OF NBA LEGEND KOBE BRYANT WITH A MOVING TRIBUTE

ROCK AND ROLL HALL-OF-FAMER LITTLE RICHARD REMEMBERED WITH TRIBUTE FROM MULTI-TALENTED ACTOR/COMEDIAN WAYNE BRADY

ALICIA KEYS, CHLOE X HALLE, DABABY, D SMOKE, JENNIFER HUDSON, JOHN LEGEND, JONATHAN MCREYNOLDS, KANE BROWN, LIL WAYNE, LONR., MASEGO, MEGAN THEE STALLION, RODDY RICCH,  SIR, SUMMER WALKER, USHER, WAYNE BRADY AND MORE DELIVERED EXTRAORDINARY, NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN PERFORMANCES

#BETAWARDS

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BET honored an incredible and inspiring lineup of artists, entertainers, cultural icons and humanitarians across more than 20 categories at The “BET AWARDS” 2020. The show, hosted by actress and comedian Amanda Seales, aired live at 8 pm ET/7 pm CT across ViacomCBS networks including BET, BET HER, and made its national broadcast premiere on CBS on Sunday, June 28, 2020. 2020 marks both the 20th anniversary of the awards and BET’s 40th anniversary. This year’s show highlighted the absolute best in entertainment, social justice and culture with moving performances and appearances by some of the biggest names across television, film, and music; spreading an important message of hope and change.

The “BET AWARDS,” which has become synonymous with powerful artistry and social commentary, continues to spotlight and celebrate the artists and creators of tomorrow, making the ceremony one of the most news-provoking and talked-about broadcasts year after year.

This year’s awards used an array of innovative techniques, including stunning and dynamic artist-generated performances and packages, allowing the audience to immerse themselves in the important and inspirational messages of Black Lives Matter and the urgent need for racial equality. The ceremony was an extraordinary celebration of black culture, love, joy, and pride, setting a new bar for awards shows produced during the ongoing pandemic.

The “BET AWARDS” 2020 Show Highlights Include:

• Chuck D, Nas, Black Thought, Rapsody, Flavor Flav, Questlove, Jahi, YG opened the show with an amazing performance of their song “Fight the Power.”
• Anderson .Paak and Jay Rock followed, delivering a powerful and emotional rendition of the newly released song “Lockdown.” The song, which debuted this past Juneteenth, paints a detailed picture of the recent Black Lives Matter protests sparked by the tragic killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.
• Megan Thee Stallion performed her new single “Girls In the Hood” along with her hit song “Savage.” The remix of the song featuring Beyoncé became Megan’s highest-charting song, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
• Lil Wayne and Wayne Brady delivered emotional tributes to Kobe Bryant and Little Richard respectively. Brady sang renditions of Little Richard’s popular songs including “Lucille,” “Good Golly Miss Molly,” “Long Tall Sally” and “Tutti Frutti.”
• DaBaby and Roddy Ricch brought the house down during their performance of hit song “Rockstar,” which spent two weeks at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song was released as the second single of DaBaby’s third studio album “Blame It On Baby.”
• R&B sweetheart Summer Walker and pop icon Usher sang their hearts out while performing multiple songs including “Session 32" "Come Thru" / "You Make Me Wanna.”
• Jonathan McReynolds and Kane Brown took us all to church during their renditions of popular gospel songs "People" and "Worldwide Beautiful."
• Legendary gospel titans Kierra and Karen Clark Sheard of the iconic Clark Sisters delivered a power-packed rendition of the new song “Something Has to Break” from Kierra’s newly released sixth album “Kierra,” which debuted at number one on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums.
• Introduced by former First Lady Michelle Obama, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter accepted the Humanitarian Award for her years of her philanthropic service. Her heartfelt speech urged viewers to continue to fight against systemic racism by voting.

In addition to all of these must-see moments, the complete list of winners for The “BET AWARDS” 2020 can be found below:

BEST FEMALE R&B/POP ARTIST
LIZZO

BEST MALE R&B/POP ARTIST
CHRIS BROWN

BEST GROUP
MIGOS

BEST COLLABORATION
CHRIS BROWN FT. DRAKE - “NO GUIDANCE”

BEST MALE HIP HOP ARTIST
DABABY

BEST FEMALE HIP HOP ARTIST
MEGAN THEE STALLION

VIDEO OF THE YEAR
DJ KHALED FT. NIPSEY HUSSLE & JOHN LEGEND - “HIGHER”

VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
TEYANA "SPIKE TEE" TAYLOR

BEST NEW ARTIST
RODDY RICCH

DR. BOBBY JONES BEST GOSPEL/INSPIRATIONAL AWARD
KIRK FRANKLIN - “JUST FOR ME”

BEST ACTRESS
ISSA RAE

BEST ACTOR
MICHAEL B. JORDAN

YOUNGSTARS AWARD
MARSAI MARTIN

BEST MOVIE
QUEEN & SLIM

SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR
SIMONE BILES

SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR
LEBRON JAMES

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
PLEASE EXCUSE ME FOR BEING ANTISOCIAL (RODDY RICCH)

BET HER AWARD
BEYONCÉ FT. BLUE IVY CARTER, WIZKID & SAINT JHN “BROWN SKIN GIRL”

BEST INTERNATIONAL ACT
BURNA BOY (NIGERIA)

VIEWERS’ CHOICE: BEST NEW INTERNATIONAL ACT
SHA SHA (ZIMBABWE)

For the latest The “BET AWARDS” 2020 news and updates, please visit BET.com/Awards.

Connie Orlando, EVP of Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy at BET and Jesse Collins, CEO of Jesse Collins Entertainment serves as Executive Producers for The “BET Awards” 2020 broadcast special.

Internationally, the show simulcast on BET Africa at 2 am CAT on June 29th, followed by international broadcasts in the UK on June 29th at 9 pm BST, France on June 30th at 8:45 pm CEST and in South Korea on June 30th at 9 pm KST.


ABOUT BET NETWORKS:
BET, a subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIACA, VIAC), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news, and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel is in 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, sub-Saharan Africa, and France. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions including BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET HER, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks - BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.

ABOUT “BET AWARDS”:
The “BET Awards” is one of the most watched award shows on cable television according to the Nielsen Company. The “BET Awards” franchise remains as the #1 program in cable TV history among African-Americans, and it is BET's #1 telecast every year. It recognizes the triumphs and successes of artists, entertainers, and athletes in a variety of categories.

