Ed Martin's Annual Upfront Week Reviews

And so it is that we come to the annual bestowing of our coveted Jacks ratings to the five broadcast networks which despite competing for attention during Upfront Week with ESPN Univision Turner Networks and others can still arguably call the week their ownEvery year some of the broadcasters do a better job than others in delivering their messages and promoting their programming and now their digital and data initiativesamp160 But credit must be given to everyone involved in all of their events for putting them togetheramp160 It is a Herculean amount of work executed under great pressure and with a lot at stake from the senior executive ranks to the publicity assistants event planners and talent coordinators who make it all happenamp160 There may be questions as to why the events of Upfront Week are still necessary given the roles social media and digital communication play in spreading each networksamp8217 news and in some cases video clips a day or more in advance of each eventamp160 But there can be no denying the professionalism on display throughout all of themA quick reminder of our Jacks ratings systemamp160 5 Jacks amp8211 Excellent 4 Jacks amp8211 Very Good 3 Jacks amp8211 Good 2 Jacks amp8211 Fair 1 Jack amp8211 Poor 0 Jacks amp8211 Donamp8217t go thereWatch for reviewsamp160by Simon Applebaum and JP Fields of presentations byamp160ESPN Univision and Turner Networks and more hereamp160on MediaVillagecomCBS 5 JacksCBSamp8217 annual presentation at Carnegie Hall remains the gold standard of Upfront events showcasing and promoting the networkamp8217s and CBS Corpamp8217s programming sales strategies and scheduling in the grand style of Upfronts past while always feeling as fresh and contemporary as they are informative and entertainingamp160 Itamp8217s pretty basic despite the grandeur of it all What better way for a company to get its points across than to keep the audience fully engaged while doing soamp160 The presentation began with a highenergy beat by Jon Batiste and Stay Human from Late Show with Stephen Colbert followed by quick and concise comments from CBS Sales President Jo Ann Ross a video starring CBS Corp Chairman and CEO Leslie Moonves pictured belowamp160and Colbert that transitioned into a full blown production number on the Carnegie stage pictured at top a subsequent comedy routine by Colbert and then refreshingly fastpaced introductions of new series featuring clips and onstage cast members amp160These included a sneak preview of the upcoming CBS All Access series Star Trek Discovery and an appearance by James Corden dressed as a VulcanThere was also time for a comedy routine by Jermaine Fowler that was so funny it had attendees hoping that his sitcom Superior Donuts remains on the CBS schedule for years to come amp160Because CBS Entertainment President Glenn Geller is on medical leave Moonves was on stage more than he has been in recent years and thatamp8217s always a plus amp160CBS Primetime Senior Executive Vice President Kelly Kahl also stepped up and did a fine job in his Carnegie Hall debutamp160 Also contributing to CBSamp8217 5 Jack rating amp8211 its 21st annual breakfast for the press that morning hosted by Moonves and Kahl with top CBS programming sales marketing research and diversity executives in attendance and freely mingling with reporters and featuring the first reveal of the networkamp8217s 201718 primetime scheduleamp160 And of course its postpresentation party at the Plaza Hotel this year impressively encompassing three floors allowing for easy access to talent executives food and drink for all amp160In an amazing touch Batiste and his band led a procession from Carnegie Hall to the PlazaNBCU amp8211 45 JacksNBCU made a huge improvement over its presentation last year revealing details of new shows from all of its broadcast cable and Spanishlanguage platforms by network rather than genre and focusing at the beginning and end of the presentation on the best that the NBC mothership has to offer including an opening performance by new Voice judge Jennifer Hudson that blew the roof off Radio City Music Hallamp160 NBCUniversal Chairman Advertising Sales and Client Partnerships Linda Yaccarino pictured below then addressed the audience maintaining her status as the most eloquent executive of any Upfront stage by setting up not only the presentation to come but in many respects the entire week of events that would followamp160 A funny video promoting the return of Will ampamp Grace followed and it thrillingly transitioned into a musical performance of amp8220As If We Never Said Goodbyeamp8221 by its four stars on the Music Hall stage backed by a full orchestraAfter an hour of minipresentations for almost every cable and digital network in the NBCU family and an official welcome to Megyn Kelly by some of the stars of NBC News the event reached its emotional highlightamp160 Video testimonials by fans of This Is Us and an appearance on stage by its muchloved castamp160 People around me were misting throughout which speaks volumes about the emotional connectivity of this show amp160The cast is pictured belowamp160 The always reliable Late Night host Seth Meyers once again delivered the funnyamp160 amp8220The Upfronts have been posttruth from the beginningamp8221 amp8220This week is the definition of fake newsamp8221amp160 Then out came NBC Broadcasting and Sports Chairman Mark Lazarus to talk about the companyamp8217s plans for coverage of its historic trifecta the 2018 Winter Olympics Super Bowl LII and the Fifa World Cup Read much more about the latter in JP Fieldsamp8217 interview with Telemundo Deportes President Ray Warrenamp160 Curiously absent from it all NBC Entertainment Chairman Bob Greenblattamp160 Iamp8217ve attended almost every broadcast Upfront presentation for the last 25 years and I donamp8217t remember one in which an entertainment executive never appeared on stageABC amp8211 45 JacksABC went comfortably