• Ad Age, Monday, April 12, 2010 11:34 PM

Can standard network fare really reach as many viewers as a broadcast of the Oscars or the Super Bowl? No, but that hasn't stopped networks from trying. Fox is seeking up to $650,000 for a 30-second spot in the series finale of '24.' The current show draws an average audience of 11.4 million. (The series finale of "Seinfeld" got 76.3 million viewers.) What's changed viewer-wise, is the rise of DVRs As audiences get smaller, the definition of what qualifies as an "event" gets broader.

"Every single network is trying to make an event out of all of their programming," said Michael Benson, exec VP-marketing, ABC Entertainment Group. And TV moguls are now looking beyond obvious opportunities, such as premieres, returns and finales. ABC has been seeking $850,000 to $950,000 for a 30-second spot in the final episode of "Lost," according to media buyers, compared with an average of $213,563 in the upfront market. Series finales of favorite shows often draw big audiences, for which advertisers usually pay a premium.

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