• by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, December 5, 2008

It's that nervous time of year for networks -- time for unexpected gift-giving.

Big ratings brought some surprise presents for CBS' "Victoria's Secret Fashion Show," and -- covering the other end of the spectrum -- for CBS' "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" as well.

TV business layoffs are also gifts, too: well, parting gifts. Viacom delivered some early Christmas news of 850 job cuts, while NBC Universal will be trimming back 500. This shouldn't come as much of a surprise, given the whirlpool effort the stock market has been producing over the last few months, in particular on virtually all U.S.-based media companies.

The TV viewing public doesn't know whether to be naughty or nice. Family-oriented "Rudolph" was the top-rated show of early evening -- and the night as well. But "Victoria's Secret" pushed up (ahem!) ratings as well later in the evening, giving the show a 38% improvement over a year ago.

Unexpected early gift-giving isn't over. There are three more weeks to go, and United Artists' Nazi-themed "Valkyrie" has yet to open!

This fall has continued to bring some good gifts for those advertisers that made another round of C3 guaranteed ratings deals -- those numbers are not eroding nearly as fast as program ratings. And, if you bought ABC this year, at a decent CPM, you'd be doing well in C3, as that network is in the No. 1 position -- so far.

In a little while, a lot will change. Fox will start up its TV bomb, "American Idol," a show that regularly levels the TV playing field -- raising the Fox network profile, as usual, out of the settling dust.

Next year, the gifting will be over, and the economy looks to head further south, with national TV advertising revenues finally in tow. Don't expect many unusual gifts in early 2009.