old school with a presentation that informed and entertained without ever taking focus away from the real reason most of the audience had come to David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center amp8211 to see and learn about the networkamp8217s new programming amp160The messaging began the moment guests entered the building when they were handed cookies featuring the faces of characters from the longrunning hit sitcom The Goldbergs amp160An opening number by Lea Michele who will star in the new comedy The Mayor started it all off on a high note amp160That was followed by a video featuring Anthony Andersen as Andre Johnson the advertising executive he plays on blackish brainstorming with his team and various characters from other ABC series to come up with a theme for this Upfront seasonamp160 The winning slogan amp8220Defining Momentsamp8221 recurred throughoutAndersen then introduced Disney Media Networks CoChair and DisneyABC Television Group President Ben Sherwood referring to him as amp8220the whitest person in Americaamp8221 who welcomed the audience and read a letter from annual ABC Upfront funnyman Jimmy Kimmel absent due to family mattersamp160 After assuring everyone that his newborn son Billy was doing well Kimmel promised to return in 2018 amp8220on the off chance broadcast television continues to existamp8221amp160 A video in which new DisneyABC Ad Sales President Rita Ferro played The 100000 Pyramid with Dancing with the Stars host Tom Bergeron was similarly entertainingamp160 In her second round of Upfront action ABC Entertainment President Channing Dungey pictured above did a fine job of introducing the networkamp8217s many new series for fall and midseason including a Roseanne reboot pictured below and yet another Marvel series Marvelamp8217s Inhumans the first two hours of which will debut on IMAX screens in Septemberamp160 The event also included a fine farewell to Scandal as its approaches its final season and a rollicking performance by the Backstreet Boys to kick off the networkamp8217s new summer reality talent show Boy Bandamp160 Curiously absent from it all Ryan Seacrest a man synonymous with American Idol coming to ABC next March new cohost of Disneyamp8217s syndicated Live with Kelly and Ryan and host of the networkamp8217s annual Dick Clarkamp8217s New Yearamp8217s Rockinamp8217 Eveamp160 Did he have something better to doFox amp8211 35 JacksHard to believe that an Upfront presentation that included amazing musical performances by cast members from Empire and Staramp160pictured below and multitalented Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane amp8211 plus a group of talented young people singing amp8220Seasons of Loveamp8221 from Rent to promote Foxamp8217s upcoming live telecast of that modern classic amp8211 is receiving a midrange score on the Jacks scale Keep in mind a rating of 35 Jacks falls somewhere between amp8220goodamp8221 and amp8220very goodamp8221 so itamp8217s not a terrible thing amp160But even with the wonderful moments above it wasnamp8217t easy to sit through especially the first halfhour a relentless download of data science and sportsamp160 Not even a surprise appearance by former Major League Baseball superstar now a Fox Sports analyst Alex Rodriguez could helpamp160Actually it helped a little but not as much as the unexpected delivery of eagerly devoured cookies under the direction of Gordon Ramsay to everyone in the Beacon Theater later in the showFox Television Group Chairmen and CEOs Dana Walden and Gary Newman pictured belowamp160amp160came out last to present details of the networkamp8217s new shows and fall schedule but their time on stage with what most people in the theater surely felt was the real meat of the meal felt rushedamp160 This was probably a 3 Jacks show but Fox gets the extra halfJack for once again hosting an amazing afterparty in Central Parkamp8217s Wollman Rink filled with dozens of stars and executives amp8211 the latter only too happy to hang out and talk to everyone including members of the pressamp160 I left the party around 9 and young people were still pouring inamp160 One of my colleagues left about an hour later and guests were still arrivingamp160 For all we know the Fox bash went until midnight or laterThe CW amp8211 35 JacksThere was nothing wrong with The CWamp8217s presentation on Thursday but I have to admit that at this point I would like something a little different in its annual Upfront event that might better reflect its phenomenal growth in recent yearsamp160 Maybe the opening performance by Muse didnamp8217t reach the bar set by previous artists at CW eventsamp160 A number at midshow by the madtalented cast of Crazy ExGirlfriend seemed to do more to energize the audienceamp160 Maybe clips from its new shows werenamp8217t as exciting as those in recent years Think about the lively reactions to The Flash Riverdale CrazyEx etcamp160 Or maybe we were all just beat from the heat and three nonstop days of Upfront activityJane the Virgin star Gina Rodriguez pictured aboveamp160was delightful as always talking about diversity inclusion and healing the world amp8220one character at a timeamp8221amp160 It was great to see Supernatural stars Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki again amp8211 a remarkable 12 years after the debut of their unstoppable showamp160 CW President Mark Pedowitz pictured below and Executive Vice President of National Sales Rob Tuck did a fine job reinforcing their networkamp8217s messages The top takeaways The CW is a true multiplatform successamp160was and remains a digital pioneeramp160and was the first to connect advertisersamp8217 brands with premium digital contentClick the social buttons above or below to share this content with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writers

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Ed Martin's Annual Upfront Week Reviews

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