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Streaming broadcast news site Cheddar has locked a deal with Twitch for a new eSports news show called “Cheddar Sports” and a live stream special at TwitchCon on October 27.

Starting Thursday, “Cheddar Sports” will deliver news, highlights stories from the world of eSports and gaming to viewers both on Twitch and across Cheddar’s syndication network. The show will also take advantage of Twitch’s interactive community engaging fans and viewers in on-air discussions.

“With a loyal fan base with a keen interest in eSports, we’ve already seen that Cheddar Sports is wildly popular on Twitch,” CEO Jon Steinberg told TheWrap.

Also Read: Cheddar TV Inks Distribution Deal With Hulu

Steinberg also said the show planned to focus more airtime on “the stars, competition highlights, and the latest on gear and technology.” Cheddar previously tested an always-on channel for Twitch earlier this year in the same category but decided...

Former The Fosters lead Danny Nucci is set for a key recurring role on ABC’s straight-to-series light crime drama The Rookie, starring and executive produced by Castle alum Nathan Fillion.

Written by former Castle executive producer/co-showrunner Alexi Hawley, The Rookie stars Fillion as John Nolan, the oldest rookie in the Lapd. At an age where most are at the peak of their career, Nolan cast aside his comfortable, small town life and moved to L.A. to pursue his dream of being a cop. Now, surrounded by rookies twenty years his junior, Nolan must navigate the dangerous, humorous and unpredictable world of a “young” cop, determined to make his second shot at life count.

Nucci will play Detective Sanford Motta, a tough major assault crimes detective in the station.

In addition to Fillion, the series stars Alyssa Diaz as Angela Lopez, Richard T. Jones as Sergeant Wade Grey,...

Sylvia Hoeks and Archie Madekwe have joined the upcoming Apple drama “See” in series regular roles.

The series is described as an epic, world-building drama set in the future. Hoeks will play Queen Kane, a spiritual and military political head. Madekwe will play Kofun, an intelligent son.

They join previously announced cast members Jason Momoa, Alfre Woodard, Yadira Guevara-Prip, and Nesta Cooper.

Hoeks recently starred in “Blade Runner 2049” as Luv and will appear in “The Girl in the Spider’s Web” as Camilla Salander. She is also known for her work in European television, having appeared in shows like “Overspel” and “Bloedverwanten.” She is repped by ICM.

Madekwe appeared in the 2018 miniseries version of “Les Misérables” as well as the British comedy film “Legacy.” He has also been cast in the upcoming series “Hang Ups.” He is repped by Curtis Brown Group.

Steven Knight wrote “See” and will serve as executive producer.

Yadira Guevara-Prip (Supernatural) and Nesta Cooper (Travelers) are set for key series regular roles in See, Apple’s straight-to-series drama, written by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight and directed by Francis Lawrence (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and Mockingjay Parts 1 & 2).

See, which hails from the scripted drama venture between Peter Chernin’s Chernin Entertainment and Endeavor Content, is an epic, world-building drama set in the future. Apple landed the hot TV package in a competitive situation in January.

Guevara-Prip will play Bow Lion, a young warrior. Cooper will portray Haniwa, a proud and determined young daughter.

The series is executive produced by Knight and Lawrence, alongside Chernin Entertainment’s Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping and Kristen Campo, and Jon Steinberg.

Guevara-Prip recurs on the CW’s Supernatural and was cast as a series regular on the spinoff pilot Wayward Sisters. Other TV credits include a recurring role on Amazon’s Mad Dogs...

Alfre Woodard has been cast as the female lead in Steven Knight’s (“Peaky Blinders”) futuristic Apple drama series “See.”

The “Luke Cage” star will play Paris, an advisor and priestess, on the mysterious sci-fi drama. She’ll star opposite “Aquaman” Jason Momoa, whose character is described as “a fearless warrior, leader and guardian.”

Further details about the series are being kept under wraps.

“See” is directed by Francis Lawrence and produced by Chernin Entertainment/Endeavor Content. The series is executive produced by Knight, Francis Lawrence, Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping, Kristen Campo, and Jon Steinberg.

The drama is one of nearly 20 original series Apple has in the pipeline as it aims to break into the content market. Among the big-name talent the tech company has enlisted for upcoming projects are Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston, Oprah Winfrey,...

ABC has released some of the trailers for its new comedies and dramas as part of the 2018-19 series orders. You can watch the first seven below.

The Kids Are Alright — Comedy

Produced by ABC Studios. From writer/executive producer Tim Doyle and director/executive producer Randall Einhorn.

