Viacom, which owns channels like Comedy Central and MTV, is in advanced talks to be a part of a sports-free TV package priced at $10-$20 a month, CEO Bob Bakish said at a conference Monday, according to Variety. 

Last month, Bloomberg broke the news that several cable networks were trying to put together a sports-free package for under $20, cutting out high-cost channels like ESPN, which alone cost $6.10 in carriage fees per subscriber in 2016. 

Companies like Viacom and Discovery, which don't rely on sports rights, have come out in favor of it, while Disney CEO Bob Iger scoffed at the notion that such a bundle would be compelling.

Right now, most of the new streaming live TV packages — DirecTV Now, YouTube TV, Hulu with Live TV, and so on — are focused around sports and come in at around $35-$40.

“The transformational opportunity is to bring in a new entry segment at a much lower price point,” Bakish said Monday. Earlier this month, Discovery CEO David Zaslav said there's room in the market for a sports-free package that costs $8 to $12 a month.

Broadcasters hate it

There are two basic camps on this matter.

The parent companies of the major broadcast networks — NBC, ABC, CBS, and Fox — have paid a lot for sports rights, so they want no part of a bundle that makes sports seem less important. The cable networks they own are also out. So no FX, USA, or Fox News.

That means the bundle will have to be constructed of companies like Discovery, Viacom, AMC, Scripps, and Turner (though it does have some sports rights). Those five put together could indeed make a pretty compelling cheap "entertainment" bundle at $20 or less. You would get a spread of programming from CNN's news, to AMC's dramas, to Comedy Central or the Food Network. There would be holes, but at the right price people might be willing to overlook it.

Distributors who want to sell such a bundle might run into trouble, however. How? Some of the contracts cable and satellite providers have signed with heavyweights like Disney and Fox have fine print designed to stop new bundles like these. And in 2015, ESPN sued Verizon over a sports-free bundle, saying it violated distribution deals.

But it seems that at least one distributor is looking to bring a $10-$20 bundle to market anyway. 

Bakish said the package was meant to appeal to “cord-never millennials,” or young people who have never subscribed to cable. As it stands, it's hard to imagine why a young consumer who isn't interested in sports would shell out $40-a-month for his or her first pay-TV bundle. This package is meant to fix that.

The question is whether, without the broadcasters, there will be enough quality entertainment in the bundle to move the needle.

SEE ALSO: Sports-free TV bundles could kick off soon

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NOW WATCH: PENCE WARNS NORTH KOREA: 'The era of strategic patience is over'

The constant barrage of breaking news about President Donald Trump and his administration over the past week motivated HBO's "Last Week Tonight" on Sunday to look at the scandals, which the show dubbed "Stupid Watergate."

Host John Oliver described the issue as "a scandal with all the potential ramifications of Watergate, but where everyone involved is stupid and bad at everything."

The bulk of Sunday's show recapped some major recent events and tried to answer: "What the f--- is going on?""How big a deal is this?""Where do we go from here?" and, finally, "Is this real life?"

Oliver highlighted reports of Trump revealing classified information to the Russians when they visited the White House the day after he fired FBI Director James Comey; Comey's memo that Trump asked him to stop the investigation into Michael Flynn, the former national security adviser; Trump complaining during a speech at the Coast Guard Academy graduation ceremony that no other US president had been treated worse than him; and the special counsel appointed to investigate ties between Trump's team and Russia.

And then there's the other news within those major stories, like reports that Comey told a friend he wore a blue suit to a White House ceremony to blend into the curtains and avoid being seen by Trump; Trump calling Comey a "nut job" in front of the Russians; and Sen. John McCain saying everything going on was of "Watergate size and scale."

Yes, this all happened in the past seven days.

"This certainly all has the appearances of a pretty big deal," Oliver said, addressing some Senate Democrats' calls for Trump to be impeached.

But then Oliver explained that if Trump were impeached, the next president would be Vice President Mike Pence, who has advocated defunding Planned Parenthood and opposed the ending of "don't ask, don't tell," to name a couple of things.

And impeachment would be a very long shot, Oliver said, because it would be done in the House and Senate, which are currently controlled by Republicans.

"It seems like when it comes to President Trump, he's always approaching the end of the line, but it never seems to come," Oliver said.

What's also troubling, he said, is that all of this involves a sitting president who said in his first 100 days that he missed his old life.

"That is why this is truly Stupid Watergate," Oliver said, "because, no matter what, we are in for an agonizingly long period of leaks, allegations, and recriminations, all over a presidential campaign to put a man in power who may not entirely want to be there. Say what you want about Nixon, at least he wanted the f---ing job."

Watch the entire "Last Week Tonight" segment:

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NOW WATCH: Here’s what it takes to be a YouTube star — according to someone who’s been doing it for over a decade

Billy Bush, former host of NBC's "Access Hollywood" and cohost of the "Today" show, has broken his silence about the infamous 2005 tape of an "Access Hollywood" segment in which Bush and Donald Trump made derogatory comments about women.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Bush said watching the footage left him "totally and completely gutted."

