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Kids Networks Not Hurt By Toy Recalls

  • Mediaweek, Tuesday, November 20, 2007 11:33 AM

Calls to cut back on junk-food ads to children and the lead-paint scare that has led to the recall of millions of toys has yet impact the two biggest kids TV networks. In this pre-holiday period -- the time when toymakers spend nearly half of their annual budgets -- Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network are pretty much sold out, the result of a robust upfront.

Jim Perry, executive vice president at Nickelodeon/MTVN Kids and Family Group, says the recall occurred too late to dent his take. "The recall had no affect on toy dollars," Perry says. "The upfront dollars were laid in well before they decided to pull those toys, so that didn't affect media dollars at all." And the recall isn't hurting Cartoon Network, either, notes John O'Hara, senior vice president of ad sales, who says "the majority of our pre-holiday business is placed in the upfront, and those are firm dollars." He adds that he still has a small amount of fourth-quarter scatter inventory and "we should see some movie support and gaming dollars, but for the toy guys, it's a little too late in the day."

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