Single Parents — Comedy

Produced by 20th Century Fox Television and ABC Studios. Writer writer/executive producer J.J. Philbin, executive producers Liz Meriwether, Katherine Pope and Jason Winer, who also directs.

The Fix — Drama

Produced by ABC Studios and Mandeville. From writers/executive producers Elizabeth Craft, Sarah Fain and Marcia Clark and executive producers David Hoberman Todd Lieberman and Laurie Zaks and director Larysa Kondracki.

Grand Hotel — Drama

Produced by ABC Studios, UnbeliEVAble and Beta. From writer/executive producer Brian Tanen and executive producers Eva Longoria, Ben Spector, Oliver Bachert, Christian Gock, Ramon Campos, Teresa Fernandez-Valdes and director Ken Olin.

A Million Little Things...

ABC has released the first trailers for their upcoming fall shows following the release of their 2018-2019 fall schedule on Tuesday.

Of the trailers released today, comedy “The Kids Are Alright” and dramas “The Rookie” and “A Million Little Things” will debut this fall. “Schooled,” “Whiskey Cavalier,” “Grand Hotel,” and “The Fix” will debut at midseason.

Watch the trailers and read the official series descriptions below.

“The Kids Are Alright”–Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m. Et

Set in the 1970s, this ensemble comedy follows a traditional Irish-Catholic family, the Clearys, as they navigate big and small changes during one of America’s most turbulent decades. In a working-class neighborhood outside Los Angeles, Mike and Peggy raise eight boisterous boys who live out their days with little supervision. The household is turned upside down when oldest son Lawrence returns home and announces he’s quitting the seminary to go off and “save the world.

“We got some new blood this morning. Officer Bishop – you get to ride with the 40-year-old rookie.”

That rookie is Lapd Officer John Nolan, played by Castle alum Nathan Fillion, in ABC’s upcoming drama series The Rookie, which had received a straight-to-series order last October. ABC released the first teaser and photo (see below) following its formal series order earlier today.

The series, inspired by a true story, focuses on Fillion’s Nolan, the oldest rookie in the Lapd who realizes that starting over isn’t easy as he pursues his dream of being an Lapd officer following a life-altering incident.

Co-starring in the series are Alyssa Diaz as Angela Lopez, Richard T. Jones as Sergeant Wade Grey, Titus Makin as Jackson West, Mercedes Mason as Captain Zoe Andersen, Melissa O’Neil as Lucy Chen, Afton Williamson as Talia Bishop and Eric Winter as Tim Bradford.

The series hails...

Castle star Nathan Fillion is officially back on ABC with a new light crime drama series. The network has given a formal series order to Fillion’s pilot The Rookie, from former Castle executive producer/co-showrunner Alexi Hawley, Entertainment One and ABC Studios. It marks the second new ABC series picked up for next season, joining The Goldbergs spinoff.

In a competitive situation, ABC nabbed The Rookie pitch in October from the Mark Gordon Company with a straight-to-series order.. But like the previous star-driven Mark Gordon project with a straight-to-series commitment, drama Designated Survivor, toplined by Kiefer Sutherland, ABC still had the right to make a final decision after seeing the pilot. I hear the deadline for that was today, and the network has exercised its option to go to series.

Written by Hawley,...

Washington — Michelle Wolf’s monologue at the White House Correspondents Association dinner dominated the headlines coming out of the evening — even if it was a mere sliver of the four-hour event and only a moment in what is traditionally D.C.’s most social weekend.

The surreal aspect is usually the mix of newsmakers on opposite ends of the political spectrum or at odds in other ways — Michael Avenatti, Stormy Daniels’ attorney, was at the annual Garden Brunch on Saturday along with Kellyanne Conway.

Hollywood had a presence, although it was much more muted than in previous years. At Hamilton Live, Kevin Bacon and The Bacon Brothers at one point played “Footloose,” as they were the headliners to a series of journalist-bands, including Lester Holt and the Rough Cuts.

Some of the other events:

Bytes and Bylines (Thursday): One of the first events of the weekend, held at the...

Washington — The White House Correspondents Dinner has for years been about much more than the event itself: News organizations, internet firms and Washington power players have for years held their own fetes on days and nights surrounding the dinner.

This year is no exception. The arrival of Donald Trump’s administration to Washington also marked the end of some long-time parties, like a New Yorker bash and a Time-People party, but others have started. This year, Playboy is sponsoring an after-dinner “No Tie” party, hosted by Cooper Hefner, at a downtown D.C. location. The media outlet said it will mark its commitment to the First Amendment and a free press.

Other highlights of the weekend:

Thursday:

Bytes and Bylines — Allen Gannett, Eric Kuhn, John McCarthy, Susanna Quinn and Jon Steinberg host their annual event, along with Cheddar, this year at the residence of Ireland’s ambassador to the U.

