Hollywood
Fox cancels ‘Utopia’ reality TV show
MUMBAI: ‘Utopia’, the Fox series dubbed as a one-year social experiment with 15 participants trying to create a new society from scratch has been discontinued by the network after 66 days.
Based on a Dutch series by Significant Brother creator John de Mol, the show was made to challenge participants to produce their personal society. It aired its final episode on 31 October and pulled down its 24/7 online live-stream of the compound on 2 November.
Throughout its run, Utopia was averaging 2.6 million viewers when it aired on Tuesdays and 2.4 million on Fridays.
‘Utopia’ premiered on 7 September and Fox began by airing the series two nights a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays. The network then cut back to just Fridays due to Tuesdays’ low-ratings. The live-stream stayed up throughout filming, and viewers could gain access to multiple, around-the-clock feeds if they paid a $5 a month subscription fee.
‘Utopia’ presented a challenge to its 15 participants with wildly diverse backgrounds to create a working society with limited supplies and no indoor plumbing. They would have to decide on a type of government, economy, to follow a religion and other great choices a community must make in the beginning. The reality series also introduced the threat of elimination for one of the 15 contestants.
On Fridays, the series will be replaced by reruns of Masterchef Junior.
Hollywood
Disney sells out ad slots for 98th Oscars broadcast
Strong demand for live events turns the Academy Awards into a global, multi-platform marketing moment
NEW YORK: Hollywood’s biggest night has also become one of advertising’s hottest tickets. Disney has sold out all advertising inventory for the 98th Oscars, underscoring the growing demand from brands eager to ride the cultural wave of major live events.
The sell-out marks the sixth consecutive live tentpole success for Disney Advertising. The streak includes last year’s 97th Oscars, the 59th Annual CMA Awards, and Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest, signalling strong appetite among marketers for moments that bring audiences together in real time.
For advertisers, the Oscars are no longer just a single night of glitz and gold statues. Disney’s “Content Everywhere” strategy has expanded the awards show into a sprawling, multi-platform brand playground spanning linear television, streaming, social media and digital content.
“Live continues to be one of the most powerful ways for brands to connect with engaged audiences at scale, and the Oscars represent the very best of culture, creativity and community,” said Disney Advertising SVP, entertainment and streaming solutions John Campbell. He added that the company has reshaped the show’s commercial potential into a connected experience that stretches well beyond the broadcast.
Brands such as Mazda, Pfizer and Volkswagen of America are tapping into Disney’s wider ecosystem, appearing across original content segments including Know Your Movies on Hulu and Critically Acclaimed on Disney+. Partnerships also extend to social media through TikTok Pulse Premiere and to custom brand storytelling created by Disney CreativeWorks.
The result is what Disney calls the “Oscars Everywhere” approach. Rather than a few high-profile ad breaks, advertisers now find themselves woven through a series of moments before, during and after the ceremony.
These include On The Red Carpet at The Oscars, a live pre-show syndicated across major local markets and streamed nationwide, and the After the Oscars Show, which keeps the conversation going once the final award has been handed out.
This year’s sponsors include Rolex, returning for its ninth year, and Burger King, which joins the Oscars advertiser roster for the first time. Other brands in the mix include Disney Cruise Line, Dunkin’, Eli Lilly and Company, Eucerin, Intuit TurboTax, L’Oréal, McDonald’s, Microsoft, Miebo, Paris Baguette, Peacock, Starbucks, State Farm, Toyota and Verizon.
The 98th Oscars will take place on March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood. The ceremony will be broadcast live on ABC and streamed on Hulu, reaching audiences in more than 200 territories worldwide.
