Facing uncertainties about this year’s upfront market, network executives are feeling positive about where things netted out.  The upfront market commenced quickly last week after getting off to a sluggish start.  Early indications suggest that the prime market is up marginally from $9.1 billion a year ago and may reach as high as $9.2 Billion.  Ratings leader’s Fox and ABC lead the market in CPM increases, garnering high single digit increases, with NBC on the low end.  The final chapter won’t be written on this upfront until year end, as the scatter market concludes and network executives have a clearer picture of total revenue for ’09 vs. ’08.  Advertisers, bitten by sky rocketing scatter prices this past year, moved dollars in the upfront market.

ABC
With ABC’s strong ratings and program schedule, the network decided to keep the majority of the prime schedule intact.  ABC only added two new hours in the Fall . . .

Opportunity Knocks: a game show that will travel to various neighborhoods across the country, asking families questions about their families, neighbors and communities in order to win prizes

Life on Mars: a present day detective wakes up after a car crash in 1973 where he still is a detective

ABC’s returning series include: America’s Funniest Home Videos, Boston Legal, Brothers & Sisters, Dancing with the Stars, Desperate Housewives, Dirty Sexy Money, Eli Stone, Extreme Makeover Home Edition, Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, Pushing Daisies, Samantha Who, Supernanny, Ugly Betty, Wife Swap, and 20/20.  ABC also has a few shows that will premiere mid-season:  The Goode Family is an animated series about a family that is concerned with doing the “right” thing and Scrubs which was acquired from NBC.

ABC also introduced the “advertising value index”, which will allow advertisers to target their consumers better based on 15 different measurements such as demographic data, engagement, commercial ratings and more. 

CBS
CBS has five new shows to add to their primetime lineup in the Fall . . .

Worst Week: an eager boyfriend tries to impress his future in-laws and in turn has unfortunate mishaps beyond his control

The Mentalist: a detective uses his skills of deduction to help the police solve crimes

Project Gary: a recently divorced dad tries to start over while juggling an ex-wife and his kids

Eleventh Hour: a biophysicist and science advisor to the government analyzes cases that involve scientific anomalies

The Ex List:  a single woman in her 30s is told by a tarot card reader that she will need to marry a man she has already met within the next year, otherwise she will remain single for the rest of her life

For mid-season, Harper’s Island is a murder mystery about friends who meet on an island for a wedding that is slated to take place. 

Returning shows include: How I Met Your Mother, The Big Bang Theory, Two and a Half Men, CSI series, NCIS, Criminal Minds, Survivor, Ghost Whisperer, Numbers, 48 Hours: Mystery, 60 Minutes, The Amazing Race, Without A Trace, New Adventures of Old Christine, and The Unit.

CW
The CW has decided to go after the W1834 demo with their new programming.  New shows for the Fall include . . .

90210: Updated spin off of the original 90210 including Jennie Garth (Kelly Taylor on the original 90210) as the high school counselor.

Surviving the Filthy Rich: a recent Yale graduate is offered a job as a live-in tutor to a well-off family with two twin girls

Stylista: a reality series where 11 competitors compete for an editorial job with Elle magazine

The CW has also programmed their Sunday night with . . .

In Harm’s Way: reality show about people who work in dangerous jobs

Surviving Suburbia: comedy about a family in the suburbs from the father’s perspective

Valentine, Inc: Greek gods Eros and Aphrodite run a dating service

Easy Money: follows a family of loan sharks

Returning shows include: Gossip Girl, One Tree Hill, America’s Next Top Model, Smallville, Supernatural, and Everybody Hates Chris.

FOX
Only one of Fox’s originals from last year, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles will be returning in the Fall along with two new shows . . .

Fringe: science fiction drama about a team of investigators who look into the ghastly deaths of an entire plane filled with people that landed at Boston’s Logan Airport

Do Not Disturb (working title): focuses on the staff of a new hotel in New York City  

FOX also has Dollhouse, which focuses on an underground group that erases people’s personalities after assignments. Secret Millionaire is a reality show about rich people who live in an impoverished neighborhood and then give rewards to individuals in the neighborhood. Sit Down Shut Up is an animated series about the faculty of a high school in a small fishing town. Scheduled to air mid-season, The Cleveland Show is a spinoff that features Cleveland of Family Guy.

Returning to Fox is The Simpsons, King of the Hill, Family Guy, American Dad, Prison Break, House, Bones, ‘Til Death, The Moment of Truth, Are you Smarter than a 5th Grader, Don’t Forget the Lyrics, Cops, America’s Most Wanted, Hell’s Kitchen, American Idol, and 24.

FOX also has developed “Remote Free” TV, which will allow for less commercial time during two of their new shows, Fringe and Dollhouse, in order to keep viewers engaged during commercial time. 

ION
Ion will start off the 2008/09 season with a new branding campaign targeting A2554.  Ion also has signed up for 12 original movies to be produced for the network lineup, which will include: ER, Dead Zone, Ghost Whisperer, Criminal Minds, and Boston Legal.   Such classic shows as Drew Carey, MASH, Family Feud, Steve Harvey, Baywatch, and Quantum Leap can also be found on the network.

NBC
NBC has decided to follow a 52 week a year programming lineup for 2009.  They are starting off in the Fall with five new programs . . .

America’s Toughest Jobs: contestants try working “America’s toughest jobs” that include working on an oil rig to an ice road trucker. The average American will see if they can survive in America’s toughest jobs

My Own Worst Enemy: Jekyll/Hyde drama about a man dealing with his split personality

Kath and Kim: follows a mother and her grown daughter and their relationship after the daughter moves back in with her mother

Knight Rider: long lost son of Michael Knight begins to follow in the footsteps of his father in the modern day version of Knight Rider

Crusoe: based on the tale of Robinson Crusoe and his survival for 28 years shipwrecked on an island

Mid-season will include: Philanthropist; a the story of a man who uses his wealth to help people, Merlin; set in the city of Camelot inspired by 21st century storytelling, and an Office spinoff.  Shark Taggers follows real-life marine biologists on the dangerous journey of tagging sharks with satellite transmitters. The Listener is the story about a paramedic who can read minds and helps solve crimes using his gift.  Coming to NBC’s summer 2009 schedule, Chopping Block involves couples who compete in various restaurant challenges to win their own restaurant.

By;  Michele Toller, National Broadcast Director
       Lisa Showalter, National Media Team Associate