Cheddar TV, the self-described “post-cable” network with an emphasis on business and tech news, is set to hit Hulu later this month, the company announced on Thursday.

The new distribution deal will bring Cheddar’s live linear network, along with morning and afternoon news briefs, to Hulu with live TV customers — which runs $40 a month.

“Both Hulu and Cheddar are reinventing TV. We are thrilled to partner with Hulu and to bring our news to its 17 million subscribers. It’s amazing that anyone planning to watch season 2 of ‘The Handmaid’s Tale,’ catching up on ‘Atlanta,’ watching some ‘Rick and Morty,’ or enjoying the NBA playoffs can tune to Cheddar for tech and business news, live or on demand, and on any Hulu-supported devices,” said Cheddar CEO Jon Steinberg in a statement.

Also Read: 'Post-Cable' Digital News Outlet Cheddar Raises $22 Million for International Expansion

The moves come a day after Cheddar inked a deal to bring its business and general news channels to YouTube TV, as the video giant looks to beef up its live content offerings. It also comes a month after Cheddar raised $22 million to expand its international reach and launch its Snapchat channel. The network is valued at $160 million.

Founded by Steinberg, the former Buzzfeed president and COO , in 2016, Cheddar has built its following through live streaming on social media — particularly Facebook and Twitter. Cheddar’s investors include Raine Ventures, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Liberty Global, Comcast Ventures, At&T, Amazon, Antenna Group, Ribbit Capital, The New York Stock Exchange, Altice USA, 7 Global Capital, Goldman Sachs,and Denstu Ventures.

Read original story Cheddar TV Inks Distribution Deal With Hulu At TheWrap...

Hulu has inked a deal with Cheddar to bring the news startup’s live linear network to the Hulu with Live TV bundle.

The announcement comes after Cheddar scored a distribution deal with Google’s YouTube TV, which is carrying both the main Cheddar network and the new Cheddar Big News general-news feed.

Cheddar, which targets a millennial-skewing, money-minded audience with live market updates and programming patterned on a format established CNBC, will be available in Hulu’s $40-per-month live TV subscription package starting later this month. Under the pact, Hulu also will provide on-demand access to select Cheddar original shows and a library of content and daily news briefs.

“Both Hulu and Cheddar are reinventing TV. We are thrilled to partner with Hulu and to bring our news to its 17 million subscribers,” said Jon Steinberg, founder and CEO of Cheddar.

According to Hulu, its live TV customers watched more...

Cheddar, the millennial-skewing “post-cable” media network that covers the innovation economy and provides a youthful take on the day’s headlines, is set to expand its reach later this month after signing a new distribution deal with Hulu.

The pact will bring Cheddar’s live linear network, exclusive morning and afternoon news briefs, key highlights and select Cheddar Originals to subscribers of Hulu with Live TV. A library of content and daily news briefs also will be available through Hulu’s on-demand service.

The news comes days after Cheddar’s two digital channels went live on YouTube.

Jon Steinberg, former president and chief operating officer of BuzzFeed, founded Cheddar in 2016. It operates two networks, a business offering that covers the innovative executives, products and technologies transforming our lives, and Cheddar Big News, a fast-paced headline news service with a youthful vibe.

Rather than relying on traditional television distribution, Cheddar built...

Google’s YouTube TV streams more than 50 traditional broadcast and cable television channels to subscribers — and now, it’s adding the first digital-native networks to the mix.

YouTube TV has added two channels from Cheddar: the startup’s flagship financial-news network and Cheddar Big News, its brand-new general news network. Last month, YouTube TV raised the price of its base package to $40 per month for new customers; Google says it will maintain the introductory $35 monthly price for existing subscribers.

“Cheddar’s emphasis on tech and media news coverage make it a strong fit for the millennial, tech-savvy audience that also loves YouTube TV,” said Christian Oestlien, director of product for YouTube TV.

YouTube TV competes with other over-the-top live TV services, including Dish’s Sling TV, At&T’s DirecTV Now, Hulu’s live TV bundle, Sony’s PlayStation Vue, and FuboTV. Launched in April 2017, YouTube TV now offers more than...

Streaming business news network Cheddar is adding to its venture capital arsenal with a new $22 million funding round, which the two-year-old startup will use to kickstart international expansion and launch a Snapchat Discover channel.

