Lead-In Trump Launches ‘Vicious’ Attack on Press RTDNA warns members to watch their backs in wake of rhetorical lashing

BY JOHN EGGERTON He mocked CNN and the news media, journalists are at stood by as the crowd risk,” RTDNA incoming executive ETWEEN SPEECHES booed the news outlet director Dan Shelley said. “We calling for unity and an threateningly for perhaps urge reporters and photojournal- Bend to divisiveness last half a minute. ists to be vigilant, and to take week, President Donald Trump Cable talking heads whatever steps they feel necessary doubled down on his “us vs. talked openly about a pres- to protect their personal safety them” attacks on the mainstream ident unhinged and even while fulfilling their constitution- media, prompting the principal delusional. Former Sen. ally guaranteed duty to seek and broadcast and cable journalism Gordon Humphrey (R- report the truth.” association to warn its members N.H.) questioned Trump’s It wasn’t just pundits and about protecting their safety. President Donald Trump took aim mental fitness, suggesting journalists who question Trump’s At a campaign rally in Phoenix, at CNN, and drew applause and that Congress and the commitment to unity as well as Trump claimed his comments in catcalls, at a rally in Phoenix. cabinet should seriously his fitness for office. the wake of an Aug. 12 rally and consider whether he was According to a Quinnipiac subsequent violence in Charlot- ments, leaving out the “many fit to serve. “He is not a University poll, conducted before tesville, Va., widely criticized sides” comments and “very fine well man,” Humphrey told CNN. the president’s latest exercise for drawing a false equivalency people” characterization of some “He believes in his own lies.” He in calls for unity amidst divisive between racists and those who of those protesting with the neo- said that, behind the scenes, some rhetoric, 62% of the respondents opposed them, were “perfect” Nazis and racists — the parts of members of Congress agreed the said Trump is doing more to di- and were misreported by media his statements that prompted the president appeared mentally unfit. vide than unite the country. As to outlets he peppered with invec- criticism. The Radio Television Digital his fitness, 61% said he was not tives, from the familiar “fake” and The president mocked the News Association said the speech honest and 68% said he is not “dishonest” to “sick people” who small stature of ABC’s George contained his “most vicious at- “level-headed.” were unpatriotic and turned a Stephanopoulos, calling him tacks to date,” and also sounded In a separate Politico/Morning blind eye to violence. “Little George;” slammed The a warning. Consult poll, 53% of respondents But the media were quick New York Times as a failure; and “As long as the person with the said the president wasn’t moral, to point out that it was Trump referred to The Washington Post most powerful bully pulpit in the 55% said he wasn’t stable and misreporting his own state- as the lobbying arm of Amazon. world continues to attack verbally 58% said he was reckless. mememe

CABLE NETS GO BACK TO THE FUTURE SEVERAL CABLE NETWORKS are going back slain hip-hop pioneer (see Watchman, page 6). to the future this fall by resurrecting high-pro- “Bringing back the Biography brand is so file, unscripted series franchises in an effort to important for us,” Bryant said. lure back old fans as well as to bring in a new Also returning to the television stage in generation of viewers. September is MTV’s Unplugged. The series, On Labor Day (Sept. 4), A&E will bring back which first debuted in 1989, features musi- its Emmy-winning Biography series after a five- cal acts playing their most popular songs on Host Ben Bailey takes the Cash Cab wheel again. year hiatus. The series, which aired in syndica- acoustic instruments and bows Sept. 8 with tion before debuting on A&E in 1987 and ran pop music star Shawn Mendes. on FYI (formerly Bio) through 2012, will again Later this year, Discovery Channel will offer Discovery Group president Rich Ross profile the lives of marquee entertainers and a revival of game show Cash Cab, starring Ben said the familiarity of reboots like Cash Cab their impact on culture, executive VP and head Bailey, who originally drove the New York taxi gives such shows a leg up. “When you don’t of programming Elaine Frontain Bryant said. that gave unwitting passengers an opportunity have to resell a premise, it’s much easier to The first installment of the new series,The to win prizes during the show’s first run on the break through in a crowded environment,” he Notorious Life of Biggie Smalls, chronicles the network from 2005-12. said. — R. Thomas Umstead Reuters/Joshua Roberts Reuters/Joshua