ABOUT JESSE COLLINS ENTERTAINMENT:
Jesse Collins Entertainment (JCE) is a full service television and film production company founded by entertainment industry veteran, NAACP Image® Award winner and Emmy® Award nominee Jesse Collins. For more than a decade, the company has played an integral role in producing some of television’s most memorable moments in music entertainment. JCE produced the critically acclaimed biopic The New Edition Story, the story on the boy band that aired as a 3-part mini-series and posted record ratings for BET and attracted nearly 30 million viewers. It was followed by The Bobby Brown Story, which chronicled the talented but troubled singer’s exit from the popular ’80s boy band through his solo success, and was the highest rated non-tentpole program on the network since The New Edition Story. The next mini-series for JCE is Uptown, a 3-part original scripted miniseries for BET that will chronicle the story of producer Andre Harrell’s iconic record label, Uptown Records. The company’s current scripted TV series is American Soul, the story about the struggle to make the dream of Soul Train, the first nationally-syndicated Black music show, come true. It ended its first season as the #1 new cable scripted drama for African Americans 18-49 and its second season debuts in May 2020. Previously, JCE produced BET’s hit TV series Real Husbands of Hollywood starring Kevin Hart that ran for 5 seasons. On the unscripted side, JCE produces annual live specials — the BET Awards, Soul Train Awards and the BET Hip Hop Awards. Past credits include Black Girls Rock!, UNCF’s An Evening of Stars, ABFF Honors, BET Honors, Love & Happiness: An Obama Farewell, VH1’s Dear Mama, HBO’s Amanda Seales I Be Knowin;’ Netflix’s Def Comedy Jam 25 and Leslie Jones: Time Machine. JCE’s game shows include VH1’s Hip Hop Squares with Ice Cube and CMT’s Nashville Squares. Its music competition series on BET, Sunday Best is now in its 10th season and Netflix’s Rhythm & Flow featuring judges Tip “T.I.” Harris, Cardi B and Chance the Rapper will soon begin production on its second season that will air in 2021. Collins is also a producer for The Grammy Awards. He was on Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop 100 Power Players list, has been featured on the cover of Vibe magazine and in numerous publications including Ebony magazine’s Power 100 issue. Go to http://www.jessecollinsent.com/ for more information on the company.

Follow us @BET_PR AND @BETAWARDS

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The "BET Awards" 2020 Nominations Have Been Announced

BET Announces Official Nominations for The “BET Awards” 2020

CBS Joins as Broadcast Partner to Simulcast The “BET Awards” 2020 Set to Air on Sunday, June 28, 2020 From 8:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT

Drake Leads With Six Nominations

Megan Thee Stallion and Roddy Ricch Follow With Five Nominations

Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj, Chris Brown, Lizzo and DaBaby Tie With Four Nominations Each

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BET announced The “BET Awards” 2020 nominees with Drake leading the pack with six nominations. This year’s nominees reflect an abundance of creative expression and black excellence across music, television, film, sports, and philanthropy. The “BET AWARDS” 2020 will simulcast LIVE at 8 pm ET across ViacomCBS networks including BET, BET HER, and will make its national broadcast premiere on CBS on Sunday, June 28, 2020 (8:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT, 7:00-10:00 PM, CT).

Drake returns to the top spot securing six nods, including ‘Best Male Hip Hop Artist,’ ‘Video of the Year,’ and two nods for both ‘Best Collaboration’ and ‘Viewer’s Choice’ for his features alongside Chris Brown ( No Guidance) and Future (Life Is Good).

Newcomers Megan Thee Stallion and Roddy Ricch garnered the second most nods with five nominations each. Megan Thee Stallion nominations include ‘Best Female Hip Hop,’ ‘Best Collaboration,’ ‘Video of the Year,’ ‘Album of the Year,’ and ‘Viewer’s Choice Award.’ Roddy Ricch’s nods include ‘Best Male Hip Hop,’ ‘Video of the Year,’ ‘Best New Artist,’ ‘Album of the Year,’ and ‘Viewer’s Choice Award.’ Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj, Chris Brown, Lizzo, and DaBaby are the third-highest with four nominations each.

In its twentieth year, the “BET AWARDS” continues its reign as the ultimate platform to showcase the best and most beautiful aspects of the Black experience – celebrating Black music’s present and future, and elevating the culture and being a driving force for social change. BET recognizes artists, entertainers, and athletes across 21 categories with The “BET Awards” 2020 nominations. The nominations are selected by BET’s Voting Academy, which is composed of fans and an esteemed group of entertainment professionals in the fields of television, film, music, social media, digital marketing, sports journalism, public relations, and creative arts.

Internationally, the show will simulcast on BET Africa at 2am CAT on June 29th, followed by international broadcasts in the UK on June 29th at 9pm BST, France on June 30th at 9:45pm CEST and in South Korea on June 30th at 9pm KST.

The complete list of nominees for The “BET AWARDS” 2020 are:

BEST FEMALE R&B/POP ARTIST
BEYONCÉ
H.E.R.
JHENE AIKO
KEHLANI
SUMMER WALKER

BEST MALE R&B/POP ARTIST
ANDERSON .PAAK
CHRIS BROWN
JACQUEES
KHALID
THE WEEKND
USHER

BEST GROUP
CHLOE X HALLE
CITY GIRLS
EARTHGANG
GRISELDA
JACKBOYS

BEST COLLABORATION
CHRIS BROWN FT. DRAKE - NO GUIDANCE

DJ KHALED FT. NIPSEY HUSSLE & JOHN LEGEND - HIGHER

FUTURE FT. DRAKE - LIFE IS GOOD

H.E.R. FT. YG - SLIDE

MEGAN THEE STALLION FT. NICKI MINAJ & TY DOLLA $IGN - HOT GIRL SUMMER

WALE FT. JEREMIH - ON CHILL

BEST MALE HIP HOP ARTIST
DABABY
DRAKE
FUTURE
LIL BABY
RODDY RICCH
TRAVIS SCOTT

BEST FEMALE HIP HOP ARTIST
CARDI B
DOJA CAT
LIZZO
MEGAN THEE STALLION
NICKI MINAJ
SAWEETIE

VIDEO OF THE YEAR
CHRIS BROWN FT. DRAKE - NO GUIDANCE

DABABY - BOP

DJ KHALED FT. NIPSEY HUSSLE & JOHN LEGEND - HIGHER

DOJA CAT - SAY SO

MEGAN THEE STALLION FT. NICKI MINAJ & TY DOLLA $IGN - HOT GIRL SUMMER

RODDY RICCH - THE BOX

VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
BENNY BOOM
COLE BENNETT
DAVE MEYERS
DIRECTOR X
EIF RIVERA
TEYANA "SPIKE TEE" TAYLOR

BEST NEW ARTIST
DANILEIGH
LIL NAS X
POP SMOKE
RODDY RICCH
SUMMER WALKER
YBN CORDAE

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
CUZ I LOVE YOU - LIZZO

FEVER - MEGAN THEE STALLION

HOMECOMING: THE LIVE ALBUM - BEYONCÉ

I USED TO KNOW HER - H.E.R.