The Series D was led by Raine Ventures, The Wall Street Journal reports, and values Cheddar at $160 million, according to founder and CEO Jon Steinberg (pictured above). Other participants in the round included telecommunications giant Liberty Global; Antenna Group, which owns TV stations in Greece, Serbia, Slovenia, and Montenegro; Tokyo-based Dentsu Ventures; Goldman Sachs; Antenna Group; and 7 Global Capital. Cheddar had previously raised $32 million over the course of three funding rounds led by Lightspeed Venture Partners and Raine Ventures, and was most recently valued at $85 million. All previous investors also participated in the latest round.

Visit Tubefilter for more great stories.

Digital business news network Cheddar has arrived on 2,000 screens in 85 airports across the U.S. and Canada thanks to a brand new distribution deal with ReachMe TV -- which distributes video programming in high-traffic public spaces, including airports, retail stores, and hotels.

CEO Jon Steinberg said the idea to bring Cheddar’s daily top stories and interviews to travelers -- as well as the 5,000 hotels within the ReachMe TV network -- occurred to him while killing time before a flight. “I was sitting in Newark Airport at the bar having a scotch and eating grilled chicken before my flight. I looked up, saw ReachMe TV, and decided Cheddar was perfect for those screens,” he said. “Cheddar will now be available to millions and millions of travellers who are the perfect audience.”

Visit Tubefilter for more great stories.

Cheddar is expanding beyond its business news origins to tackle national and international issues with a forthcoming channel appropriately dubbed Cheddar Big News.

The brand will be modeled after CNN Headline News, focusing on the day’s biggest political stories as well as noteworthy local events -- including weather phenomena and animals on the loose, Cheddar founder and CEO Jon Steinberg tells Digiday of the venture. “We’re going to tell you what Trump did, but we’re not going to have a panel debate about it for five hours,” he said. “We want to do news that tells you all of the stuff that you need to know, but then also offers a bit of a relief from the news.”

Visit Tubefilter for more great stories.

Subscription video startup Cheddar, which offers business news in a millennial voice, has inked a programming pact with TV channel Fusion, whereby Cheddar shows will air on the network weekdays between 11Am and 1Pm. The deal will go into effect later this month, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

"Fusion TV reflects the diversity of voices and interests that young audiences are looking for," Cheddar founder Jon Steinberg, a former top BuzzFeed executive, said in a statement. "They are also a network that shares our commitment to experimentation and outside-the-box thinking when it comes to creating and delivering content, making them a great partner for Cheddar as we continue to expand our reach."

"Cheddar is taking a young, conversational approach to covering news, culture, finance, and technology live, every day, in unique, accessible and exciting ways,” added Fusion TV president and chief content officer Daniel Eilemberg.

Cheddar, which broadcasts live every...

Less than a year after its public its public launch, Cheddar is spicing up its programming slate through a new content deal. The business and finance network, which is aimed at millennial viewers, has announced Vf Hive on Cheddar, a new show formed out of a partnership with Conde Nast’s Vanity Fair brand.

Vf Hive on Cheddar’s title refers to Hive, a Vanity Fair vertical that has hosted some of the publication’s most important news coverage since its launch in June 2016. On the forthcoming program, the reporters and editors who have delivered that news will head to Cheddar’s two Lower Manhattan studio spaces to discuss current events.

Beginning on February 19th, weekly live broadcasts of Vf Hive on Cheddar will run for a half hour between noon and 12:30 Pm Et each Thursday. These episodes will be available through Vanity Fair’s and Cheddar’s respective...

She’s out of the woods and out to dinner!

Hillary Clinton was spotted dining with Ralph Lauren at the designer’s swanky restaurant The Polo Bar on Wednesday night in New York City.

Fellow diner Jon Steinberg posted a photo to Twitter of the former presidential candidate chatting with model Christie Brinkley, 63.

“The love in the room for Hillary was palpable,” a source told People. “She had a big beautiful smile and it was impossible not to feel the love aimed at her. She was warm and friendly with everyone in the room.”

“Hillary gave Brinkley a big hug when she was her,...

Black Sails Season 4 will not be returning until 2017.

That ten-episode season, Starz announced today, will also be it's last.

“It’s a rare privilege in television to be given the kind of creative freedom we’ve enjoyed on this show over the last four years," said series co-creator and executive producer Jonathan E. Steinberg.

"While it was a difficult decision for us to make this season our last, we simply couldn’t imagine anything beyond it that would make for a better ending to the story nor a more natural handoff to Treasure Island.”

“We’d like to thank Chris, Carmi and everyone at Starz for all their faith and support, and to our astounding cast and crew for joining us on this ride.”

“Jon Steinberg and Robert Levine, along with their crew and the phenomenal cast, have delivered a spectacular take on the most legendary pirate story in literature,...

Black Sails is set to be dry docked after Season 4, Starz announced on Wednesday.

