Upfront Week Theme: Network TV is Stronger than Ever!

Last week's Upfront Week, as reported daily by Jack Myers Media Business Report, represented the most important and fascinating week of Upfront presentations in several years. In some ways, what was NOT on the screens and in the messages of most networks was more relevant and telling than all the high quality new and returning content that WAS presented.

• Clearly, the leading television networks are once again flexing their muscles and feeling empowered to approach the Upfront negotiations with a renewed vigor – almost a rebirth.
• The core consistent theme across all the network presentations was that TRADITIONAL DRAMATIC AND COMEDY PRIMETIME TELEVISION SERIES ARE THE ENGINE THAT IS DRIVING THE MEDIA AND ADVERTISING TRAIN.
• Is reality programming on the wane?
• Digital, cross-platform and integrated marketing opportunities, the focus of several network Upfront presentations in recent years, were hardly an afterthought this year.
• And is the talk of double digit cost-per-thousand increases the reality or typical network bravado?

I share the dominant themes and issues emerging from the 2010 Upfront Week presentations in this week's Jack Myers Media Business Report, shared below for members and available to non-members only through corporate subscription.

Jack Myers Media Business Report is published every Monday exclusively for corporate subscribers. If you believe you are a subscriber and should be receiving the extended members-only version of this report, please contact Jack Myers at jack@mediadvisorygroup.com. For subscription information click here.