"Looking back upon what was said on that bus, I wish I had changed the topic," Bush said. "[Trump] liked TV and competition. I could've said, 'Can you believe the ratings on whatever?' But I didn't have the strength of character to do it."

Bush told THR that he's seen the "Access Hollywood" footage only three times: once three days before the footage was revealed back in October while Trump was running for president, and two more times before being interviewed by THR. However, he said he knew of the tape's existence for a long time and that "plenty of people" and NBC knew of it as well.

The three-minute tape features Bush, then a host on "Access Hollywood," and Trump speaking aboard a bus headed to the set of the soap opera "Days of Our Lives" for a segment about Trump’s  appearance on the show.

While inside the bus, Bush can be heard calling the actress that Trump will be shooting his scene with, Arianne Zucker, “hot as s---” as she walks toward the bus.

“I better use some Tic Tacs just in case I start kissing her,” Trump said. “You know, I’m automatically attracted to beautiful — I just start kissing them. It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait. And when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything.”

“Whatever you want,” Bush said.

“Grab them by the p----. You can do anything,” Trump said.

After the video was released, Bush was quickly suspended by NBC and later fired. Trump called the comments "locker room banter" and went on to win the presidency.

Bush said he's currently developing a series. 

"I am not grateful for the moment," Bush said. "But I'm grateful for what I've gotten out of it. I'm grateful that it hit me all the way to my core."

SEE ALSO: A music producer who works with Eminem and Nas shows us how to make a hit hip-hop beat in 20 minutes

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NOW WATCH: Here's everything we know about HBO’s 5 'Game of Thrones' spinoffs

Pulling off the spectacle of ABC's live "Dancing with the Stars" competition show takes hundreds of people and an around-the-clock schedule.

America's most-watched dancing competition gave Business Insider a behind-the-scenes look at one of its biggest episodes of the season, Disney Night. An ode to the countless fantastical characters created by the ABC parent company, Disney Night featured the competitors and professionals tackling some of the most beloved musical memories in movie history.

"Dancing with the Stars" executive producer Joe Sungkur told Business Insider recently that it takes "a huge army of people" and a large amount of communication to pull together a night like that.

"Whether it be from a technical point of view or a creative point of view all have to come together so that we can really make sure that a unified vision is presented and that everyone is on the same page," Sungkur said.

BBC Worldwide Productions, which produces "Dancing with the Stars" for ABC, showed us what goes into Disney Night. 

Here's what it takes to put together TV's most popular live dance competition:

SEE ALSO: What happens behind the scenes of CBS daytime talk show 'The Talk' from start to finish

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7: 45 a.m. PT – It may still be dark outside, but the lights are on at the "DWTS" studio at Hollywood's CBS Television City. The crew is already hard at work setting up the "DWTS" stage.

"7:45 is when the couples come in and they're hearing the live band for the first time and the director's making the final adjustments for his cameras to really get ready for the show," Sungkur said.

It's also a beneficial opportunity for the competitors.

"Sometimes the band's arrangement will be a little different from the track," he explained. "So it's very useful for the couples, because they might give notes to the musical director. So it's a constant collaboration between all the technical departments to make sure that we are presenting these performances and all the elements in the show to the best of our abilities."

8:54 a.m. PT – Inside the immense wardrobe bungalow at "DWTS."

The team of seamstresses could work around the clock to finish the costumes for a live show. There can be constant fit issues to deal with and notes from the dancers and producers.

"One of the things that sets this show apart is the wardrobe," Sungkur said. "I don't think there's any other show on television that has the ability to convey such glamour and huge showbiz element with this amazing wardrobe that you can only get in ballroom and 09:24 dancing."

9 a.m. PT – It's always packed in the hair and makeup room.

There can be as many as eight hair and makeup artists at work on "DWTS." Women typically arrive around 9 a.m. and can spend as many as four hours in the chair. Men are way faster, though Sungkur said that "some of the guys like to spend a long time in the chair, as well."

"It's an amazing process," Sungkur said. "Not only do you have the regular hair and makeup, but our team has things like body makeup we have to consider on a show like this as well."

(The Marshall Project) — At the end of my 30-year career in policing, I served in the Obama Administration as director of the Justice Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.

The COPS Office is charged with partnering with police agencies across the country to advance community policing.

I worked with thousands of police officials across the country during my time as director and the overwhelming majority of them embraced the idea of building relationships in high-crime communities to address the underlying conditions that contribute to crime.

Unfortunately, the current head of the DOJ is turning his back on the model.

Since taking charge of the Justice Department, Attorney General Jeff Sessions has pursued policies that put more pressure on police-community relations.

He has made overtures to end the agency's interventions into troubled police departments, pulled back on investigations into potential police misconduct, and supported immigration law enforcement policies that push migrant communities further in the shadows.

His approach reveals a deep misunderstanding of the challenges of policing in a democratic society. And it ignores ongoing tensions between police nationally and many of the communities they serve.

Sessions could stand to learn something from an unconventional source— “Shots Fired,” Fox’s new police procedural. What the show understands about policing that Sessions seems to miss is that safe cities are only possible through collaboration between communities and law enforcement. Both parties must work together to overcome bias, ignorance, and their internal politics. And it’s the role of the DOJ to help local law enforcement broker that partnership.