The 10-episode fourth season, premiering in 2017, finds the pirates at war in the West Indies. As such, the shores of New Providence Island have never been bloodier, but the closer civilization comes to defeat, the more desperately — and destructively — it will fight back.

“It’s a rare privilege in television to be given the kind of creative freedom we’ve enjoyed on this show over the last four years,” series co-creator Jonathan E. Steinberg said in a statement. “While it was a difficult decision for us...

Can young, hip presenters make finance reporting cool? That is the question former BuzzFeed President and COO Jon Steinberg is trying to answer with Cheddar, an upcoming video network that will feature live reports from the New York Stock Exchange.

Cheddar, which has still yet to release a video, is supported by $3 million in funding as well as a strong leadership team led by Steinberg, who worked at BuzzFeed between 2010 and 2014. The network will feature daily live broadcasts the recap the big stories in business and finance, and it will look to set itself apart from its competitors by featuring a youthful tone. According to Steinberg, none of Cheddar’s hosts will be over 40 (he himself just barely fits that age requirement), and they will be allowed to dress more informally than a typical business reporter. “The talent will certainly be informed, but we want to approach it much more casually,...

There are companies focused on distributing news, lifestyle tips and sports content for Millennials. Now, former Daily Mail executive Jon Steinberg wants to offer up business and finance videos for a younger audience. Steinberg, who was previously president of BuzzFeed before moving over to run MailOnline as CEO of North America, will do this with Cheddar, a new startup that will stream live daily from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. "We live in a time where SpaceX is landing rockets on their tails and Facebook has well in excess of a billion people going to its platform

read more...

Even as all eyes are on the major networks, speculating about which new series will be the first to land on the chopping block (my money’s on Fox’s Doa Mulaney), Starz has brightened up the week by ordering additional seasons of two original series. Pirate drama Black Sails will return for a third season, while freshman basketball comedy Survivor’s Remorse has earned a swift second season renewal just days after its premiere.

Starz won’t premiere the 10-episode second season of Black Sails, which serves as an action-packed prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, until January of next year, but the network is clearly confident in the showrunners’ long-term vision for the series. In an official statement, Starz Managing Director Carmi Zlotnik said:

“The incredible world that Jon Steinberg and Robert Levine have created continues to unfold in Season 2. Flint’s journey is riveting, and around him,...

Great news, “Black Sails” fans! Starz’s hit drama about danger and intrigue on the high seas is coming back for a third season, even though we haven’t even seen the second! The Hollywood Reporter states that the news of a third season comes three months in advance of the show’s second season. Starz managing director Carmi Zlotnik said how exciting the second season of “Black Sails” will be for fans. “The incredible world that Jon Steinberg and Robert Levine have created continues to unfold in season two,” said Zlotnik. “Flint’s [Toby Stephens] journey is riveting, and around him, Jon and Robert have woven an intricate web of conflict, betrayal and [ Read More ]

The post Black Sails Setting Sail for Season Three appeared first on Shockya.com.

“Black Sails” is ready to set sail for a third season. Starz has greenlit the Emmy-winning pirate series for a third adventure, presumably airing in 2016. Meanwhile, the ten-episode second season will premiere January 24 at 9 pm Et/Pt. Created by Jonathan Steinberg (“Jericho") and Robert Levine (“Touch”), "Black Sails" takes place two decades before the events in Robert Louis Stevenson’s timeless novel "Treasure Island," and follows the fearsome Captain Flint (Toby Stephens) and his motley crew as they pirate their way across the Caribbean. It also stars Hannah New, Luke Arnold, Jessica Parker Kennedy and Zach McGowan. "Sails" is executive produced by Michael Bay and his Platinum Dunes partners Brad Fuller and Andrew Form. "The incredible world that Jon Steinberg and Robert Levine have created continues to unfold in season two. Flint’s journey is riveting, and around him, Jon and Robert have woven an intricate web of conflict, betrayal,...

It’s full sail ahead for Starz.

The network on Saturday renewed its drama series Black Sails for Season 3.

Related Cable Renewal Scorecard: What’s Coming Back? What’s Getting Cancelled?

“The incredible world that Jon Steinberg and Robert Levine have created continues to unfold in Season 2,” premiering Jan. 24 at 9/8c, Starz Managing Director Carmi Zlotnik said in a statement. “Flint’s journey is riveting, and around him, Jon and Robert have woven an intricate web of conflict, betrayal, and redemption for the other characters that we believe will keep fans of the show coming back for more. We think...

