Questions at the Halfway Point of Upfront Event Season

How many of Viacom39s quotcorequot networks will do a public Upfront showcase amp160So far only two have and in the same space Nickelodeon and Nick Jr which lead off theamp160season early last month It39s unclear right now if any of the other four will take a turn Comedy Central which had one of the best 2016 events MTV and Spikeamp160are not on deck BET39s presentation scheduled for April 27 may be in flux due to the mysterious circumstances behind the exit of two key programming executives one being chief programmer Stephen HillHow many of Viacom39s quotnoncorequot networks will do a public Upfront showcaseamp160 So far not a peep from VH1 CMT TV Land Logo Nick at Nite etcWhy are more networks going headtohead with their Upfront eventsamp160 Donamp8217t network officials look at Maryann Telleramp8217s marvelous UpfrontNewFront calendar right here at MediaVillagecom before making their dateandtime calls amp160Two giants collided last week when AMC Networks had their return to the sceneamp160on Thursday night opposite FX Networks39 annual celebrityfilled bowling party plus a premiere screening for the first episode of Fargoamp8217s third season Next week twoamp160similar collisions are scheduled to take place in oneamp16024hour period First Freeform vs National Geographic on Wednesday night Second TV One vs newcomer Complex Networks on Thursday morningamp160Next month we have at least one UpfrontDigital Content NewFront confrontation with the celebration for LATV39s 10th anniversary as a national network up against newcomer Astronauts Wanted headed by former MTV chief Judy McGrath Givenamp160the relative lack of events in March why did these services not take advantage and go public thenWhy did GSN disappear from the scene this yearamp160 Their breakfast event was a popular annual stop and last year39s activities at the Paley Center for Media where show hosts and producers were interviewed in a Television Critics Association tourstyle fashion scored well amp160Soamp160why the disappearing actWhat39s up with UP and Aspire these daysamp160 When their combo tour bus parkedamp160outside Bryant Park and other Manhattan locations for visits with agency officials and press two years ago UP was offering original madeforTV movies each month and was out to make its mark with original scriptedunscripted seriesamp160Similarlyamp160Aspire overseen by Earvin quotMagicquot Johnson with UP handling marketing and national ad sales was starting to put more originals on its primetime schedule Two years later UP isn39t doing original movies and is making few original series mostly unscripted although they will be back on the scripted beat with Date My Dad in June while Aspire has gone silent on its status Time for both networks to speak up again in some mannerWhere will Hallmark go from here with original scripted seriesamp160 That39s a question I39ll bet more than a few people were asking at parent Crown Media39s sensational Rainbow Room event last month Amid news that both Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies ampamp Mysteries will again increase the number of madefor moviesamp160on each service this season there was not one word about putting a new scripted series on the air or even into developmentamp160The majority of scripted originals Hallmark has offered during the last decade Cedar Cove When Calls the Heart The Good Witch have been multiyear hits and given their household reach and ratings success one might conclude every studio or production company would approach them with at least one familyfriendly series idea What givesWhen will INSP hit the scene This network has a lot to talk about more than 80 million cablesatellite customers fair appeal for its overall schedule and incentive to do more original programmingAgain if anyone has any answers or any other questions I39m all earsUntil the next time stay well and stay tunedClick the social buttons above or below to share this content with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this article are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated bloggersamp160amp160

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Questions at the Halfway Point of Upfront Event Season

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Simon Applebaum

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Questions at the Halfway Point of Upfront Event Season

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