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Upfront 07
See Clips of Network TV New Series at 'TV Week'
May 22, 2007
NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Wondering what the new "Bionic Woman" looks like? Or why CW's "Reaper" got such good buzz? Or why the kids on "Kid Nation" are crying? Ad Age sibling, TV Week, has gathered video clips of the broadcast network's new fall series on to one video player. Search by network, by night or by show.
VIDEO SERIES: Inside the Upfront
May 21, 2007
NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Continuing the early-week trend, brevity reigned supreme at the late-week upfront events from CBS, Fox and the CW. Foregoing any entertainment, Fox, which had an infamously long and messy upfront event last year, surprised its audience this year with a hard-business briefing lasting less than an hour. Katie Couric, who was the star of CBS's presentation last year, was notably absent from the network's event last week, sparking the most gossip. And CW's show, which was short, still jammed in some fun by kicking off the morning presentation with the Pussycat Dolls. Watch Ad Age MediaWorks editor Ann Marie Kerwin's report.
Photos from the Upfront Presentations
May 18, 2007
Last week's upfront presentations and parties were packed full of small screen celebs and network honchos. See who was there. We've got four pages of pictures.
Old Medium Learns New Tricks
May 21, 2007
NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- One of the first deals made in this year's upfront TV advertising market is for a show with no traditional, 30-second commercials. MediaVest has bought all the sponsorships in the CW's new Sunday-night trends program, "CW Now," for the entire year.
Networks Cut to Chase, Curry Favor With Buyers
May 21, 2007
NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- This year's upfront presentations were more relevant for TV buyers, more focused on the consumer, and, perhaps best of all, they were over in record time.
Buyers Like What Nets Offer Up
May 21, 2007
NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- No one's going to call this year's development slate the most dynamic or original when the most hyped shows are essentially updates of "The Bionic Woman" and "The Terminator" and retreads of "Sex and the City." But in terms of the quality of prime-time programming, buyers seem to think the networks have stepped up their game.
Freeloader Does the Upfront Presentations
May 18, 2007
NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Upfront week offers lots of showbiz and shrimp -- sort of the ultimate Freeloader event. We score the network parties on a scale of one to 10 cosmos.
Quick Like a Fox
May 18, 2007
NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- When you need to get out of a jam, who else do you call but Jack Bauer. And so it was that Fox opened its upfront presentation with a video of Entertainment President Peter Liguori calling everyone's favorite go-to fixer to find out how to keep advertisers and agency folk happy during the fifth upfront presentation of the week. Jack's advice (dispensed while diffusing a bomb): "Keep it to an hour. ... You're on the clock Mr. President." And remarkably, he did.
Buyers Like Fox's Brevity, and Some Shows Too
May 18, 2007
NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- After five broadcast upfront presentations and one torrential downpour that fell on guests at CBS' after-party at Tavern on the Green, the clouds lifted on the 2007 upfront season at Fox's bash in Central Park's Wollman Rink. It was a shorter end than anticipated, too. After last year's presentation clocked in at a notoriously derided three hours, Fox whittled things down to one hour on the dot, thanks to the nefarious "24" ticking clock. The feat did not go unnoticed by buyers, either.
Fox Adds Six New Shows For Next Season
May 17, 2007
NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Despite all the early talk of beefing up its fall slate for a stronger all-around season, Fox is still banking on the "January effect" from "American Idol" to roll out it biggest, most surefire hits. In a conference call this afternoon, entertainment president Peter Liguori announced the addition of six new shows to the fall schedule, including three unscripted series, two dramas and one big-ticket sitcom.
CW's Second Year All About Being Hip
May 17, 2007
NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- With three nights of upfront presentations and after-parties under their belts, attendees at the CW's breakfast and presentation this morning at Madison Square Garden Theater were no doubt grateful to be greeted by Jamba Juice Smoothies and men bearing trays of breakfast burritos and cinnamon buns. Coffee, needless to say, was also on hand.