Fans of Starz pirate drama “Black Sails” haven't even seen its second season, but now they have a third to look forward to. The pay cable channel has ordered a third season of the series months ahead of its Season 2 debut in January 2015. “The incredible world that Jon Steinberg and Robert Levine have created continues to unfold in Season 2,” Starz managing director Carmi Zlotnik said in a statement. ”Flint's journey is riveting, and around him, Jon and Robert have woven an intricate web of conflict, betrayal and redemption for the other characters that we believe will keep fans...

Starz is setting sail for more Black Sails in 2016. Three months ahead of its sophomore return, the premium cable network has renewed Black Sails for a third season, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. The pirate drama hails from executive producer Michael Bay and creators Jonathan Steinberg (Jericho) and Robert Levine (Touch). During its freshman run, the Toby Stephens-starrer averaged a solid 5.3 million total viewers. See more Faces of Fall 2014 "The incredible world that Jon Steinberg and Robert Levine have created continues to unfold in season two," Starz managing director Carmi Zlotnik said. "Flint's journey is

read more...

Buzzfeed has hired former Huffington Post exec Greg Coleman as its new president, replacing Jon Steinberg, who stepped down in May. Coleman, who formerly served as president of HuffPo and ad tech company Criteo, has more than three decades of experience in digital sales, advertising, tech and media. He was also an early executive at Yahoo and AOL, and prior to that, he worked in magazine publishing. “Social, content-driven advertising has really come of age in the last three years, and Greg joining us validates that enormous shift. Greg helped transform industries at Huffington Post and Criteo and now

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Benny Johnson has been fired from BuzzFeed after an internal investigation uncovered multiple instances of plagiarism in his work. Editor-in-chief Ben Smith wrote a post on the site Friday evening announcing the firing and apologizing to readers. Twitter users first brought attention to several instances of plagiarism on BuzzFeed's site, citing passages in articles written by Johnson which had been lifted word-for-word from other sites like Wikipedia, Yahoo Answers and U.S. News & World Report. Also read: Former BuzzFeed President & COO Jon Steinberg Joins Mailonline as CEO Gawker posted the first story about the then-alleged plagiarism. That lead BuzzFeed to begin an.

Jon Steinberg, former president and chief operating officer of BuzzFeed, is joining the U.K.'s Daily Mail as CEO of MailOnline, its digital operation in the United States. “I am delighted that Jon will be joining MailOnline as the Chief Executive of our North America operation,” MailOnline Publisher Martin Clarke said in a statement posted on the website Sunday. “Jon is the perfect person to lead the charge as we grow and mature as a product in the Us and also to help us expand globally.” Also read: La Times Journalist John Horn Joins Kpcc for Entertainment Show Steinberg,...

A version of this story first appeared in the May 2 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. New Media: Coffee Young webheads wouldn't be caught dead slurping joe from a Greek diner cup. Startup entrepreneurs start up the day with far more trendy brew. BuzzFeed president and COO Jon Steinberg swears by Jack's organic fair-trade java; Vimeo CEO Kerry Trainor gets his fix at Intelligentsia in the High Line Hotel; Jezebel creator Anna Holmes likes the espresso at the Sweetleaf outpost in Queens (about which Rap Genius creator Mahbod Moghadam says, "Their dragonwell [tea] is straight crack"); and Reddit

read more...

Black Sails," Starz's sweeping series about pirates, initially captivates because it's stunning. A hotter group of aquatic baddies never roamed the blue waters of the West Indies or cavorted on the white sands of New Providence.

The series is so promising that the station renewed it even before the pilot's Jan. 25 premiere. Watching the first four episodes about tough men and the even tougher women they meet in 1715 Nassau, it becomes clear "Black Sails," blessedly, lacks pirate cliches. There's not an "arrrr" or "yo-ho-ho" to be heard.

"At the first meeting we had," co-creator and showrunner Jon Steinberg tells Zap2it, "we said, 'No patches. No peg legs. No parrots. No hooks.' We overcorrected early on, deliberately, in terms of trying to strip out anything that felt expected from the pirates movies that had come before."

This leaves the pirates feeling truer to their essences, more fully drawn than...

In 2011, Fox gambled on Steven Spielberg's TV series Terra Nova, a big-budget show about time travel, dinosaurs and an elaborate parallel universe that only lasted three months. Now, executives at Starz, home to the violent and semi-clothed casts of Spartacus and Magic City, are teaming up with another Hollywood titan — Transformers director Michael Bay — hoping to bring cinema magic to viewers' homes.

61 Reasons to Love 2014: See the Best New Shows, Movies and Albums

Black Sails, Bay's latest action extravaganza, begins with a bang. Talking to co-creator Jon Steinberg and Robert Levine,...