KIRK - DABABY

PLEASE EXCUSE ME FOR BEING ANTISOCIAL -RODDY RICCH

DR. BOBBY JONES BEST GOSPEL/INSPIRATIONAL AWARD
FRED HAMMOND - ALRIGHT

JOHN P. KEE FT. ZACARDI CORTEZ - I MADE IT OUT

KANYE WEST - FOLLOW GOD

KIRK FRANKLIN - JUST FOR ME

PJ MORTON FT. LE'ANDRIA JOHNSON & MARY MARY- ALL IN HIS PLAN

THE CLARK SISTERS - VICTORY

BEST ACTRESS
ANGELA BASSETT
CYNTHIA ERIVO
ISSA RAE
REGINA KING
TRACEE ELLIS ROSS
ZENDAYA

BEST ACTOR
BILLY PORTER
EDDIE MURPHY
FOREST WHITAKER
JAMIE FOXX
MICHAEL B. JORDAN
OMARI HARDWICK

YOUNGSTARS AWARD
ALEX HIBBERT
ASANTE BLACKK
JAHI DI’ALLO WINSTON
MARSAI MARTIN
MILES BROWN
STORM REID

BEST MOVIE
BAD BOYS FOR LIFE
DOLEMITE IS MY NAME
HARRIET
HOMECOMING: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ
JUST MERCY
QUEEN & SLIM

SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR
AJEÉ WILSON
CLARESSA SHIELDS
COCO GAUFF
NAOMI OSAKA
SERENA WILLIAMS
SIMONE BILES

SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR
GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO
KAWHI LEONARD
LEBRON JAMES
ODELL BECKHAM JR.
PATRICK MAHOMES II
STEPHEN CURRY

BET HER AWARD
ALICIA KEYS - UNDERDOG

BEYONCÉ FT. BLUE IVY CARTER, WIZKID & SAINT JHN - BROWN SKIN GIRL

CIARA FT. LUPITA NYONG'O, ESTER DEAN, CITY GIRLS & LA LA - MELANIN

LAYTON GREENE - I CHOOSE

LIZZO FT. MISSY ELLIOT - TEMPO

RAPSODY FT. PJ MORTON - AFENI

VIEWER’S CHOICE AWARD
CHRIS BROWN FT. DRAKE - NO GUIDANCE

DABABY - BOP

FUTURE FT. DRAKE - LIFE IS GOOD

MEGAN THEE STALLION FT. NICKI MINAJ & TY DOLLA $IGN - HOT GIRL SUMMER

RODDY RICCH - THE BOX

THE WEEKND - HEARTLESS

BEST INTERNATIONAL ACT
BURNA BOY (NIGERIA)
INNOSS’B (DRC)
SHO MADJOZI (S. AFRICA)
DAVE (U.K.)
STORMZY (U.K.)
NINHO (FRANCE)
S.PRI NOIR (FRANCE)

VIEWERS’ CHOICE: BEST NEW INTERNATIONAL ACT
REMA (NIGERIA)
SHA SHA (ZIMBABWE)
CELESTE (U.K.)
YOUNG T & BUGSEY (U.K.)
HATIK (FRANCE)
STACY (FRANCE)

Connie Orlando, EVP of Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy at BET and Jesse Collins, CEO of Jesse Collins Entertainment serves as Executive Producers for The “BET Awards” 2020 broadcast special.

For the latest The “BET AWARDS” 2020 news and updates, please visit BET.com/Awards.


ABOUT BET NETWORKS
BET, a subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIACA, VIAC), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news, and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel is in 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, sub-Saharan Africa, and France. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions including BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET HER, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks - BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.

ABOUT “BET AWARDS”
The “BET Awards” is one of the most watched award shows on cable television according to the Nielsen Company. The “BET Awards” franchise remains as the #1 program in cable TV history among African-Americans, and it is BET's #1 telecast every year. It recognizes the triumphs and successes of artists, entertainers, and athletes in a variety of categories.

ABOUT JESSE COLLINS ENTERTAINMENT
Jesse Collins Entertainment (JCE) is a full service television and film production company founded by entertainment industry veteran, NAACP Image® Award winner and Emmy® Award nominee Jesse Collins. For more than a decade, the company has played an integral role in producing some of television’s most memorable moments in music entertainment. JCE produced the critically acclaimed biopic The New Edition Story, the story on the boy band that aired as a 3-part mini-series and posted record ratings for BET and attracted nearly 30 million viewers. It was followed by The Bobby Brown Story, which chronicled the talented but troubled singer’s exit from the popular ’80s boy band through his solo success, and was the highest rated non-tentpole program on the network since The New Edition Story. The next mini-series for JCE is Uptown, a 3-part original scripted miniseries for BET that will chronicle the story of producer Andre Harrell’s iconic record label, Uptown Records. The company’s current scripted TV series is American Soul, the story about the struggle to make the dream of Soul Train, the first nationally-syndicated Black music show, come true. It ended its first season as the #1 new cable scripted drama for African Americans 18-49 and its second season debuts in May 2020. Previously, JCE produced BET’s hit TV series Real Husbands of Hollywood starring Kevin Hart that ran for 5 seasons. On the unscripted side, JCE produces annual live specials — the BET Awards, Soul Train Awards and the BET Hip Hop Awards. Past credits include Black Girls Rock!, UNCF’s An Evening of Stars, ABFF Honors, BET Honors, Love & Happiness: An Obama Farewell, VH1’s Dear Mama, HBO’s Amanda Seales I Be Knowin;’ Netflix’s Def Comedy Jam 25 and Leslie Jones: Time Machine. JCE’s game shows include VH1’s Hip Hop Squares with Ice Cube and CMT’s Nashville Squares. Its music competition series on BET, Sunday Best is now in its 10th season and Netflix’s Rhythm & Flow featuring judges Tip “T.I.” Harris, Cardi B and Chance the Rapper will soon begin production on its second season that will air in 2021. Collins is also a producer for The Grammy Awards. He was on Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop 100 Power Players list, has been featured on the cover of Vibe magazine and in numerous publications including Ebony magazine’s Power 100 issue. Go to http://www.jessecollinsent.com/ for more information on the company.

Follow @BET_PR AND @BETAWARD

------------------------

CBS Reveals in 2020-2021 Primetime Lineup

CBS Unveils 2020-2021 Primetime Lineup; 3 New Series Join 23 Returning Shows

New Comedy B POSITIVE Airs Thursday at 8:30 PM, Out of YOUNG SHELDON and New Drama THE EQUALIZER Follows 60 MINUTES on Sunday at 8:00 PM

"CLARICE" to Premiere Mid-Season

Network’s Fall Schedule Features Perennial Strength and Stability with Big New Show Launches on Thursday and Sunday

CBS Lineup Includes the Return of #1 Series NCIS, #1 Comedy YOUNG SHELDON, #1 New Comedy BOB ♥ ABISHOLA, #1 New Series FBI: MOST WANTED and #1 News Program 60 MINUTES

Five Freshman Series Return for a Second Season

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CBS unveiled its new 2020-2021 primetime programming lineup featuring one new comedy, two new dramas and 23 returning series. Additional new series will be announced at a later date. For 2019-2020, the Network finished #1 for the 12th straight season, winning 17 of the past 18 seasons.