Joe Uva's Univision Is User-Generated
May 16, 2007
NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- New to the U.S. Hispanic market, Joe Uva was pleasantly surprised during his first week as CEO of Univision Communications by the trust viewers place in the leading Spanish-language network. "People actually call the switchboard of their favorite network [Univision] and ask where they should bank, or for the name of a good doctor, or where to send their kids to school," Mr. Uva told the upfront audience on Wednesday morning. "People give back an incredible amount of loyalty, affection and trust."
CBS Happy to Show Competitive Strength
May 16, 2007
NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Day three has its advantages, as CBS has long known. With NBC and ABC already having revealed their schedules, CBS was free during its upfront presentation to point out all the places where its schedule showed strength in relation to its rivals. CBS Entertainment President Nina Tassler touted that "We're No. 1" more often than a high school cheerleader at the end of the state championship. CBS has always been the most competitive, and this year's upfront presentation underscored that that hasn't changed.
Despite a Play for Edgy, Buyers Mostly See Safe at CBS
May 16, 2007
NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- CBS took a playful swipe at its old-skewing, conservative image by rolling out a host of edgy fare, such as Cuban drug drama "Cane" and wife-swapping '70s show "Swingtown," during its upfront presentation last night at Carnegie Hall. And given the network's oft-repeated status as the most-watched network on TV (despite being beat in key demos by ABC in some of the competitive time slots), some buyers think CBS might be able to recuperate should any of said risks fall through. "They have such a stable schedule, they should be able to experiment and not put their whole lineup at risk," said Bill Carroll, director-programming for Katz Media Group.
Steady CBS Adds Some Spice for Fall
May 16, 2007
NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- CBS is hoping to inject some life into its schedule this fall, with five new shows being added to its lineup. At a press conference in New York this morning, CBS President-CEO Les Moonves, Entertainment President Nina Tassler and Exec VP-Entertainment Kelly Kahl were on hand to announce the new shows from the CBS headquarters.
One Singular Sensation, Plus Bingo
May 16, 2007
NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Steve McPherson, ABC's president-entertainment, decided to leave the dancing to a kid this year. "In the past," he told attendees, "we've celebrated our beautiful women, our beautiful men. And last year, I danced like a monkey on a hot plate." What was in store this year for advertisers who lived through dancing Desperate Housewives, a Marc Cherry-led chorus line of studs and Mr. McPherson's own dancing with the stars? How about a pre-teen with Broadway dreams? Twelve-year-old Mark Indelicato stole the show with a version of "One" from "A Chorus Line" in homage of "Ugly Betty."
ABC Proves Upfront Excess Is 'Alive and Well'
May 15, 2007
NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- "Upfront excess is alive and well," said Alec Gerster, CEO of media agency Initiative, after ABC's 90-minute upfront spectacle, which opened with a high-kicking chorus line flanking the stars of "Ugly Betty" and closed with a confetti shower.
ABC Slots Seven New Dramas, Four New Comedies
May 15, 2007
NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- ABC unveiled its fall schedule this morning and handed insurance marketer Geico's ad spokespeople, the Cavemen, a shot at the big time. The sitcom is one of four new comedies and seven new dramas premiering later this year, along with a cause-related series from Oprah Winfrey.
ESPN Gets Serious About Putting On a Show
May 15, 2007
NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- As the first cable network to hold a presentation during the same week as the broadcast networks, ESPN had already set itself part. But the sports empire took its Broadway debut at Times Square's Nokia Theater quite seriously by constructing a fully produced 90-minute show around its key executives, multiplatform brands and well-known talent.
Telemundo, Like NBC, Embraces Digital Platform
May 16, 2007
NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- The Spanish-language TV upfront is now big enough that NBC Universal's Telemundo moved to Radio City Music Hall last night from much smaller venues in previous years. The network has also been on something of a comeback journey since switching from imported to original programming despite struggles with ratings.
