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CNN Saturday Morning News
Battle of Network Sales Departments Heats Up
Aired May 18, 2002 - 08:34 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: TV stars are helping the networks move the goods off the shelf, in this case TV advertising time. It happens every year in the annual battle of the network sales departments.
More from CNN's Michael Okwu.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MICHAEL OKWU, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's called the up front market.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The cast of "The West Wing."
OKWU: An A list dog-and-pony show where network brass sell up to 80 percent of prime advertising time for the upcoming season, each of them hoping that they've produced the next "Friends."
This fall, the diamonds will be divided among programs that deliver young viewers 18 to 29 year olds and programs the entire family can make appointments to watch.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You show us everything you've got.
KEN TUCKER, "ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY": The strongest network is probably NBC. They're still going to look great on Thursday nights with "Friends" and "E.R." book ending Thursday night. Overall during the week they're very strong with sitcoms like "Fraiser."
OKWU: But if you're number one, it already works.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a combination of playing it safe and playing it smart. The fact is, you know, when you have that much success, you don't screw with it.
OKWU: At CBS, drama is king. Network execs presented advertisers a fall lineup featuring seven new shows, five of which are dramas. The network's highest rated drama has produced an eagerly anticipated Monday night spin-off, "CSI Miami."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My name is Horatio Caine. I'm the head of the crime unit.
OKWU: The buzz here is a network musing about making a run at number one NBC. ABC is cleaning house and that's their final answer. Say good-bye to "Dharma & Greg," "Spin City"...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm not making any promises.
OKWU: ... and the once juggernaut game show that guided the network to ratings gold four nights a week. The new shows will kick off on Thursdays with comedies like "Eight Simple Rules for Dating My Daughter," starring veteran TV actor John Ritter and Katie Segal (ph).
(on camera): The networks will be fighting for your eyeballs and for billions of advertising dollars and for good reason. Americans are watching more television, but they're also watching more channels on cable and on satellite. The networks' share of the advertising pie is getting smaller.
JAMIE KELLNER, CEO, THE W.B. NETWORK: Running a big network today is looking at, you know, how do I prevent losing my audience, you know? What's, it's not attack, it's defense. And I think that's generally not as much fun as being an attacker. So, you know, the W.B. also plays to, you know, to me, the most exciting viewing group, younger people.
OKWU (voice-over): The network introduced six new shows all geared towards family in continuing to attract that coveted younger audiences advertisers love.
On the last day of up front week, Fox unveiled seven new shows to revamp its prime time schedule. At UPN, programmers added a comedy and two new dramas, including an update of "The Twilight Zone" and the supernatural mystery hour "Haunted."
(on camera): Experts believe that in the next several months, broadcasters will hammer out deals worth more than $7 billion.
(voice-over): Michael Okwu, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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