ABC Entertainment President Steve McPherson Earns Five Jacks for His Ballroom Dancing; Four 1/2 Jacks Each for CBS and ABC Events
The networks also succeeded in making clear that they have fully integrated their content across multiple digital platforms.
It's that time again -- the annual Jack Myers Reports review of the broadcast networks' upfront events.
As always, the people at the broadcast networks who plan and execute the many presentations and parties throughout the annual Upfront week extravaganza are to be commended for their endless
hours of hard work and their tireless professionalism. The planning and coordination alone are staggering. Remember, the networks' fall schedules sometimes are not set until one or two days before their presentations to advertisers and the press, so plans involving talent and transportation cannot be
fully finalized until the last minute. And that's only one small part of the massive undertakings at hand.
Of course, Upfront week is arguably the biggest and most important week of the year in the broadcast business. The stakes are sky high. So there is an assumption that every network will pull out all the stops
in presenting its new fall programming and, going forward, its plans for content delivery across multiple digital platforms. Even after years (if not decades) of attending these events, it remains a thrill for advertisers and journalists to discover an early new favorite among the dozens of new series unveiled for the following season, or simply to be entertained by elements of the
presentations themselves. On the other hand, a botched presentation, in whole or in part, can result in devastating negative publicity amidst these two influential groups of people.
This was an unusual Upfront week, marked by the elimination of two established networks (The WB and UPN) and the arrival of two new television entities: The CW (a hybrid of The WB and UPN) and
MyNetworkTV. (MyNetworkTV is comprised of two telenovela-inspired franchises stripped Monday-Saturday during primetime on stations that suddenly found themselves without nightly programming after the surprise announcement last January that The WB and UPN were coming to an end.)
The following reviews are of the networks' all-important presentations and parties and do not reflect any critical commentary about the programming previewed throughout the week. Overall, the broadcasters
generated the usual enthusiastic response from advertising executives and reinforced positive perceptions toward network television. The networks also succeeded in making clear that they have fully integrated their content across multiple digital platforms. Upfront week isn't solely about television anymore.
Steve McPherson, Edyta Sliwinska, & the Women of Wisteria Lane
ABC Entertainment President Steve McPherson Receives 5 Jacks of His Own
Last year, Desperate Housewives creator and executive producer Marc Cherry dazzled the Upfront audience with a song and dance performance of the Stephen Sondheim classic Beautiful Girls, accompanied
on stage by the beautiful women of Wisteria Lane. Cherry sounded so grand that many advertising executives and journalists thought he was lip-syncing. He wasn't.
ABC's presentation this year included yet another surprising showstopper: A damn fine ballroom dance by ABC Entertainment president Steve McPherson and Edyta Sliwinska, one of the dancers from the
network's Dancing with the Stars. For many years we've watched dozens of network executives do many different things on stages in New York, Los Angeles and elsewhere, but we have never seen one do that! Like Cherry's before him, McPherson's unexpected talent was the talk of the Upfront.
CBS Rates a Robust 4 1/2 Jacks
With its grand presentation at Carnegie Hall combining top-tier entertainers, a laser-clear message, expert positioning of its new product and the showmanship of network chief Leslie Moonves, CBS has for years been the network to beat during Upfront week. Seemingly recharged after
receiving a surprising grade of only 4 Jacks last year, placing it second behind Fox' 4 1/2-Jack 2005 event, the network this year rebounded to its position of leadership and delivered the classiest presentation of the week.
CBS had us right from the start with the streaming video on its giant hi-def screen from its Shrimp Cam over at Tavern on the Green. This was the first of many video efforts that propelled the presentation along
with much good humor, including a CBS News Special Report from Bob Schieffer announcing that Moonves would not be starring in his annual (and much anticipated) short movie at the opening of the presentation ("It's truly a historic day for the media community," Schieffer noted.)
Similarly, Dennis Haysbert of The Unit was amusing in a takeoff on his commercials for
Allstate ("You're in good hands with CBS.") "Take Dennis' advice and buy as many CBS units as possible," Moonves told the crowd, adding, "Units. Get it?"
The Jersey Boys
A commercial for Criminal Minds' Greatest Hits (including My Funny Psychopath and Stranglers in the Night) featuring Mandy Patinkin, the vocally gifted star of that series,
had the audience roaring, while the cast of Broadway's Jersey Boys, whisked to Carnegie Hall during intermission at the Wednesday matinee of their show, provided the best entertainment of the week. They even eclipsed superstar Mariah Carey, who performed later in the presentation
after CBS Entertainment president Nina Tassler announced that she would be starring in a special next season.
CBS never fails to effective position its upcoming new programming at its Upfront presentation. It also clearly and excitingly repeats the messages of the day, thanking advertisers for past support and
encouraging them to buy once again. Every year those messages are delivered and received in an atmosphere of energy, entertainment and enthusiasm that makes everyone involved feel good about the business they are in.
ABC Rates 4 1/2 Jacks, Too
Earlier in the week, ABC's return Upfront engagement at Avery Fisher Hall in Lincoln Center was similarly polished, professional and entertaining. In addition to Steve McPherson's big dance number, the network offered performances by Mary J. Blige and William Shatner, the latter
singing about the "beautiful boys of ABC" while the leading men from all of ABC's established series appeared on stage behind him. Shatner said he "felt very left out" last year when Cherry was on stage with ABC's biggest female stars. "Today, I'm here to even the score!" he declared, before bursting into song.
Not to be forgotten, Cherry chimed in from a balcony near the end of the performance. "The things I'll do to keep my show on Sunday night!" he exclaimed.
ABC's late night star Jimmy Kimmel delivered his usual withering network commentary. ("Are you ready for no football?" he roared.) But the comic highlight of the afternoon was a filmed spoof of George's lesbian
shower fantasy with Meredith, Cristina and Izzie on Grey's Anatomy, with Bailey watching a nude McDreamy, Burke and Webber lather themselves. ABC should include this clip in the show's Season 2 DVD release.
From the opening graphics to McPherson's final appearance on stage -- accompanied by the six female stars of Housewives -- ABC's presentation didn't simply introduce and position its upcoming product or its plans for ongoing digital expansion. It also reinforced the idea of ABC as a
solid and desirable brand past, present and future that is, at its best, cherished by its audience.