“Shots Fired” explores the aftermath of a racially charged police shooting in a fictional North Carolina town. It begins with a traffic stop in which an unarmed white man is shot and killed by a black police deputy and kicks into gear when the DOJ sends an investigator, played by Sanaa Lathan, and special prosecutor, played by Stephan James, to investigate the shooting.

The last episode of the show airs Wednesday, but I’ve been struck throughout the season at how well “Shots Fired” captures the complexity of community policing. As someone who has traveled to cities including Ferguson, Mo., and Baltimore on behalf of DOJ in recent years, I was impressed by the show’s thoughtful exploration of the roles fear, race, culture, politics and intra-community relationships play in police-community relations.

One particularly memorable scene from the show’s first episode involves a press conference at which local and state officials join the DOJ investigator and prosecutor to announce the federal investigation into the shooting. “What I don't understand is why you're here,” a black pastor in the crowd tells the prosecutor. “All the murdering of unarmed black men by police across this country, and this is the one that the government is investigating?” One of the assembled reporters responds sarcastically, “So only black lives matter?” Ultimately, the DOJ prosecutor settles the crowd with promises to seek the truth in the shooting despite the many dynamics complicating the case. And he does exactly that.

Over the course of the season, the prosecutor engages members of the local law enforcement community and discovers internal tensions. By engaging the residents of the town, he also uncovers a history of police abuse and intra-community conflict that has gone unaddressed for years. I’ve witnessed these dynamics firsthand in cities across the country. I’ve also seen the positive outcomes achieved when both the police and communities embrace community policing.

The show makes clear something that I saw time and time again as a police officer and during my time at the DOJ: civilians are always the linchpin for public safety and the interaction within communities impacts almost everything done in law enforcement. Further, members of the law enforcement community have a responsibility to uphold the law and that work is inextricably tied to community trust and well-being.

It seems as though Sessions does not understand these important truths and instead is relying on ideology to guide his approach. Maybe if he and his team watched “Shots Fired” they’d obtain a much better understanding of why halting the agency's interventions into troubled police departments, threatening sanctuary cities and reigniting the War on Drugs all have a negative impact on public safety by making community policing nearly impossible.

Attorney General Sessions can only “make America safe again” when he learns the lessons of the past, embraces strategies that protect civil rights, respects all communities, and provides real support to law enforcement. That cannot happen until he learns what he does not know. And if his many years in criminal justice have taught Sessions nothing about the delicate relationship between law enforcement and the public, perhaps a TV show can do the trick.

Ronald Davis was the former director of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services and executive director of the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing under the Obama Administration. Davis was the East Palo Alto Police chief from 2005 to 2013. Prior to that, he served more than 19 years with the Oakland Police Department where he rose to the rank of captain.

SEE ALSO: Jeff Sessions was just confirmed as US Attorney General — here's why liberals are freaking out

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NOW WATCH: Here's what popular dog breeds looked like before and after 100 years of breeding

Katy Perry confirmed her ongoing feud with fellow pop star Taylor Swift on Monday's "Carpool Karaoke" special on CBS.

In the special that aired extended versions of the popular segment from "The Late Late Show," host James Corden asked Perry if there really is a feud with Swift.

"It's true. There's a situation," Perry said. "Honestly, it's really like she started it, and it's time for her to finish it."

Speculation about the years-long feud has been circulating since Taylor Swift released the hit single "Bad Blood," rumored to be about Perry.

But the conflict came back into the public eye after Perry performed a song believed to be inspired by her beef with Swift, "Swish Swish," on this past weekend's "Saturday Night Live." Perry didn't confirm that the song was inspired by Swift, but she was clear that it would make perfect sense.

Perry said it all started over three of her backup dancers going to work on Swift's tour with Perry's blessing. But when Perry was getting ready to launch her tour, they approached Swift's tour management about being able to go back on tour with Perry when she needed it. According to Perry. the dancers were then fired. The "Roar" singer also said she had tried to reach out to Swift to discuss the situation, but hasn't gotten a response.

“I tried to talk to her about it, and she wouldn’t speak to me,” Perry said. “I do the right thing any time that it feels like a fumble. It was a full shutdown, and then she writes a song about me, and I’m like, okay, cool, cool, cool, that’s how you want to deal with it? Karma!"

Perry also says she would love to squash the conflict.

"What I want to say is that I’m ready for that B.S. to be done," she said. "Now, there is the law of cause and effect. You do something, there’s going to be a reaction, and trust me, daddy, there’s going to be a reaction."

SEE ALSO: A day behind the scenes of 'Dancing with the Stars,' TV's biggest celebrity dance competition

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NOW WATCH: Katy Perry described all the ways climate change is hurting kids

The INSIDER Summary:

• Entertainment Weekly recently published new "Game of Thrones" photos.
• One showed Daenerys on the back of Drogon in the midst of battle.
• A fan account realized the picture mirrors an illustration of Aegon the Conqueror found in "A World of Ice and Fire."
• Aegon was Daenerys' Targaryen ancestor, and her journey to Westeros has had a lot of parallels to his conquest of the seven kingdoms.