The two new shows for fall include the comedy B POSITIVE, from award-winning executive producer, writer and creator Chuck Lorre and Marco Pennette, starring Emmy Award nominee Thomas Middleditch and Tony Award winner Annaleigh Ashford, and the drama THE EQUALIZER, starring Academy Award nominee and multi-hyphenate Queen Latifah.

The shows debuting later in the season include the new drama CLARICE from acclaimed executive producers Alex Kurtzman and Jenny Lumet, starring Rebecca Breeds in the title role, and returning favorites S.W.A.T. and UNDERCOVER BOSS.

In addition, CBS will broadcast SUPER BOWL LV on Feb. 7, 2021.

“We’re excited to come off another season as America’s Most Watched Network and, despite the obvious challenges around us, put together another winning lineup,” said Kelly Kahl, President, CBS Entertainment. “Next season, we’ll have five breakout returning freshman series and three compelling new shows placed into a schedule with the incredible stability for which CBS is so well known. Couple that with our broadcast of SUPER BOWL LV next February, and CBS is simply loaded with a lineup that will clearly appeal to both our advertising partners and our loyal viewers.”

CBS’ new fall schedule features perennial strength and stability, plus big new show additions on Thursday and Sunday.

MONDAYS – Monday’s lineup returns intact. The one-hour comedy block of THE NEIGHBORHOOD followed by #1 new comedy BOB ♥ ABISHOLA opens the night from 8:00-9:00 PM, where both shows rank among the top comedies on television, with larger audiences than every comedy on all other networks. At 9:00 PM, one of the top-rated freshman dramas on television ALL RISE returns starring Simone Missick, followed by BULL, Monday’s #1 entertainment program, at 10:00 PM, averaging over 10.5 million viewers.

TUESDAYS – Tuesday’s dominant lineup remains intact, with the three returning dramas delivering +13 million viewers for the night. NCIS, the #1 series on television that averages over 15.33 million viewers, opens the night at 8:00 PM when it returns for its 18th season. At 9:00 PM, FBI, which averages 12.55 million viewers, returns for its third season, followed by #1 new series FBI: MOST WANTED with 10.2 million viewers at 10:00 PM.

WEDNESDAYS – Wednesday’s solid schedule adds more reality and adventure. SURVIVOR hosted by Jeff Probst, again starts off the night at 8:00 PM, where it was watched this season by nearly 10 million viewers and is CBS’ #1 broadcast in key demos. At 9:00 PM, a fall edition of the multiple Emmy Award-winning THE AMAZING RACE hosted by Phil Keoghan begins another trek around the world. Then at 10:00 PM, the fourth season of military drama SEAL TEAM, starring David Boreanaz, returns to close out the night.

THURSDAYS – Thursday’s schedule adds one new notable comedy. YOUNG SHELDON, television’s #1 comedy, again anchors the night and is the lead-in for the new comedy B POSITIVE at 8:30 PM. Next, at 9:00 PM is television’s #2 comedy MOM, starring Anna Faris and Emmy and Academy Award winner Allison Janney, followed by the #2 new comedy, THE UNICORN, starring Walton Goggins at 9:30 PM. At 10:00 PM, award-winning producers Michelle and Robert King continue to examine the origins of evil in the critically acclaimed drama EVIL.

FRIDAYS – CBS’ most dominant night, where the Network is beating all others this season by +3.5 million viewers, returns intact. MACGYVER opens the night at 8:00 PM, leading into MAGNUM P.I. at 9:00 PM. Television’s #3 drama BLUE BLOODS returns at 10:00 PM, to cap one of television’s strongest nights.

SATURDAYS – CBS’ Saturday night lineup features CRIMETIME SATURDAY, encore broadcasts of the Network’s popular dramas at 8:00 PM and 9:00 PM, followed by the law and justice program 48 HOURS, Saturday’s #1 non-sports primetime series, at 10:00 PM.

SUNDAYS – CBS’ winning night adds a new high-profile drama. 60 MINUTES, television’s acclaimed #1 news program, returns for its 53rd season at 7:00 PM, providing a dominant lead-in for the new drama THE EQUALIZER, a reimagining of the classic series, at 8:00 PM. Next, the two most-watched entertainment programs on Sunday air back to back: NCIS: LOS ANGELES at 9:00 PM, followed by NCIS: NEW ORLEANS at 10:00 PM.

THE NEW FALL COMEDY:

B POSITIVE (Thursday, 8:30-9:00 PM)

B POSITIVE is from award-winning executive producer, writer and creator Chuck Lorre and Marco Pennette, and stars Emmy Award nominee Thomas Middleditch (“Silicon Valley”) and Tony Award winner Annaleigh Ashford (“Masters of Sex”). The comedy revolves around Drew (Middleditch), a therapist and newly divorced dad who is faced with finding a kidney donor when he runs into Gina (Ashford), a rough-around-the-edges woman from his past who volunteers her own. Together, they form an unlikely and life-affirming friendship as they begin a journey that will forever impact both of their lives. Chuck Lorre and Marco Pennette are executive producers for Warner Bros. Television and Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. James Burrows directed the pilot from a script by Pennette.

B POSITIVE stars Thomas Middleditch as Drew, Annaleigh Ashford as Gina, Kether Donohue as Leanne, Sara Rue as Julia and Kamryn Kunody as Maddie.

THE NEW FALL DRAMA:

THE EQUALIZER (Sunday, 8:00-9:00 PM)

THE EQUALIZER is a reimagining of the classic series starring Academy Award nominee and multi-hyphenate Queen Latifah (“Chicago,” “Bessie”) as Robyn McCall, an enigmatic woman with a mysterious background who uses her extensive skills to help those with nowhere else to turn. McCall presents to most as an average single mom who is quietly raising her teenage daughter. But to a trusted few, she is The Equalizer – an anonymous guardian angel and defender of the downtrodden, who’s also dogged in her pursuit of personal redemption. Andrew Marlowe, Terri Miller, Dana Owens (Queen Latifah), John Davis, John Fox, Debra Martin Chase, Richard Lindheim (co-creator of the original “Equalizer” TV series that ran on CBS for four seasons), Shakim Compere and Liz Friedlander (pilot only) are executive producers for Universal Television, a division of NBCUniversal Content Studios, in association with CBS Television Studios. Friedlander will direct the pilot episode from a script by Marlowe and Miller.

