• by Wayne Friedman , August 10, 2016

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIF. -- With CBS No. 1 in 18-49 and all viewers this past season, the network will continue to go wide. New dramas and comedies on CBS, such as “Bull,” “The Great Indoors,” “Man with a Plan,” “Kevin Can Wait” and “MacGyver” address this goal.

“Each has the potential of reaching the broadest audience possible,” says Glenn Geller, president of CBS Entertainment, speaking at the Television Critics Association meeting here.

Still, many critics at the TCA remain concerned about the lack of diversity in general. That's especially true of CBS shows when it comes to performers of color as lead actors in new series.

“We know we need to do better in certain areas,” says Geller. However, he says, with other on-screen roles and off-screen personnel -- directors, in particular -- CBS has made diversity gains.

CBS is looking to launch three new shows in late September -- “Kevin Can Wait,” “Bull” and “MacGyver” -- and then in late October -- “The Great Indoors,” “Man with a Plan” and “Pure Genius.” That's all with the help of promotion/marketing coming from “Thursday Night Football” series -- as well as its Sunday NFL programming. The NFL Thursday programming series ends in late October.

Geller reiterated what other CBS executives have said recently concerning TV’s upfront advertising market: There were double-digit percentage cost-per-thousand price gains for programming and higher volume. “One of the strongest upfront markets we have seen in years -- not only for CBS but for all of network television.”

CBS finished first among key 18-49 viewers for the second time in four years for September through the end of May.

Adding in summer programming through August 7, CBS is now virtually tied with NBC among 18-49 viewers -- with a 2 rating (2.48 million 18-49 viewers) in Nielsen live program plus seven days of time-shifted viewing, except for the most recent two weeks.

NBC is also at a 2 rating (2.56 million 18-49 viewers), followed by ABC with a 1.8 rating (2.27 million); and Fox at a 1.6 rating and 2.09 million viewers.