• Mediaweek, Monday, September 11, 2006 11:45 AM

With only a week to go before the start of the new broadcast network television season, advertisers seem to be sticking to their upfront commitments for the fourth quarter. But only about half that bought in the upfront have turned "holds" into actual orders, although the pace is expected to pick up soon. The reason: a more sluggish upfront, along with a trend to wait closer to air date to sign off on ad plans. In a buyers' market, the networks have been going along. "It's a different world," says Steve Lanzano, evp at media agency MPG. "The leverage has gone from the networks back to the advertisers. There are no must-buy shows or nights. There is no need to rush to firm up orders, and the networks have been very accommodating."

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