THE EQUALIZER stars Queen Latifah as Robyn McCall, Chris Noth as William Bishop, Lorraine Toussaint as Viola “Aunt Vi” Lascombe, Tory Kittles as Marcus Dante, Liza Lapira as Melody Zhao and Laya DeLeon Hayes as Delilah.

NEW DRAMA FOR MID-SEASON:

CLARICE, from acclaimed executive producers Alex Kurtzman and Jenny Lumet, and starring Rebecca Breeds (“Pretty Little Liars”) in the title role, is a deep dive into the untold personal story of FBI Agent Clarice Starling as she returns to the field in 1993, six months after the events of “The Silence of the Lambs.” Brilliant and vulnerable, Clarice’s bravery gives her an inner light that draws monsters and madmen to her. However, her complex psychological makeup that comes from a challenging childhood empowers her to begin to find her voice while working in a man’s world, as well as escape the family secrets that have haunted her throughout her life. Alex Kurtzman, Jenny Lumet, Elizabeth J.B. Klaviter and Heather Kadin are executive producers for MGM Television and CBS Television Studios in association with Secret Hideout. Aaron Baiers is a co-executive producer. Maja Vrvilo will direct the pilot episode from a script by Lumet and Kurtzman.

CLARICE stars Rebecca Breeds as Clarice Starling, Kal Penn as Emin Grigoriyan, Nick Sandow as Murray Clarke, Lucca de Oliveira as Tomas Esquivel, Michael Cudlitz as Paul Krendler and Devyn A. Tyler as Ardelia Mapp.

Click HERE for video preview packages that are available on CBS’ YouTube channel.

Follow CBS’ New Series Talent on Social Media:

#Clarice
Rebecca Breeds
Twitter: @BecEBreeds
Instagram: @rebeccaebreeds

Kal Penn
Twitter: @kalpenn
Instagram: @kalpenn

Nick Sandow
Twitter: N/A
Instagram: @NickSandow

Michael Cudlitz
Twitter: @cudlitz
Instagram: @cudlitz

Lucca De Oliveira
Twitter: @luccadeoliveir6
Instagram: @luccadeo_

Devyn A. Tyler
Twitter: N/A
Instagram: @devynariel

#TheEqualizer - Queen Latifah
Twitter:@IAMQUEENLATIFAH
Instagram: @queenlatifah

Chris Noth
Twitter: N/A
Instagram:@chrisnothofficial

Lorraine Toussaint
Twitter: @LPToussaint
Instagram:@lorrainetoussaint

Tory Kittles
Twitter: @torykittles
Instagram: @torykittles

Liza Lapira
Twitter: @lizalapira
Instagram: @lizalapira

Laya DeLeon Hayes
Twitter: @layahayes
Instagram:@layadeleonhayes

#BPositive - Thomas Middleditch
Twitter: N/A
Instagram: @tombini

Annaleigh Ashford
Twitter: N/A
Instagram:@annaleighashford

Kether Donohue
Twitter: @MsKetherDonohue
Instagram: @ketherdonohue

Sara Rue
Twitter: @sararueforreal
Instagram: @sararue

Kamryn Kunody
Twitter: @KamrynKunodz
Instagram: @KamrynKunodz


About ViacomCBS
ViacomCBS (NASDAQ: VIAC; VIACA) is a leading global media and entertainment company that creates premium content and experiences for audiences worldwide. Driven by iconic consumer brands, its portfolio includes CBS, Showtime Networks, Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, BET, CBS All Access, Pluto TV and Simon & Schuster, among others. The company delivers the largest share of the U.S. television audience and boasts one of the industry’s most important and extensive libraries of TV and film titles. In addition to offering innovative streaming services and digital video products, ViacomCBS provides powerful capabilities in production, distribution and advertising solutions for partners on five continents.

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CBS All Access Adds Paramount Pictures Titles to Its Service

CBS All Access Adds More Than 100 Films From Paramount Pictures

New Additions to CBS All Access’ Film Library Include “The Godfather” Trilogy, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape” and More

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CBS All Access, CBS’ digital subscription video on-demand and live streaming service, announced the addition of more than 100 films from Paramount Pictures’ library to the service. Titles include Oscar®-winning films like “The Godfather,” “Terms of Endearment” and “An Inconvenient Truth,” as well as other beloved classics like “Star Trek: First Contact,” “Patriot Games” and “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape.”

“Expanding CBS All Access’ library of films with these iconic titles from Paramount Pictures is just one of the many ways we’re integrating the phenomenal catalog of IP available to us within the ViacomCBS family,” said Julie McNamara, Executive Vice President & Head of Programming, CBS All Access. “The service is on a growth trajectory with two record-breaking months in March and April, and we look forward to bringing even more premium content and value to our subscribers in the coming months.”

CBS All Access recently experienced its best two months ever in April and March in terms of total streams, and the first half of 2020 now holds CBS All Access’ top two months ever in terms of new subscriber sign-ups of all time.

The Paramount Pictures titles available via CBS All Access also include “Airplane!,” “The Hours,” “The First Wives Club,” “Pretty in Pink” and “To Catch a Thief,” along with additional films in the “Star Trek” franchise. For a full list of films currently available on CBS All Access, please visit: https://www.cbs.com/movies/.


About CBS All Access:
CBS All Access is CBS’ direct-to-consumer digital subscription video on-demand and live streaming service. CBS All Access gives subscribers the ability to watch more than 15,000 episodes on demand – spanning exclusive original series, CBS Television Network’s primetime, daytime and late night shows, plus classic TV hits – as well as the ability to stream local CBS stations live across the U.S. CBS All Access’ original series include THE GOOD FIGHT, THE TWILIGHT ZONE, TELL ME A STORY, NO ACTIVITY, WHY WOMEN KILL, INTERROGATION and TOONING OUT THE NEWS, as well as the upcoming event series THE STAND, THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH and THE HARPER HOUSE. CBS All Access is also the exclusive domestic home to STAR TREK: DISCOVERY, STAR TREK: PICARD and the upcoming animated series STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS. CBS All Access also includes the ability to stream CBS Interactive’s other live channels, CBSN for 24/7 news, CBS Sports HQ for sports news and analysis, and ET Live for entertainment coverage.

The service is currently available online at CBS.com, on mobile devices via the CBS app for iOS and Android, and on Roku Players, Apple TV, Chromecast, Android TV, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Fire TV, Samsung Smart TVs, Vizio Smartcast TVs, LG Smart TVs, Amazon Prime Video Channels and Apple TV channels. Versions of CBS All Access have now launched internationally in Canada and Australia (10 All Access), with unique but similar content and pricing plans. For more details on CBS All Access, please visit https://www.cbs.com/all-access.

About Paramount Pictures Corporation:
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of ViacomCBS (NASDAQ: VIAC; VIACA), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. Paramount controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Television, and Paramount Players. PPC operations also include Paramount Home Entertainment, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.