4 BROADCASTING & CABLE AUGUST 28, 2017 BROADCASTINGCABLE.COM Lead-In

FATES AND FORTUNES EXEC MOVES OF THE WEEK THEY SAID IT n (1) MARY BARRA, the chairman and CEO of General Motors, “I believe this issue actually has joined The Walt Disney Co.’s board of directors. The addition unites conservatives and 1 puts Disney’s board at 12 members. Barra has served as chair- liberals. Conservatives like the man of GM’s board of directors since January 2016. n Newly minted E.W. Scripps president and CEO (2) ADAM SYMSON idea of media diversity across has promoted five executives: BRIAN LAWLOR as president of lo- the country; liberals don’t like cal media; LAURA TOMLIN as senior VP of national media; LISA the idea of huge corporate KNUTSON as executive VP and chief strategy officer; and TIM conglomerates controlling news WESOLOWSKI and WILLIAM APPLETON as executive VPs. n LINDA 2 delivery and local CARDENAS has been tapped to head Hulu’s viewer experience operations. She was previously senior VP of customer service at programming.” mortgage company SWBC. Her appointment follows the launch of Hulu’s live TV service. n (3) SHARON LEVY has been named — Chris Ruddy, Newsmax Media CEO, in an president of unscripted and scripted television for Endemol Aug. 23 interview with B&C, referring to the Shine North America. Levy comes aboard the company from pushback to the proposed Sinclair Broadcast Spike TV, where she was executive VP of original series. 3 Group-Tribune Media merger.

THE WATCHMAN Deputy editor Michael Malone’s weekly look at the programming scene ‘Narcos' Shifts on Netflix, and Biggie Still Notorious on A&E THE NEW SEASON of Narcos The Cali Cartel will be the fo- “partners all the way.” arrives on Netflix Sept. 1. With cus of season three, and that’s He was a fan of Biography, Pablo Escobar dead and gone, it. Plenty of other drug gangs which A&E ran repeats of in season three focuses on the might merit the spotlight 1987, began producing new Cali Cartel. Executive producer thereafter. “We’re certainly not episodes for in 1990 and Eric Newman describes the Cali winning the drug war any time Biggie: ended in 2012. “It was one of The Life of cabal as “a more evolved spe- soon,” Newman said. “We can our competitors,” Ford said. Notorious cies in the drug business” than go on a long time. I’ll do this as “I think I lost an Emmy to B.I.G. Escobar’s Medellín Cartel. long as they let me.” Biography!” “Escobar stood against the For another bit of rough and A&E gave Ford plenty of system,” Newman said. “Cali tumble programming, A&E Biography franchise, checks in creative freedom. Biggie was was the system.” offers up Biggie: The Life of with Puff Daddy, Biggie’s widow initially supposed to run for two Don’t expect to see Escobar, Notorious B.I.G. starting Sept. Faith Evans and his mother, hours, but the rough cut was who was played by Wagner 4. It’s been 20 years since Big- the charismatic Voletta Wal- strong enough to have A&E say Moura, in flashbacks. “His gie was murdered, and the film, lace, among others, for their yes to three. “I’m thrilled to be presence will be felt,” Newman marking the return of A&E’s insights on the famed Brooklyn the first film in this respected said. “But he won’t rapper. franchise,” Ford said. “I hope be seen.” Biggie shows “the intimate the Biggie film sets the tem- Newman is side of Biggie,” said director/ plate.” psyched to see executive producer Mark Ford. The Notorious B.I.G. is the Narcos shift so “I’ve rarely seen him portrayed uncommon hip-hop legend smoothly. “Going through his own story, told whose music is still widely from Escobar to the through his own words.” heard and appreciated. A trip Cali Cartel in a way Ford knew Voletta and Faith to Bed-Stuy, Ford said, reminds that is satisfying to from his time producing VH1’s one of Biggie’s bigness. “You the audience — to Behind the Music, which tackled can’t go two blocks without see we pulled that Biggie in 2001. The two are seeing his face somewhere,” off will make me re- executive producers in the A&E he said of the neighborhood’s ally happy,” he said. Netflix's Narcos project; Ford describes them as many murals.

6 BROADCASTING & CABLE AUGUST 28, 2017 BROADCASTINGCABLE.COM