Entertainment Weekly recently published a new set of exclusive photos from "Game of Thrones" season seven. The most hype-worthy picture was one of Daenerys riding on Drogon's back, seemingly in the midst of a fiery battlefield. 

If the image of Daenerys riding into battle on the back of a gigantic dragon isn't enough drama for you, then wait until you see an illustration of Dany's ancestor known as Aegon the Conquerer.

A "Game of Thrones" fan account on Twitter (which goes simply by the name Daenerys Targaryen) posted the two pictures side by side, highlighting how similar the depiction of Aegon the Conqueror was to the new photo of Daenerys.

Aegon was the first Targaryen ruler of Westeros, and he conquered the seven kingdoms on the back of his own enormous dragon known as Balerion the Dread.

The illustration of Aegon atop Balerion comes from "A World of Ice and Fire"— George R.R. Martin's encyclopedic text co written with Elio M. García and Linda Antonsson. The drawing appears in the book's title page, as seen in our copy below:

Here's a look at the full drawing, created by illustrator Jordi Gonzalez for "A World of Ice and Fire" in 2014.

The symmetry between Daenerys and Drogon next to Aegon and Balerion serves to remind fans of how much the two Targaryens have in common.

Aegon came to Westeros with his fierce sister-wives Rhaenys and Visenya, each of whom had a dragon, too. Now, more than three hundred years later, Daenerys is arriving in Westeros with three dragons of her own and a mission of conquest.

"Game of Thrones"YouTuber Alt-Shift-X made a thorough video comparing Aegon's conquest strategy to Daenerys' possible tactics thus far. Watch below for a full overview of how the two Targaryen rulers match up:

In addition to possible parallels between Aegon and Daenerys, there's a running fan theory that Daenerys will actually wind up being one of the villains in "Game of Thrones." Her increasing penchant for burning people alive isn't doing much to dissuade people of this idea. Now seeing her atop Drogon and presumably burning fields of enemies alive is increasing the odds of her engaging in similarly brutal conquest tactics — just like Aegon.

We can't help but think showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss intended for the season seven image of Daenerys to invoke comparisons to Aegon, but we'll have to wait for the new season before we know just how much of a "conqueror" Dany will be.

"Game of Thrones" season seven premieres on Sunday, July 16.

SEE ALSO: All the 'Game of Thrones' deaths, ranked from least tragic to most tragic

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NOW WATCH: 15 things you didn't know your iPhone headphones could do

Timing is very important for getting the most out of your money. Knowing when the deals are expected to happen can help you better map out big purchases in 2017.

 Follow BI Video: On Twitter 

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June is almost upon us and Netflix has finally released its list of TV shows and movies coming and going from the streaming site next month.

Fans will finally be able to tune into the fifth season of "Orange is the New Black" and see "Community" star Alison Brie in an '80s wrestling comedy, "GLOW."

TV fans will be able to catch up on the current full seasons of "Arrow,""Scandal,""Grey's Anatomy," and more. Disney fans will be able to catch the studio's latest animated release, "Moana."

Netflix is also releasing, "Okja," its action-adventure movie centered around a young girl trying to protect her animal friend from getting kidnapped. The film, starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Tilda Swinton, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival to both boos and applause since it won't receive a theatrical release. Instead, it will be released on Netflix at the month's end. 

You can check out the full list below. We've highlighted our favorites in bold.

Available 6/1/2017

"1 Night" (2016)
"13 Going on 30" (2004)
"Amor.com" (Love.com)
"Arrow" Season 5 (2016)
"Burlesque" (2017)
"Catfight" (2016)

"Catwoman" (2004)
"Chingo Bling: They Can't Deport Us All"
"Days of Grace" (2011)
"Devil's Bride" (2016)
"Full Metal Jacket" (1987)
"How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (2000)
"Intersection" Season 2 (2016)
"Kardashian: The Man Who Saved OJ Simpson" (2016)
"Little Boxes" (2016)
"Mutant Busters" Season 2 (2016)
"My Left Foot (1989)
"Off Camera with Sam Jones" Series 3 (2015)
"Playing It Cool" (2014)
"Rounders" (1998)
"Spring" (Primavera) (2016)
"The 100" Season 4 (2016)
"The Ant Bully" (2006)
"The Bucket List" (2007)
"The Queen" (2006)
"The Sixth Sense" (1999)

"Vice" (2015)
"West Coast Customs" Season 3 (2013)
"Yarn" (2016)
"Young Frankenstein" (1974)
"Zodiac" (2007)

Available 6/2/2017

"Comedy Bang! Bang!" Season 5, Part 2 (2016)
"Flaked" Season 2 - NETFLIX ORIGINAL
"Inspector Gadget" Season 3 - NETFLIX ORIGINAL
"Los Últimos de Filipinas" (2016)
"Lucid Dream" - NETFLIX ORIGINAL FILM
"Saving Banksy" (2014)
"The Homecoming" Collection (2015)