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CBS is "America's Most Watched Network" Again

CBS Will Finish the 2019-2020 Season as America’s Most-Watched Network for 12th Straight Year

Network Wins 18 Out of Season’s 33 Weeks to-Date, Including Last 13 in a Row

Wins Crown for 17th Time in 18 Years

Has Season’s Top Series (NCIS) and Top Comedy (YOUNG SHELDON)

#1 Network Has Reached Almost 224 Million Unique Viewers This Season Across All Dayparts

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CBS will finish the 2019-2020 season as “America’s Most-Watched Network” for the 12th straight season with a lead of over +1 million viewers. This will be the Network’s 17th win in the last 18 years. So far, CBS has won an incredible 18 out of 33 weeks this year, including the last 13 in a row, to take the crown yet again. The feat is even more impressive when considering that the Network did not have the Super Bowl this year. CBS is also #1 in late night and daytime, sweeping all three key dayparts for the fourth consecutive year.

CBS is now averaging 7.74 million viewers, +1.1 million viewers, or +17% ahead of second-place NBC (versus 6.63m), +21% ahead of Fox (6.40m) and +40% ahead of ABC (5.51m). All numbers are according to Nielsen most current ratings through Sunday, May 10.

According to Nielsen NPower (6+ minute qualifier), CBS has reached almost 224 million (223.87m) unique viewers this season across all dayparts, beating its closest competitor (Super Bowl-powered Fox, 223.53m) by +340 thousand viewers.

The following are some additional highlights of CBS’ winning 2019-2020 season:

•     CBS has 14 of the top 30 “most-watched” broadcast series. More than any other network.
•     CBS has 11 time-period-winning programs, more than all other networks combined.
•     Seven CBS series are averaging 10+ million viewers, more than any other network.
•     CBS has the top five comedies and eight of the top 10 – more than the other networks combined.
•     CBS has the top three dramas and 10 of the top 20 broadcast dramas – as many as all the other networks combined.
•     NCIS is the season’s most-watched series and drama averaging 15.3 million viewers per week.
•     YOUNG SHELDON is season’s most-watched comedy (11.4m), followed directly by MOM (8.5m), THE NEIGHBORHOOD (7.7m) and BOB ♥ ABISHOLA (7.5m). In fact, CBS has had the top comedy since the final season of “Friends” – the past 16 years.
•     FBI: MOST WANTED is the most-watched new series.
•     BOB ♥ ABISHOLA is the most-watched new comedy.
•     60 MINUTES is the most-watched news program.

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ViacomCBS and Google Expand Mutli-Year Deal

ViacomCBS and Google Announce Expanded Distribution Agreement

Comprehensive Deal Introduces 14 Additional ViacomCBS Cable Networks to YouTube TV, Including BET, Comedy Central, MTV and Nickelodeon

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ViacomCBS (NASDAQ: VIACA, VIAC) and Google announced a comprehensive, multi-year distribution agreement to deliver more content from ViacomCBS’ leading portfolio of news, entertainment and sports networks for YouTube TV subscribers. In addition to featuring continued carriage of CBS broadcast stations, CBS Sports Network, Pop TV, Smithsonian Channel, and The CW, the expanded agreement introduces 14 ViacomCBS channels to the live TV and on-demand subscription service.

BET, CMT, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Network, TV Land and VH1 will launch on YouTube TV this summer, providing more than two million subscribers with access to some of the most popular cable brands. BET Her, MTV2, Nick Jr., NickToons, TeenNick and MTV Classic will also launch on YouTube TV at a later date.

The deal also includes a continued commitment to distribute ViacomCBS’ premium subscription services, including SHOWTIME, on YouTube TV, as well as an extended partnership on the broader YouTube platforms.

“We are thrilled to have reached an expanded agreement with YouTube TV that recognizes the full power of our newly combined portfolio as ViacomCBS,” said Ray Hopkins, President, U.S. Networks Distribution, ViacomCBS. “Google has been an excellent partner, and we look forward to bringing even more of our entertainment networks to YouTube TV subscribers for the first time.”

"We're excited to launch ViacomCBS' portfolio on YouTube TV this summer, " said Lori Conkling, Global Head of Partnerships at YouTube TV. "Our expanded partnership delivers on our promise to offer a premium portfolio of content to our YouTube TV subscribers, as well as across the YouTube platforms."

YouTube TV is a subscription streaming service that lets you watch live and on-demand TV from 70+ top networks through a simple and award-winning experience. It offers live & local sports, news, shows, movies, and more, and can be watched on any screen (phone, tablet, TV, computer). Membership comes with free unlimited cloud DVR storage space to record all your favorites, personalized watch recommendations, and a family plan with 6 accounts per household so the whole family can enjoy.

Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.


About ViacomCBS
ViacomCBS (NASDAQ: VIAC; VIACA) is a leading global media and entertainment company that creates premium content and experiences for audiences worldwide. Driven by iconic consumer brands, its portfolio includes CBS, Showtime Networks, Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, BET, CBS All Access, Pluto TV and Simon & Schuster, among others. The company delivers the largest share of the U.S. television audience and boasts one of the industry’s most important and extensive libraries of TV and film titles. In addition to offering innovative streaming services and digital video products, ViacomCBS provides powerful capabilities in production, distribution and advertising solutions for partners on five continents.

For more information about ViacomCBS, please visit www.viacbs.com and follow @ViacomCBS on social platforms.

About Google
Google's mission is to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful. Through products and platforms like Search, Maps, Gmail, Android, Google Play, Chrome and YouTube, Google plays a meaningful role in the daily lives of billions of people and has become one of the most widely-known companies in the world. Google is a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc.

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from May 10th to 16th, 2020 - Update #29

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

Support Leroy on Patreon:

BLACK AMERICA AND COVID-19 - Crisis or... :

From TheVox:  (May 8th) - Social distancing arrests target people of color.

From YahooNews:  A tale of two parks: Enjoying the sun in wealthy Manhattan, social distancing under police scrutiny in the Bronx

From YahooGMA: (4/28) - Rana Zoe Mungin, a 30-year-old teacher from Brooklyn, died on Monday, April 27th for COVID-19.  She had twice been denied a test for the coronavirus after showing symptoms.  Her family and friends blame racial disparity in the health care system.

From RSNWashPost:  How COVID-19 is a perfect storm for Black Americans.

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From NBCNews:  Because COVID-19 is NOT killing enough black people fast enough for some people... Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old EMT worker, was killed in a botched police raid on the part of the Louisville Metro Police Department.

From ABCNews:  This article has a picture of the three Klansmen... I mean Louiville police officers who slaughtered Breonna Taylor.

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From NewYorkTimes:  Because COVID-19 isn't killing enough black people fast enough for some people... a timeline in the killing of Ahmaud Arbery.

From YahooSports:  NBA superstar and champion, LeBron James, speaks on the killing of Ahmaud Arbery.  "We're literally hunted everyday," James says.

