There was much anticipation around the final and the most successful US broadcast network, CBS. The CBS upfront is the hottest ticket in town and Carnegie Hall played host to the biggest crowd yet. CBS, known to have the most 'flawless' programming strategy, certainly opened strong by singing its own praises.
Leslie Moonves, president of CBS, described by Jimmy Kimmel as ‘smug’ the previous day at the ABC upfront, lived up to his reputation – but he has a good reason to be.
CBS has maintained its position of the number one network in America for the past 10 years and its lead each year just gets stronger. Its average audience outperforms second-placed Fox by over four million viewers (other networks have a closer gap between them). It dominates every demographic and has America’s most watched show dramas and comedies, NCIS (21 million average audience) and The Big Bang Theory (18 million).
And CBS’s success isn’t slowing it down. The network presented the sleekest, most impressive 90-minute presentation of the week. Unlike NBC, Fox and ABC, which all revealed long lists of new programs, CBS has a unique challenge on its hands in that it doesn't have much space for new programming since its slate of blockbusters will return in the next season. However, there is always room for a few new hits and they have the luxury of being super selective on what they pick up from pilot season – and it looks like they've got the pick of the bunch.
Starting with Robin Williams returning to TV after 20 years, he introduced his new show after making a few gags mocking the ad industry. Ironically, he plays an ad man in his new show, The Crazy Ones, co-starring Sarah Michelle Gellar. The show comes to us from the hit writers of Modern Family and executive producer David E. Kelley. This is sure to be a hit and will resonate with Australian audiences, so expect see that on our screens soon. The other hit which will no doubt make its way to Australian free-to-air is Hostages, a 12-episode drama produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, starring Toni Collette as a doctor who is selected to operate on the president before her and her family are taken hostage. This is set to deliver huge numbers, scheduled to play with an NCIS lead-in.
CBS didn’t just focus on its dramas and comedies as the other networks did. It was the first network to discuss its news strategy and its daytime strategy, which features long-standing The Young and the Restless. It followed with David Letterman presenting the network's late-night line-up. It was also the only broadcast network to feature a big summer program – Stephen King’s Under the Dome, produced by Steven Spielberg, which will be used for the all-important launch platform going back into ratings period.
This plays to the ‘year-round’ strategy CBS is trying to deliver and a strategy the free-to-air broadcasters in Australia should look at. Outside sport, there are no large-scale programs to provide the networks with the launch platform they need to kick-start the ratings season, and it's about time viewers had something other than the cricket or tennis over summer. The cable channels are all playing their biggest programs over the summer (Suits, Breaking Bad) so free-to-air should look at a strategy where viewers can access great content without having to turn to cable or sport.
The ‘reality’ genre is minimal on the CBS schedule – the only returning non-scripted program is The Amazing Race, still holding strong after nine seasons. It may be time for Seven to re-look at The Amazing Race as an option for the last quarter since House Rules and The X Factor were both brought forward in the schedule. The lack of reality on CBS proves that people still tune into watch drama and comedies in big numbers, however, if we want to see this success translate to Australian audiences, these programs need to be fast-tracked on free-to-air, as I stated in my previous article.
CBS wrapped up its show with a grand post-event, making it difficult for buyers to turn up to the final day of presentations.
The next morning (and the final day), CW held its upfront just two blocks south of CBS’s location, but it was like walking into a different universe – the two couldn’t be any more different. 55th Street turned into Vampire Diaries mania with thousands of screaming fans packing the outside of the New York City Centre for a glimpse at the stars of the show.
In case buyers were falling asleep after four intense days of presentations, lunches and post-parties, lucky ticket holders were given glowing wrist bands which turned on at the start of the opening performance from international recording artist Icona Pop. The auditorium seemed more like an awards show than an upfront presentation and that theme continued throughout the show.
CW made its mark back with the hit series of Gossip Girl and America’s Next Top Model. Since then the network has seen year-on-year growth and continues to deliver on its strategy, as CW president Mark Pedowitz explains: “Create original programming [and] make the content available anytime, anywhere.” He went on to introduce a new slate of high-end supernatural scripted programs to launch off the back of successful Arrow, Heart of Dixie, The Carrie Diaries and of course Vampire Diaries, and presented its “next huge hit” (post-Gossip Girl and Vampire Diaries), The 100. The sci-fi show, based on the upcoming book, features an impressive young cast. It tells the story of 100 delinquents sent back to the Earth to see if it can be re-colonised. This looks to be a perfect fit for the likes of Fox 8.
Pedowitz introduced each new program with the cast on stage and seemed slightly out of place, given it seems the criteria to star in any show on CW is to be young, hot and sexy. There were more wolf whistles and applauses to the cast members at the CW upfront than any other upfront of the week. Other stand out shows included Reign, a period drama looking like a younger version of Game of Thrones, and The Originals, from the executive producers of Vampire Diaries, which centres around the original vampire family returning to claim their city, New Orleans.
CW has been staying true to its strategy, continuing to pioneer in the multi-screen space by making its content accessible everywhere, currently offering live viewing across mobile, tablet, online, Xbox and Windows. The network has now announced a partnership with Apple TV.
Not quite on the scale of NCIS ratings, but its hit show Vampire Diaries draws viewers on TV, online and social media. “Nielsen shmielsen” was heard being said by buyers exiting the show. Pedowitz was proud to announce that Vampire Diaries was the “number one social scripted program on broadcast TV”. Streams are up 81% year-on-year and 20% of all viewing is done digitally, he proudly announced.
The final presentation of the upfront season is USA network who are expected to unveil a platform to gather real-time social media discussion of its shows. Then the real fun starts – negotiation time for the 2013-14 season between the broadcasters and the agencies.
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