Available 6/3/2017

"Acapulco La vida va" (2017)
"Blue Gold: American Jeans" (2017)
"Headshot" (2016)
"Three" (2016)
"Tunnel" (2016)
"War on Everyone" (2016)

Available 6/4/2017

"TURN: Washington's Spies" Season 3 (2016)

Available 6/5/17

"Suite Française" (2014)

Available 6/7/17

"Disturbing the Peace" (2016)
"Dreamworks’ Trolls" (2016)

Avail 6/9/17

"My Only Love Song" Season 1 - NETFLIX ORIGINAL
"Orange Is the New Black" Season 5 - NETFLIX ORIGINAL
"Shimmer Lake" NETFLIX ORIGINAL FILM

Available 6/10/17

"Black Snow" (Nieve Negra) (2017)
"Daughters of the Dust" (1991)
"Havenhurst" (2017)
"Sword Master" (2016)

Available 6/13/17

"Oh, Hello On Broadway" - NETFLIX ORIGINAL

Available 6/14/17

"Quantico" Season 2 (2016)

Available 6/15/17

"Marco Luque: Tamo Junto" NETFLIX ORIGINAL
"Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." Season 4 (2016)
"Mr. Gaga: A True Story of Love and Dance" (2015)

Available 6/16/2017

"Aquarius" Season 2 (2016)
"Counterpunch" - NETFLIX ORIGINAL
"El Chapo" Season 1 (2017)
"The Ranch" Part 3 - NETFLIX ORIGINAL
"World of Winx" Season 2 - NETFLIX ORIGINAL

Available 6/17/17

"Grey's Anatomy" Season 13 (2016)
"Scandal" Season 6 (2016)
"The Stanford Prison Experiment" (2015)

Available 6/18/17

"Shooter" Season 1 (2016)

Available 6/20/17

"Amar Akbar & Tony" (2015)
"Disney's Moana" (2016)
"Rory Scovel Tries Stand-Up For The First Time" - NETFLIX ORIGINAL

Available 6/21/17

"Baby Daddy" Season 6 (2017)
"Young & Hungry" Season 5 (2017)

Available 6/23/17

"American Anarchist" (2016)
"Free Rein" Season 1 - NETFLIX ORIGINAL
"GLOW" Season 1 - NETFLIX ORIGINAL
"Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press" - NETFLIX ORIGINAL
"You Get Me" - NETFLIX ORIGINAL FILM

Available 6/26/17

"No Escape" (2015)

Available 6/27/17

"Chris D'Elia: Man on Fire" - NETFLIX ORIGINAL

Available 6/28/17

"Okja" - NETFLIX ORIGINAL FILM

Available 6/30/17

"Chef & My Fridge" Collection (2014)
"Gypsy" Season 1 - NETFLIX ORIGINAL
"It's Only the End of the World" (2016)
"Little Witch Academia" Season 1—NETFLIX ORIGINAL
"The Weekend" (2016)

SEE ALSO: Here's everything leaving Netflix in June that you need to watch right now

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NOW WATCH: Colonel Sanders' nephew revealed the family's secret recipe — here's how to make KFC's 'original' fried chicken

The FCC will not take any action in response to complaints over a May 1 broadcast of “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,” in which the host quipped during his opening monologue that “the only thing [Trump’s] mouth is good for is being Vladimir Putin’s c— holster.”

The FCC received thousands of complaints following the broadcast. In response to an inquiry, an FCC spokesman provided a statement on the status of its review.

“Consistent with standard operating procedure, the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau has reviewed the complaints and the material that was the subject of these complaints,” the FCC statement said. “The Bureau has concluded that there was nothing actionable under the FCC’s rules.”

Colbert’s remark was bleeped out of the broadcast and his mouth was blurred.

The conclusion by the FCC that the remark was not actionable means that it did not rise to the level of obscenity or indecency to warrant any kind of sanction or fine. That appeared to be highly unlikely, given the circumstances. 

Several days after the broadcast, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai was asked about complaints over the remarks, and he said that they would be looked into. All complaints are reviewed by the FCC, but the agency does not monitor programming.

SEE ALSO: Stephen Colbert fires away at Trump: 'You're a bad president. Please resign.'

DON'T MISS: Stephen Colbert fires back at #FireColbert campaign over his Trump insult: 'I would do it again'

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NOW WATCH: People can't stop talking about the weird body language between Donald and Melania Trump

HBO and Jon Stewart have scrapped plans for a short-form animation venture that was designed to provide topical segments to various HBO platforms.

The venture was announced in November 2015, shortly after Stewart signed off of “The Daily Show” after a 17-year run. HBO said it would continue to pursue other projects with Stewart. HBO set a four-year production pact with Stewart that included the animation project and a first-look option on film and TV projects.

“HBO and Jon Stewart have decided not to proceed with a short form digital animated project. We all thought the project had great potential but there were technical issues in terms of production and distribution that proved too difficult given the quick turnaround and topical nature of the material,” HBO said in a statement. “We’re excited to report that we have some future projects together which you will be hearing about in the near future.”