Sneak Peek more new images from the upcoming 'pirate' TV series drama, "Black Sails", created by Jon Steinberg and Robert Levine for Starz set to debut January 2014. The series is a prequel to author Robert Louis Stevenson's novel "Treasure Island":

"...1715. 'The Golden Age of Piracy' in the Caribbean is at its apex.

"The former British colony of New Providence Island is now lawless territory, controlled by the most notorious pirate captains in history. The most feared among them is 'Captain Flint'.

"But as the British Navy returns to these waters, threatening to exterminate Flint and his crew, another side of him emerges.

"Driven by deep, complicated, even romantic motives, Flint allies himself with the formidable 'Eleanor Guthrie, daughter of the local smuggling kingpin who turns the pirates’ loot into profits.

"Together, they forge a plan to hunt the ultimate prize, and by winning it, stave off reclamation of...

BuzzFeed president Jon Steinberg has the key to how his website has become a huge success while legacy outlets are floundering: they don’t care about young people. Also, Ryan Gosling. “I think the traditional media really doesn’t care about young people,” Steinberg said on Fusion’s “Morning Show.” “I really think that. When you read most traditional news, the hard news is the same. The politics, the business. But then they do stuff like expensive vacations and luxury houses. No young person could pick up an architecture section about an 8 million dollar house and think ‘oh, this is a product.

Starz pirate drama "Black Sails" will be executive producer Michael Bay's first small screen venture, though the blockbuster king already has more series in the works -- post-apocalypse series "The Last Ship" at TNT and supernatural pilot "Occult" at A&E. The premium network unveiled a new, more impressive trailer for "Black Sails" at New York Comic Con this past weekend, which you can check out below. The series, which is a prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson's "Treasure Island," was created by Jon Steinberg ("Jericho") and Robert Levine and certainly looks plenty lavish. It so pleased the crowds at San Diego Comic-Con that it's already earned a second season renewal ahead of its premiere in January. Neil Marshall ("The Descent," "Game of Thrones") directed the first episode.

Sneak Peek new images and a new trailer revealing more footage from the upcoming Starz  sex and violence 'pirate' TV series "Black Sails", debuting January 2014.

"...'Flint', the most brilliant and feared captain of all the 'Golden Age' pirates is commander of the ship 'Walrus'.

"Flint adds a young stranger to his crew who goes by the name of  'John Silver' who has stolen a map to a Spanish Treasure galleon that Flint is after. 

"Threatened with extinction on all sides...

"...he and his crew fight for the survival of 'New Providence Island'...

"...the most notorious criminal haven of its day - a debauched paradise teeming with pirates, prostitutes, thieves and fortune seekers..." 

Cast includes Toby Stephens as 'Captain Flint', Tom Hopper as 'Billy Bones', Louise Barnes as 'Miranda Barlow' and Jessica Parker Kennedy as 'Max'.

Hannah New is 'Eleanor', Zach McGowan is 'Captain Charles Vane',...

Cannes – As premium cable increasingly takes on the big screen with tentpole programming, even director Michael Bay is getting on board with the splashy pirate adventure Black Sails as one of the two shows he's executive producing for the small screen. "Michael saw what everybody else is seeing: There's a lot you can do in TV that you can't do in features anymore, even if you're Michael Bay," Sails showrunner Jon Steinberg told The Hollywood Reporter, careful to avoid any comparisons to a certain Disney franchise. "Pirates of the Caribbean is totally different. This is more real, dangerous,

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Sneak Peek more new footage from the upcoming Starz  'pirate' TV series "Black Sails", renewed for a second season of 10 episodes, before the first season debuts January 2014.

"...'Flint', the most brilliant and feared captain of all the 'Golden Age' pirates is commander of the ship 'Walrus'.

"Flint adds a young stranger to his crew who goes by the name of  'John Silver' who has stolen a map to a Spanish Treasure galleon that Flint is after. 

"Threatened with extinction on all sides...

"...he and his crew fight for the survival of 'New Providence Island'...

"...the most notorious criminal haven of its day - a debauched paradise teeming with pirates, prostitutes, thieves and fortune seekers..." 

Cast includes Toby Stephens as 'Captain Flint', Tom Hopper as 'Billy Bones', Louise Barnes as 'Miranda Barlow', Jessica Parker Kennedy as 'Max', Hannah New as 'Eleanor', Zach McGowan as 'Captain Charles Vane',...

The new Starz  'pirate' TV series "Black Sails" has been renewed for a second season of 10 episodes, before the first season debuts in 2014.

"...'Flint', the most brilliant and feared captain of all the 'Golden Age' pirates is commander of the ship 'Walrus'.

"Flint adds a young stranger to his crew who goes by the name of  'John Silver' who has stolen a map to a Spanish Treasure galleon that Flint is after. 

