• TV Week, Tuesday, April 29, 2008 10:45 AM

The cable news nets, currently getting a ratings boost from the presidential campaign, may be faced with an ad drought come November. But to minimize that boom-bust dynamic, CNN is trying out some new things. "In any post-election year, you've always seen a dropoff in news," says Greg D'Alba, chief operating officer for ad sales at the channel. But he hopes things will be different this time around and concentrating on a strategy of selling 40 "programming platforms" during the upfront.

Each has content on specific subjects that consumers can watch on cable, online or via mobile devices. The net has pulled in new viewers during this election, closing the gap with Fox News -- even drawing more viewers during last week's Pennsylvania primary coverage. CNN has also been broadening its advertiser base by adding special programming and features on things like health and fitness, putting them into multiplatform packages.

"Advertisers are very receptive to at least hearing and seeing the offerings that networks, whether they be news networks or entertainment networks, are bringing in multiplatform," says Harry Keeshan, director of broadcast at media buyer PHD.

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