Stewart’s initial plan was to work with cloud graphics company OTOY Inc. on what was described as a new technology to allow him to produce “timely” short-form video content to be featured on various HBO platforms. But after months of working on the project, sources say he was never able to produce the content at the quality he wanted, and a mutual decision was reached to walk away .

“Appearing on television 22 minutes a night clearly broke me. I’m pretty sure I can produce a few minutes of content every now and again,” Stewart said when the deal was announced.

HBO is now working with Stewart on additional ideas, and hopes to be able to make an announcement in the coming weeks.

Stewart has mostly kept a low profile since stepping down from “Daily Show.” He’s made several appearances on CBS’ “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” on which he is an exec producer.

Stewart and his wife, Tracey, opened an animal sanctuary on their New Jersey farm in 2015 in partnership with the Farm Sanctuary animal shelter org.

The news was first reported by the New York Times.

SEE ALSO: Jon Stewart slams media for going easy on Trump's 'lies': 'Take up a hobby. I recommend journalism.'

DON'T MISS: Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert nearly left Comedy Central in 2012

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NOW WATCH: The 'Jon Stewart of Egypt' explains why satirizing Donald Trump isn't productive

On Tuesday night's "Late Night," host Seth Meyers took a much-needed break from breaking news and dived deep into the swamp that President Donald Trump promised to drain.

“Drain the swamp” was just one of the chants that Trump popularized throughout his presidential campaign. Meyers said the three-word phrase summed up the mission of the Trump campaign, but it's a mission that he hasn’t followed through on, according to the host.

Meyers showed some news clips including CNN’s Jake Tapper saying, “Is now-President Trump draining the swamp, or stocking it with a whole bunch of new critters? The administration has made a number of hires who are advising or leading the agencies they targeted as lobbyists just a short time ago.”

“So it seems a more accurate three-word campaign promise would have been, ‘Run! Swamp monsters!’” Meyers said.

Meyers then explained that nine people who worked on Trump’s transition team registered as lobbyists. And it gets worse.

“According to reports, the White House is issuing secret waivers to the president’s own ethics rules, allowing incoming officials to work on issues they handled before becoming public servants," Meyers said.

The host added that under former President Barack Obama's administration, these waivers were publicized on the White House website. But Meyers checked that page under the Trump administration and it is blank.

“Other blank White House web pages include Court Cases Trump Won, KellyAnne Conway’s Honest Statements, and Melania’s Favorite Things to Do in DC,” Meyers joked.

“So, as usual with Trump," Meyers said, “his insistence on changing the way Washington works was overhyped. Mainly just empty promises and all talk."

Watch the segment below:

SEE ALSO: 100 movies on Netflix that everyone needs to watch in their lifetime

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NOW WATCH: 7 details you might have missed in episode 1 of 'American Gods'

Stephen Colbert opened Tuesday's "The Late Show" by doing a complete takedown of President Donald Trump's cuts in a budget proposal called "A New Foundation for American Greatness."

But how Colbert sees it, "He's building that foundation on the ground-up bones of poor people."

There are proposed cuts to the food-stamp program SNAP and the children's health-insurance program CHIP.

"To which America's children replied, 'stop' and 'help,'" Colbert said.

The host added, "I know this is an unpopular position these days, but I believe children should go to the doctor and eat."

But Colbert wasn't done. He then touched on the section of Trump's budget proposal that includes what Colbert sees as "brutal, senseless cuts to medical research."

Some major ones include $14 billion in cuts to Health and Human Services, a 19% cut to the National Cancer Institute, and cuts to the Center for Disease Control.

"So whenever that thing inside of Steve Bannon bursts out and goes airborne, we will not be able to handle it," Colbert said.

Watch Colbert's comments on Trump's budget cuts below:

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"Game of Thrones" author George R.R. Martin and star of the HBO series Kit Harington don't think highly of President Donald Trump.

In a new profile of Harington for Esquire, the two men weighed in on comparisons between the HBO hit fantasy drama and today's politics.

"I think Joffrey is now the king in America," Martin told Esquire. "And he's grown up just as petulant and irrational as he was when he was 13 in the books."

On "Game of Thrones," Joffrey Baratheon, who was played by Jack Gleeson, was believed to be the eldest son of King Robert Baratheon (Mark Addy) and Queen Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey). But in actuality, Joffrey was the result of Cersei's incestuous relationship with her twin brother, Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau).

Spoiled, egotistical, vengeful, and sadistic, Joffrey took the throne after Robert's death and all his bad traits became heightened. Responsible for some atrocious acts, Joffrey was regarded as the worst villain on "Thrones"— until murderous Ramsay Bolton (Iwan Rheon) took the title from him.

While Harington — whose heroic "Thrones" character, Jon Snow, was famously brought back from death — told Esquire that he prefers not to speak on politics, he nevertheless made it clear that he doesn't have a high opinion of Trump.

"Mister Donald Trump — I wouldn't call him President, I'll call him Mister," the actor said. "I think this man at the head of your country is a con artist."

SEE ALSO: Why 'Game of Thrones' fans are saying Ramsay is even worse than Joffrey

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The dust is settling and the dirty business of cancellations and renewals is mostly over, so it's time to take a look at the new batch of TV show offerings from the broadcast networks.