"Threatened with extinction on all sides, he and his crew fight for the survival of 'New Providence Island'...

"...the most notorious criminal haven of its day - a debauched paradise teeming with pirates, prostitutes, thieves and fortune seekers..." 

Cast includes Toby Stephens as 'Captain Flint', Tom Hopper as 'Billy Bones', Louise Barnes as 'Miranda Barlow', Jessica Parker Kennedy as 'Max', Hannah New as 'Eleanor', Zach McGowan as 'Captain Charles Vane', Luke Arnold as 'John Silver',...

Starz took the stage today at the Televisions Critics Association summer press tour and made major news in regard to a pair of new shows.

First, the network announced a renewal of Black Sails... six months before the drama (a prequel of sorts to Treasure Island) premieres.

"[Executive producers] Michael Bay, Jon Steinberg and their teams delivered a spectacular first season of Black Sails, and we are incredibly proud of everyone's work," said Starz CEO Chris Albrecht. "Based on the strong fan response to the preview screening at last week's Comic-Con, we felt an early order for a second season would allow the writers, cast and crew enough time and space to continue crafting such unique and epic storytelling."

Second, Starz released a new extended trailer for The White Queen, which premieres on August 10 and which is a period piece told through the eyes of Elizabeth Woodville, Margaret Beaufort and Anne Neville.

"Black Sails," a series about pirates on Starz, has been renewed for a second season.

If you're wondering if you missed a first season, you haven't: Season 1 isn't due to premiere until January 2014.

Cable channels have made very early pickups before -- Starz did it with "Boss," picking up a second season about a month before its series premiere in 2011. But a six-months-early pickup may be a record for pre-renewals.

"[Executive producers] Michael Bay, Jon Steinberg and their teams delivered a spectacular first season of 'Black Sails,' and we are incredibly proud of everyone's work," Starz CEO Chris Albrecht says. "Based on the strong fan response to the preview screening at last week's Comic-Con, we felt an early order for a second season would allow the writers, cast and crew enough time and space to continue crafting such unique and epic storytelling."

"Black Sails" is a prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson...

The first season of "Black Sails" won't hit TV until 2014, but Starz is already moving forward on a second season.   Starz announced on Friday (July 26) that "Black Sails" will resume production in November 2013, meaning that the network will be well into shooting on the second season before a scene of the Michael Bay-produced swashbuckler has aired.   This is, of course, part of the Starz Mo. "Boss" and "Magic City" were among the network's dramas to get renewed pre-premiere.   "Michael Bay, Jon Steinberg and their teams delivered a spectacular first season of 'Black Sails,' and we...

Starz has renewed its upcoming pirate drama "Black Sails," from Michael Bay, for a second season, and will air the five-part miniseries "Dancing on the Edge," which originally aired at BBC, Starz CEO Chris Albrecht announced at the  Television Critics Assn. gathering in Beverly Hills on Friday. The 10-episode second season of "Black Sails" -- which premieres its first season in January -- will begin production in Cape Town, South Africa in November. "Michael Bay, ['Black Sails' showrunner] Jon Steinberg and their teams delivered a spectacular first season of 'Black Sails,' and...

If bigger is better, Starz’ Treasure Island prequel, Black Sails, oughta be pretty darn see-worthy.

When executive producer Jon Steinberg stopped by TVLine’s Comic-Con suite with fellow Ep Robert Levine and members of the cast, he teased to Michael Ausiello, “I don’t know that the first [episode’s massive set piece] is even our biggest.” (For one thing, there’s apparently “a huge, big mess of an ending” in store for the season!)

If that isn’t enough, the gang notes that “yar” in for some racy stuff as well.

To find out which actor “offered to do the sex and nudity,” but was rejected,...

San Diego — "Black Sails" cast out into the open waters of Comic-Con.

Starz isn't premiering the mature pirate drama until next year, but the first episode was screened for hundreds of fans – some dressed in pirate regalia – at a movie theater Thursday night during the pop-culture convention.

"Black Sails" cast members Zach McGowan, Jessica Parker Kennedy, Mark Ryan and Hakeem Kae-Kazim were on hand for the preview, which marked the first time for them to see the inaugural installment, too.

"I thought it sucked," joked McGowan, who plays ruthless Captain Vane. "No, it was awesome. It was really great to see it with everyone for the first time."

Before the screening at San Diego's Reading Cinemas, composer Bear McCreary and a band performed musical selections from the series.

With sweeping cinematography and gritty violence, the first episode centered on Toby Stephen's beleaguered Captain Flint as he sought to maintain control of his ship,...