From YahooSports:  NFL champion and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback, Tom Brady, signs letter on Ahmaud Arbery.

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From USAToday:  Because COVID-19 isn't killing enough black people fast enough for some people... Dreasjon "Sean" Reed was killed by the Indianapolis Metro Police Department on May 7th.

From TMZ:  Cops joke about "closed casket" funeral after killing Sean Reed.

CORONAVIRUS/COVID-19 NEWS:

From CDC:   The Centers for Disease Control has a "COVID Data Tracker."

From YahooNews:  Why does COVID-19 kill some people and hardly affects others?

From YahooNews:  Yahoo has a dedicated page of links updating news about COVID-19.

From Deadline:  The news site "Deadline" has a dedicated page for news about coronavirus and the film, TV, and entertainment industries.

From TheNewYorker:  The venerable magazine has a dedicate COVID-19 page free to all readers.

From YahooNews:  Re: the federal government's response to COVID-19: What if the most important election of our lifetime was the last one - 2016?

From YahooLife:  What is "happy hypoxia?"  And do you have this COVID-19 symptom?

From JuanCole:  Remeber when President Donald went crazy and suggested that we ingest household cleaning supplies and UV light to fight COVID-19.  Here is the video and commentary from Juan Cole.

From RSN:  Former U.S. Secretary of Labor (under President Bill Clinton), Robert Reich, list the new "class divides" with their inequalities that he says the COVID-19 pandemic has created.

From Grist:  The scientists that saw coronavirus coming are hunting for the next pandemic.

From YahooNews:  Senate majority leader, Sen. Mitch McConnell (Republican of Kentucky) blames former President Obama for current President Donald's piss-poor response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 OBIT:

From CNN:  Entertainer and magician, Roy Horn, has died at the age of 75, May 8, 2020 of complications of COVID-19.  Horn was best known as one-half of the Las Vegas animal and magic act, "Siegfried & Roy," with his partner Seigfried Fischbacher.

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS:

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Oscar-winner Danny Boyle is set to direct Micheal B. Jordan in the film, "Methuselah," which is based on the Biblical character.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Warner Bros. is remaking director Blake Edwards' 1979 comedy, "10," which originally starred Julie Andrews, Dudley Moore, and Bo Derek.

MOVIES - From Variety:  Universal Pictures has tapped Luca Guadagnino ("Call Me By Your Name") to direct its reboot of the film "Scarface."  Joel Coen and Ethan Coen wrote the latest version of the script.

DISNEY - From Variety:  Disney+ is in the early stages of developing the "Percy Jackson" book series as a live-action series.  Fox previously produced two live-action films based on the books by Rick Riordan.

MOVIES - From CNN:  Russell Crowe's thriller, "Unhinged," gets a July 1st, 2020 release date.  This may make it the first new film to arrive in movie theaters during the pandemic.

DISNEY - From Deadline:  Disney+ will stream a filmed version of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, "Hamilton." beginning July 3, 2020.  Director Tommy Kail, who also directed the musical, comprised the film version by shooting three live performances of the musical.  Disney paid $75 million for the worldwide rights to the movie.

From GQ:  Robert Pattinson shot his own cover for the latest "GQ" magazine and its "A Dispatch from Isolation" interview with him.  He talks about a number of things including his role in "The Batman" and his struggle to describe the plot of Christopher Nolan's "Tenet."

From THR:  For its Fall 2020 schedule, Fox is picking on "L.A.'s Finest," a scripted original series for cable provider, Spectrum.

From Deadline:  Ryan Murphy is working on an anthology spinoff of his hit FX series, "American Horror Story."  It will be titles "American Horror Stories."

From Variety:  There will be no Cannes Film Festival this year - even in the fall.

From Deadline:  Not even a basket of horrid "X-Men" can stop writer-producer Simon Kinberg's career trajectory.  Netflix has picked up his heist spec script, "Here Comes the Flood," for deal in the mid-7 figures.

From Deadline:  Kal Penn talks about CBS' 2020-2021 TV sequel to the 1991 Oscar-winning film, "Silence of the Lambs."

From Deadline:  CBS has picked up three new series for next season: The Equalizer reboot starring Queen Latifah; "Silence of the Lambs," sequel "Clarice," starring Rebecca Breeds; and the Chuck Lorre-Marco Pennette multi-camera comedy, "B Positive," headlined by Thomas Middleditch and Annaleigh Ashford.

OBITS:

From Deadline:  Veteran film and television character actor, Fred Willard, has died at the age of 86, Friday, May 15, 2020.  Willard was known for playing a long list of roles in various comedic films ("Best in Show" and "How High" to name a few) and television series ("Fernwood 2 Night" and "Everybody Loves Raymond" to name a few).  On IMDb, Willard has 311 credits.  He will be seen posthumously in the upcoming Netflix comedy, "Space Force," with Steve Carell.

From THR:  The comedian and actor, Jerry Stiller, has died at the age of 92, Monday, May 11, 2020.  He is best known for TV series.  First is for the recurring role of "George Costanza's" father, "Frank," on the NBC series, "Seinfeld" (1989-1998), from 1993 to 1998.   The second role is that of series regular, "Arthur Spooner," on CBS' "The King of Queens" (1998 to 2007).  Decades ago, Stiller was best known for being part of the comedy team of Stiller and Meara with the late Ann Meara, who would become his wife.  The couple had two children, actor and filmmaker, Ben Stiller, and

From Essence:  Noted R&B and soul singer, Betty Wright, has died at the age of 66, Sunday, May 10, 2020.  Noted for her use of the "whistle register," Wright had a number of hit songs.  His signature single was "Clean Up Woman" (1974), a top 10 hit on "Billboard" magazine's "Hot 100" and "R&B" charts.  In 1975, she had a hit with what is called a "proto-disco" song, "Where is the Love?"  She won a "Best R&B Song" Grammy Award for composing the song with Harry Wayne Casey and Richard Finch of "KC & the Sunshine Band."  Wright was also a prolific and prominent background vocalist who performed on recordings for a number of popular recording artists, including Gloria Estefan, Stevie Wonder, and David Byrne, to name a few.

From RollingStone:  One of the founding fathers of rock and roll music, Little Richard, has died at the age of 87, Saturday, May 9, 2020.  He combined blues and gospel music to create a thrilling new sound, and his flamboyant and gender-bending persona helped to create the sound and spirit of a new art form, rock and roll or rock 'n' roll music.  His best known recordings included "Tutti Frutti" (1955), "Long Tall Song" (1956), and "Good Golly, Miss Molly" (1958).  In 1986, Little Richard was among the first inductees of the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame."