There are plenty of themes that are still very much recurring in this year's new shows — from revivals and reboots like NBC's "Will & Grace" and "Roseanne" to shows based on already established franchises, such as spin-offs of "Grey's Anatomy,""The Big Bang Theory," and "Star Trek," alongside a few new shows based on Marvel and DC comics.

Business Insider took a look at what we know about the new shows and made some snap judgments on the ones we're most looking forward to watching.

Here are the 18 most exciting new TV shows from the broadcast networks:

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"Black Lightning" (The CW)

The CW has had a good run with shows based on DC Comics properties. We also really enjoyed Cress Williams as the mayor on "Hart of Dixie." Aside from the black lead, the show shares some similarities to Netflix and Marvel's "Luke Cage" in its story of trying to leave behind the superhero life and then being pulled back in when the protagonist's community is in need of his help. What gives "Black Lightning" a point of difference is its family dynamic and the tease that his daughter may also have superpowers.

"The Crossing" (ABC)

ABC is touting "The Crossing" as the next "Lost." Those are big shoes to fill, but the show looks promising. It follows the sudden arrival of dozens of apparent shipwreck survivors to a small American town who are seeking refuge from a war in their country. The catch is that they're Americans and there's no war in the US.

"The Gifted" (Fox)

The latest addition to Marvel's TV offerings, "The Gifted" centers on parents, played by "True Blood" star Stephen Moyer and "Angel" alum Amy Acker, who realize that their children have strange powers. With an anti-mutant government, the family seeks haven with an underground group of mutants. We're always willing to give Marvel shows a chance, though they can be hit or miss. Bring on "The Gifted"!

After just one season, “The Get Down” is officially down in the TV dumpster, according to Variety. Netflix canceled the musical drama about teens from the Bronx in the late 1970s from creator Baz Luhrmann (“The Great Gatsby,” “Moulin Rouge!”) on Wednesday.

Canceling a show at all is still a rare move for Netflix, and this is the first time the streaming service has ever killed one of its original shows after only a single season. ("The Killing" ran for one season on Netflix, but had three previous seasons on AMC.) "The Get Down" debuted in 2016, and the second part of the first season premeired in April.

Netflix infamously doesn’t reveal viewing numbers, so there’s probably no way we’ll ever find out if it was really the least-watched original series on the streaming service, but it definitely didn’t get as much buzz as Stranger Things,” “Orange Is the New Black,” or “House of Cards.”

The other clear factor here is production expenses. The show was reportedly the most costly production in Netflix history at $120 million. There were also some complications throughout shooting that led some of the show's writers to jokingly call it “The Shut Down,” according to Variety.

 Creator and director Baz Luhrmann tweeted his thoughts after the news came out Wednesday night:

“As for the real future of the show, the spirit of ‘The Get Down,’ and the story it has begun to tell... it has its own life,” Luhrmann wrote in a Facebook post. “One that lives on today and will continue to be told somewhere, somehow, because of you, the fans and the supporters.”

SEE ALSO: 45 TV shows that have been canceled

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Warning: Spoilers ahead for "Game of Thrones" season seven, including speculation about future events.

The first full-length "Game of Thrones" season seven trailer is here and while it did reveal several important details about what's in store, we were also left with a lot of major questions.

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Let's start with the notable absences. First up — Brienne of Tarth and Podrick.

In season six, Brienne and Podrick were sent to Riverrun in order to (hopefully) bring the Blackfish back north to help defeat the Boltons. Instead, they arrived to find the castle surrounded by Lannister and Frey forces.

Brienne and Pod managed to sneak away from the siege in a boat, and we last saw them drifting upriver as Jaime watched sadly. 

So where are they? We were hoping for a glimpse of them back in Winterfell and at Sansa's side, but HBO is keeping their cards close with this trailer. Perhaps they're still in the Riverlands somewhere, or caught up in other trouble.

UPDATE: Brienne was there all along! We missed this detail in our first go-around, but Brienne is safely in Winterfell with Jon and Sansa.

Kudos to Watchers on the Wall editor-in-chief "Sue the Fury" for spotting this detail in her breakdown of the trailer. Still no clear sign of Pod but if Brienne is safe then we're betting her companion is, too.

Another major absence is the Night King (or any White Walkers and wights, for that matter).

Since virtually every season seven promo has prominently featured the Night King, we were expecting to see him (or at least some of his White Walker henchman) in the trailer.

But there was not a single ice-creature to be found.

Where is the Night King? Will he cross the Wall this season? Will he catch up with Bran before he and Meera get to safety?

Video games are great at lots of things: immersion, delight, even storytelling every now and again. But when it comes to turning those successes into film or television adaptations, something goes terribly wrong. 

The most recent example came in late December 2016, with Michael Fassbender starring in a movie adaptation of the "Assassin's Creed" franchise. Critics ravaged the film. "I suppose you could say the film made me slightly more likely to play one of the games, but only because I’d do just about anything before I saw this movie again,"wrote Slate senior editor Jonathan L. Fischer.

It has an 18% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes. 

