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With seven seasons under its belt, NBC’s “The Biggest Loser” is still growing—particularly in developing alternative revenue streams beyond advertising. “Loser’s” consumer-product lines, which include items such as CDs, weight-loss plans, DVDs, workout equipment and now a Nintendo Wii video game, has...
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With the television industry slogging through the worst economy in decades, the broadcast networks put their best foot forward at the upfront, then braced for long negotiations with media buyers and advertisers. “I’m surprised by how normal everything felt,” said one veteran buyer, noting the presentations...
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Fri, May 22 2009
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Filed under: Broadcast, Fox, ABC, Advertising, CBS, NBC, The CW, Print Edition, Upfront, Ad Buys
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Before deciding to put Jay Leno in prime time, NBC offered its 8 p.m. timeslot to Oprah Winfrey. NBC Universal CEO Jeff Zucker said that the notion of Oprah having a nightly show in prime time wasn’t a new idea. NBC talked to Ms. Winfrey about two years ago, Mr. Zucker said. She passed but said she might...
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NBC is splitting its new series offerings between fall and winter, limiting its fourth-quarter debuts to two new dramas, one new sitcom—and a whole lot of Jay Leno. The network also has passed on scheduling "Medium" and "My Name Is Earl," with both shows expected to either die...
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With the majority of the networks’ upfront presentations still a few weeks away, it’s difficult to predict when advertisers will start spending on television and online buys. But digital executives at most of the broadcast networks are optimistic that online sales will be a bright spot this year. If...
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CBS CEO Les Moonves said that NBC’s decision to put Jay Leno on in prime time will help his company’s bottom line. “We were the No. 1 network at 10 o’clock last year,” Mr. Moonves told analysts and investors during CBS’ quarterly earnings conference call Thursday. He estimated that CBS took in 38% of...
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Thu, May 7 2009
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Filed under: Broadcast, Cable, Digital, Advertising, CBS, NBC, Syndication, Jay Leno, Earnings, Les Moonves
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“The Biggest Loser” has proven to be a big winner for Jennie-O Turkey Store. The NBC series, which chronicles the efforts of overweight people trying to reduce their size and improve their health, might not seem the most appetizing place to advertise a food product. But the producers of Jennie-O turkey...
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Home Depot has made a unique deal with NBC for spots that highlight the local weather forecast for consumers looking to do garden work over the weekend. The unusual spot combines a live forecast, either localized or regionalized, with the reach of a national advertising buy. Also, it is designed to hold...
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NBC is encouraged by the reaction from advertisers and media buyers to its new 10 p.m. Jay Leno show, network ad sales President Michael Pilot said. Mr. Pilot said NBC is positioning the new show as Jay Leno in primetime, rather than a late-night show at 10 p.m. The distinction is important, he said...
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The advertisement for “Southland” that NBC placed on the front page of the Los Angeles Times last week is either brilliant or inept—or accidentally a little of both. Before we dissect this “Southland” ad—a print version of what would be considered a product-placement ad in the TV world—some caveats are...
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The bad economy doesn't mean the upfront TV advertising market will collapse, according to NBCU Universal boss Ben Silverman. "If you're going to get out of a recession, you need to sell stuff," the co-chairman at NBC Entertainment and NBC Universal Television Studio said. "I think...
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NBC is promoting tonight's premiere of "Southland" with a front-page ad in today's Los Angeles Times that appears to be unlike any other front page ad the paper has run previously. That's because the ad is designed to resemble a news story. As part of the next phase in its extensive...
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Fox’s on-air promotions team has quietly opened a new front in TV’s ongoing war against digital video recorders. With little fanfare, the network in recent weeks has started sprinkling its commercial breaks with what it’s calling “TiVo-busters”—spots designed to be effective even when viewers use a DVR...
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Sun, Mar 8 2009
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Filed under: Broadcast, Fox, Advertising, NBC, Print Edition, TiVo, BBC America, DVR, Lie To Me, Joe Early
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NBC said it has sold out the remaining commercials in Sunday’s Super Bowl and has generated a record $206 million in advertising revenue for the championship game. For all of Super Sunday, NBC has garnered $261 million in revenue, the network said. “These advertising milestones show the power of the...
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A year after the Golden Globe Awards were disrupted by the Writers Guild of America strike against the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers, NBC expects the awards show to be a hit again with sponsors as well as viewers. Last year, NBC had to forgo a reported $15 million in advertising...
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Sun, Jan 4 2009
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Filed under: Broadcast, Advertising, NBC, Target, Print Edition, Ad Sales, AT&T, Economy, Citicorp, L’Oreal, Kraft, Golden Globe Awards