From RollingStone:  Little Richard wrote this tribute to himself in 2010 for "Rolling Stone's" "100 Greatest Artists" issue.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from May 1st to 9th, 2020- Update #26

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

Support Leroy on Patreon:

BLACK AMERICA AND COVID-19 - Crisis or... :

From YahooNews:  A tale of two parks: Enjoying the sun in wealthy Manhattan, social distancing under police scrutiny in the Bronx

From YahooGMA: (4/28) - Rana Zoe Mungin, a 30-year-old teacher from Brooklyn, died on Monday, April 27th for COVID-19.  She had twice been denied a test for the coronavirus after showing symptoms.  Her family and friends blame racial disparity in the health care system.

From RSNWashPost:  How COVID-19 is a perfect storm for Black Americans.

CORONAVIRUS/COVID-19 NEWS - Hollywood and Beyond:

From YahooNews:  Why does COVID-19 kill some people and hardly affects others?

From YahooNews:  Yahoo has a dedicated page of links updating news about COVID-19.

From Deadline:  The news site "Deadline" has a dedicated page for news about coronavirus and the film, TV, and entertainment industries.

From TheNewYorker:  The venerable magazine has a dedicate COVID-19 page free to all readers.

From YahooNews:  Re: the federal government's response to COVID-19: What if the most important election of our lifetime was the last one - 2016?

From YahooLife:  What is "happy hypoxia?"  And do you have this COVID-19 symptom?

From YahooNews:  The U.S. Secret Service has 11 positive cases of COVID-19.

From CNN:  One of President Donald's personal valet has test positive for COVID-19.

From YahooNews:  Academy Award-winning actress and humanitarian, Angelina Jolie, has written a letter to top officials in the U.S. Congress asking them to increase SNAP benefits (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) in the next coronavirus legislation.  She said many children are going hungry due to job loss and not being in school due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

From YahooNews:  Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, Laurie Garrett, who has been predicting the global spread of contagious pathogens for decades sees dark times ahead of us because of COVID-19 and no medical miracle arriving anytime soon.

From YahooNews:  As states push ahead with reopening, CDC warns coronavirus cases and deaths are set to soar

From Deadline: (4/30) - Broadway actor, Nick Cordero, has taken a turn for the worse in his battle against COVID-19, including having tremendous lung damage.

From YahooFinance:  Sixteen prominent health officials have proposed giving American $50 a day to self-isolate until testing and treatment for COVID-19 is under control.

From YahooNews:  Anti-vaccination activists (or anti-vaxxers) have joined and in some cases have led the protests against COVID-19 stay-at-home orders.

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS:

CULTURE - From PulitzerPrizes:  The 2020 Pulitzer Prize Winners have been announced.

DISNEY+ - From Deadline:  Producer Jerry Bruckheimer is working on a TV series reboot of his Disney hit film series, "National Treasure."

STREAMING - From BleedingCool:  Director Spike Lee's next film, "Da 5 Bloods," will debut on Netflix June 12th.

POLITICS - From HuffPost:  Veteran Democratic strategist and political consultant, James Carville, warns President Donald about his "grifter campaign.

MOVIES - From RottenTomatoes:  Neve Campbell, who played the central character "Sidney Prescott" in the first four "Scream" films, may return for "Scream 5."

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  CBS has renewed 18 more of its TV series, bringing the total of renewed series to 23.  The network has cancelled four including Patricia Heaton's "Carol's Second Act."

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Filmmaker Ava DuVernay has named former Netflix executive, Sarah Bremner, as president of her ARRAY Filmworks.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  NASA, Tom Cruise, and crazy rich guy Elon Musk are working on a project that would be the first movie (an action-adventure) shot in outer space.

STREAMING - From Deadline:  The streaming service, "Peacock" (Universal), has chosen a showrunner for its reboot (the second) of "Battlestar Galactica."  It's Michael Lesslie, who was the lead writer and showrunner of AMC's "The Little Drummer Girl."

MOVIES - From Deadline:  MGM has won an auction for a production commitment to director Ron Howard's film, "Thirteen Lives," 2018 Thai cave rescue true story.

MOVIES - From Variety:  Because you asked for it... I guess... Paramount Pictures and Hasbro are rebooting the "G.I. Joe" film franchise.  This new film would be a follow-up to "Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins," which is still due October 23rd.

CELEBRITY - From YahooE:  Legendary actor Harrison Ford is once again the subject of an FAA (Federal Aviation Authority) investigation over his actions as pilot of a airplane.  He has been investigated several times, the most infamous being after he crashed a World War II era plane in 2015 that left Ford with a head wound.

ANIMATION - From THR:  Fox claims this is the real reason they fired TV music composer, Alf Clausen, from his job composing music for its long-running animated series, "The Simpson."

OBITS:

From RollingStone:  One of the founding fathers of rock and roll music, Little Richard, has died at the age of 87, Saturday, May 9, 2020.  He combined blues and gospel music to create a thrilling new sound, and his flamboyant and gender-bending persona helped to create the sound and spirit of a new art form, rock and roll or rock 'n' roll music.  His best known recordings included "Tutti Frutti" (1955), "Long Tall Song" (1956), and "Good Golly, Miss Molly" (1958).  In 1986, Little Richard was among the first inductees of the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame."

From RollingStone:  Music executive and record label founder, Andre Harrell, has died at the age of 59, Friday, May 8, 2020.  In 1986, he founded the highly influential music label, "Uptown Record," which was the home of artists such as Notorious B.I.G., Mary J. Blige, Heavy D & The Boyz, and Jodeci, to name a few.  Although they would eventually fall out, Harrell was also instrumental in the development of the career of Sean "Diddy" Combs.

From ESPN - Legendary NFL coach, Don Shula, has died at the age of 90, Monday, May 4, 2020.  Shula was the coach of the Baltimore Colts from 1963 to 1969, where he lead them to the 1968 NFL Championship (now called NFC Champion), before losing to the New York Jets in Super Bowl III.  He is best known for his stint as head coach of the Miami Dolphins (1970 to 1995), where he lead them to victories in Super Bowls VII and VIII and appearances in Super Bowls XVII and XIX.  The 1972 Dolphins finished the regular season 14-0 and won all their postseason games, including the Super Bowl, finishing 17-0, the only NFL team to finish the season with a perfect season.

From THR:  The actor Sam Lloyd has died at the age of 56, Friday, May 1, 2020.  Lloyd was best known for playing the role of "Ted Buckland" on the NBC-ABC sitcom, "Scrubs" (2001o2010), for 95 episodes.  Lloyd was also the nephew of actor Christopher Lloyd.

From Deadline:  The film and television director and writer, John Lafia, has died at the age of 63, Wednesday, April 29, 2020, reportedly by suicide.  Lafia was best known for co-writing the classic horror film, "Child's Play " (1988) and for directing its sequel "Child's Play" (1990).  He also wrote and directed the popular NBC disaster miniseries, "10.5" (2004) and "10.5: Apocalypse" (2006).