Netflix is promising something different with an upcoming animated series based on the classic game series "Castlevania." Here's how Netflix describes the show:

"Inspired by the classic video game series, 'Castlevania' is a dark medieval fantasy following the last surviving member of the disgraced Belmont clan, trying to save Eastern Europe from extinction at the hand of Vlad Dracula Tepe himself. The animated series is from Frederator Studios, a Wow! Unlimited Media company, written by best-selling author and comic book icon Warren Ellis and executive produced by Warren Ellis, Kevin Kolde, Fred Seibert and Adi Shankar."

The show's producer, Adi Shankar, says it's based on the third game in the series, "Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse." Here's what that game looks like, for reference:

He also has a message for the folks who think this show is destined to be another bad video game adaptation: "I’m personally guaranteeing that this is going to be the best f-----g video game adaptation ever made to date,"he told Collider. "I’ve seen it, and it’s f-----g amazing."

Shankar got more specific in a post on Facebook:

Here's hoping he's right! 

To Shankar's credit, his past work includes the excellent "Dredd" film, and the show's writer is acclaimed graphic novel author Warren Ellis. Additionally, the production company is Frederator Studios — better known as "the folks behind 'Adventure Time,'" among other things. But it's a bold claim to make regardless given past precedent.

We'll find out for ourselves sooner than later; season one is scheduled to arrive on June 7, on Netflix of course. Check out the first trailer right here:

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Fox News Channel lent support to its best-known anchor Sean Hannity, saying Thursday that the popular host would return to its air next week following a Memorial Day holiday vacation – an effort to tamp down speculation that a controversy currently enveloping Hannity could escalate further.

“Like the rest of the country, Sean Hannity is taking a vacation for Memorial Day weekend and will be back on Tuesday,” the 21st Century Fox-owned network said in a statement. “Those who suggest otherwise are going to look foolish.”

Hannity has become embroiled in a furor over his recent promotion of a widely discredited story about the death last summer of Seth Rich, a DNC staffer who was murdered in Washington, D.C. last July in what local police have stated they believe is a botched robbery. Hannity has in recent days promoted an unproven theory that Rich was killed in exchange for providing internal documents to Wikileaks, prompting statements of outrage from the Rich family. 

On Tuesday, Fox News said it had retracted a story, published on FoxNews.com, about Rich’s murder – believed to be one of the first times the news outlet has withdrawn an article over its more than 20-year history. The killing remains unsolved and right-leaning press outlets such as Breitbart and The Drudge Report have in posts and links bolstered the wild conspiracy. Hannity continued to promote the theory about Rich on his Tuesday radio show, noting that “this issue is so big now that the entire Russia collusion narrative is hanging by a thread.”

But on his Fox News broadcast Tuesday night, Hannity appeared to back away from the contretemps. “Out of respect for the family’s wishes, for now, I am not discussing the matter at this time,” Hannity said.

A handful of small advertisers, including Cars.com, have indicated they were moving their commercials out of Hannity’s program in the aftermath – prompting comparisons to the recent exit of Bill O’Reilly. O’Reilly was the linchpin of Fox News’ primetime lineup, and parted ways after sponsors defected from his “O’Reilly Factor” following revelations he had made approximately $13 million in settlements to women who had alleged he had sexually harassed them or subjected them to inappropriate behavior. O’Reilly and Fox News parted ways in April.

“Hannity” generates millions of dollars in ad revenue for Fox News Channel. In 2016, the show brought in approximately $65.7 million, according to Kantar Media, a tracker of ad spending. That represented a 17% jump from the approximately $56.1 million the show captured from Madison Avenue in 2015.

In an interview with The Huffington Post on Wednesday, Hannity said the ad shifts represented efforts by progressives to silence him. “There’s nothing that I did, nothing that I said, except they don’t like my position politically,” he said. “They’ll try to ratchet up the intensity of their rationale. It does not justify an attempt to get me fired. And that’s what this is. This is an attempt to take me out. This is a kill shot.”

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Of course Stephen Colbert didn't give President Donald Trump a pass on the $2 trillion math error in his proposed federal budget.

"Well, President Trump is still on his semester abroad, getting his extra credits," Colbert said on Wednesday's "Late Show," referring to the president's international trip this past week, which began in Saudi Arabia and ends in Italy this week. "He might want to stay over there for a little while until the firemen can put out his budget proposal. Not only does nobody like it, it turns out to have a big mistake in it."

The host then tried to clear up what could be behind the error.

"There's a simple explanation for how this happened," Colbert said. "Donald Trump is an idiot or he's lying."

Not to get too deep into the mathematics of it all, but basically the proposed budget seeks to use a hopeful $2 trillion in increased revenue generated by tax cuts to cover the loss from the tax cuts and to make up for the amount needed to balance the budget. Basically, it's applying the assumed growth generated from tax cuts twice.

"That's like robbing Peter to pay Paul, but you're paying Paul with Blockbuster gift certificates," the host joked. "It doesn't work anymore."

In order to "help" Trump with his basic math skills, Colbert offered the following "lesson": "If a train leaves Washington, D.C., traveling 40 miles an hour, please get on it. Just go."

Watch the video below:

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