Here's everything you need to know about the world of television for Thursday, May 1st 2025:
PRODUCTION NOTES
There won't be a newsletter on Friday, I am pushing it back until later in the day on Saturday. I don't take much vacation time, but one Ellis family tradition in recent years has been to spend two days driving across Minnesota and Wisconsin for the 100 Mile Yard Sale. It's a great opportunity to get out of the office and I don't even bring my laptop. Honestly, it's just the breather I need right now.
ATX TV FESTIVAL IS INDEPENDENT ONCE MORE
Season 14 of the ATX TV Festival will kick off on May 29th in Austin, and this year, the event will be different. After 2 1/2 years, the festival has separated itself from Penske Media Corporation (PMC) and regained its independence.
PMC announced in November 2022 that it had "acquired" the festival, although the terms of the deal were not made public. But it was announced at the time that the core team behind the festival was still in place. Co-Founders and Co-Presidents Emily Gipson and Caitlin McFarland remained to run the business, operations, partnerships, and programming. Laura Kincaid continued in her role as Director of Operations as did Director of Programming Jennifer Morgan.
A spokesperson for ATX confirmed that the company was now independent, but declined to provide additional details. Penske Media has yet to respond to a request for comment.
This move is the latest made by Penske as it seeks to consolidate and refocus its burgeoning live events division. This week, the company laid off around ten people at the South by Southwest festival, including longtime employee and current president Hugh Forrest.
I spoke with someone this evening on background who books a rival TV festival and their take was that a separation was likely good for both sides.
"I don't know how the deal was structured, so it could be that one side of the other walked away unhappy," they said. "But it makes sense for Penske to let ATX go. They have SXSW and that's a brand they can sell across the globe. They already have SXSW fests in London and Sydney and I'm sure they think they could do a few more. ATX is a great brand, but selling it in other territories or over-commercializing it won't make anyone happy. ATX works best as a scrappy independent and that's how they built their reputation."
IT'S A BAD DAY FOR JOURNALISTS
Vox Media announced on Thursday that it is selling its gaming and entertainment site Polygon to Canadian company Valnet. Valnet is the company who just sued The Wrap for libel, arguing they had been unfairly described as a digital sweatshop. According to Vox Media's CEO, some Polygon staffers will join Valnet. Others will be laid off while some will remain with Vox Media and be transitioned over to the company's tech news site, The Verge.
There was also a round of layoffs at Vulture, although it's clear yet how many people lost their jobs. One of the confirmed victims is Vulture TV critic Jen Chaney.
TWEET OF THE DAY
THIS IS A BIT MORE POLITICS THAN TV, BUT....
If you spend any amount of time watching cable TV news, you hear a lot of discussions about what Democratic voters are looking for from their leaders. I think this piece from Evelyn Quartz is spot on and it's a point of view I wish I heard more on MSNBC and CNN:
The public senses this. They know, at a visceral level, that the problem runs deeper than the daily outrage cycles acknowledge. They hear passionate defenses of democracy from politicians who have done little to protect the material foundations democracy needs to survive. They watch solemn cable news panels lament "polarization," even as their own wages stagnate, their healthcare bills pile up, their communities hollow out, and their children’s futures grow more precarious. They are told that democracy is under threat — and they believe it — but they are also living the slow erosion of dignity, security, and belonging that no amount of televised urgency can disguise.
In such a context, yet another viral speech or slick campaign ad does not inspire trust. It inspires something quieter, and more corrosive: a disillusionment that hardens with every empty gesture. The more the performances intensify, the more hollow the promises sound. Over time, the gap between public experience and political spectacle grows too wide to bridge with rhetoric alone.
PLUTO TV ADDS 800+ HOURS OF ANIME IN MAY
The free streaming television service Pluto TV is adding a massive amount of anime in May, as it celebrates what it describes as "Ani-May." The additions include new FAST channels from Anime x HIDIVE, Pluto TV Anime Comedy, and a 24/7 channel dedicated entirely to Inuyasha. Later in the month comes the debut of Pluto TV Anime Movies and a Kids Anime channel.
ODDS AND SODS
* Roku has announced that it is acquiring Frndly TV, a live TV, on-demand video, and cloud-based DVR platform for $185 million in cash. The purchase price includes $75 million held back and tied to the platform meeting select performance goals over the next two years. The deal seems to be a way for Roku to offer Frndly as another subscription-based service and help boost Roku-billed subscription revenue.
* Andrew Zucker (son of former CNN president, Jeff) has just launched a Substack newsletter. Zucker describes itself as the place to “Get the scoop on power players.” And given the first post is an interview with Airmail's Graydon Carter, it certainly feels like as is the definition of "power player" in this case is a very specific slice of the world.
* Season three of The Gilded Age premieres Sunday, June 22nd on HBO. Here is the official logline for the new season: "The American Gilded Age was a period of immense economic and social change, when empires were built, but no victory came without sacrifice. Following the Opera War, the old guard is weakened and the Russells stand poised to take their place at the head of society. Bertha sets her sights on a prize that would elevate the family to unimaginable heights while George risks everything on a gambit that could revolutionize the railroad industry — if it doesn’t ruin him first. Across the street, the Brook household is thrown into chaos as Agnes refuses to accept Ada’s new position as lady of the house. Peggy meets a handsome doctor from Newport whose family is less than enthusiastic about her career. As all of New York hastens toward the future, their ambition may come at the cost of what they truly hold dear." And here is a first look at the new season.
* Season two of the science docuseries Human Footprint returns Wednesday, June 25th on PBS. Here is the official logline: "Follow host biologist Shane Campbell-Staton as he travels the globe and gives audiences a firsthand look at how people have transformed the planet and the millions of species around us. Along the way, Shane meets farmers, scientists, journalists and business owners across Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas. He discovers that the ways that we reshaped the world have been driven not only by our biological needs but also by our social, political, and cultural identities."
WHAT'S NEW TONIGHT AND TOMORROW
THURSDAY, MAY 1ST, 2025:
Another Simple Favor (Prime Video)
Lucky Chow Season Premiere (PBS)
The Four Seasons Series Premiere (Netflix)
FRIDAY, MAY 2ND, 2025:
Malditos Series Premiere (Max)
Pita Hall (Hulu)
10 Years Of Max Verstappen (Viaplay)
Unseen (Netflix)
SATURDAY, MAY 3RD, 2025:
Wild Game Kitchen Season Premiere (FYI)
SEE YOU ON SATURDAY!