Turner Offers Comedy, Drama and Koonin by David Goetzl

As upfront presentations go, Turner's 2011 version will be remembered as the one where, for all intents and purposes, the lights went out on Broadway (or just off it). But also, when Steve Koonin, the top executive who oversees TNT and TBS, cemented his comedy chops. ...Read the whole story

  • spirits Grey Goose TV Spot Backs New Facebook Initiatives by Karlene Lukovitz

    The television buy and supporting digital and other media (including streaming video, to commence about a week from now), plus public relations, represent a doubling of ad spending for the brand over last summer's campaign. The campaign strategy is designed to give Grey Goose "the #1 share of voice" in vodka over the summer, according to its brand director, Michelle Beauchamp. ...Read the whole story

  • Nielsen Unifies Local TV Language Samples, Will Scrap Hispanic Panel In November by Joe Mandese

    In another important step toward general advertising marketplace assimilation, the audiences of local Hispanic TV outlets will soon be measured via the same marketplace currency as the rest of the local U.S. TV marketplace. Nielsen Tuesday said that effective with its November local TV measurement cycle, all local ratings for Hispanic programming will be based on the Nielsen Station Index (NSI), which is the same sample used to measure all of the U.S. local English-language TV outlets. ...Read the whole story

  • upfront ABC: 13 New Fall Shows, Major Comedy Push by Wayne Friedman

    ABC wants to turn around an uneven year with a big slate of 13 new series and a marketing strategy to spread out program starts throughout the season. The network is seeking programs with more male viewers to complement its heavy influx of affluent women viewers. ...Read the whole story

  • Multiplatform Gaming Channel Offers Targeted Ad Option by Laurie Sullivan

    Videotron will begin rolling out a TV channel devoted to multiplatform casual and social gaming that consumers can access online through computers and mobile devices, such as smartphones and Apple's iPad. Advertisers may choose to integrate specific ads across various screens. ...Read the whole story

  • CBS Slates 5 New Shows, Touts Stability by Wayne Friedman

    As usual for CBS over the last few years, the network didn't have much room on its fall schedule and will launch just five new shows next season -- as well as bringing back the high-profile "Two and a Half Men." Executives are promoting the net's programming stability, but say they are eager to draw more female viewers. ...Read the whole story

  • Time Warner Boosts VOD, Banks On BlackArrow by David Goetzl

    Time Warner Cable, which is interested in boosting ad revenues for its video-on-demand offerings, has made an investment in BlackArrow, a firm that powers dynamic ad insertion in VOD. ...Read the whole story

  • Belo Copes With Auto Ad Losses by David Goetzl

    Belo CFO Carey Hendrickson said the station group has experienced cancellations by auto advertisers related to the trouble in Japan, but not at an unanticipated level. That has "remained within our initial expectations." ...Read the whole story

  • packaged goods Kimberly-Clark GoodNites Effort Includes TV by Karl Greenberg

    The company says the campaign touts GoodNites' design and fit, with -- for the first time in three years -- a TV advertising component. The ad illustrates how quickly kids grow, as the creative shows a child getting bigger overnight. The TV ads run through September on programs like "The Today Show," "The View" and "Good Morning America." ...Read the whole story

  • 'Dancing, Castle' Propel ABC's Season End by Wayne Friedman

    Sprinting towards the finish of the TV season, a number of shows improved ratings results because of season finales on the next-to-last Monday night of the season. But ABC conquered all with "Dancing With the Stars" and "Castle." ...Read the whole story

Advertising, On Demand by Bob DeSena

Last week there was an important conference called the On Demand Summit 3.0. Now, I'm not a big fan of the use of the word "summit" -- unless there's a meeting between world leaders to sign treaties. I mean, this is still television. But there were big issues discussed, including the industry's view of the on-demand advertising opportunity. ...More

  • Networks Cutting Back On Big Programming Risks? by Wayne Friedman

    As the broadcast networks head boldly into another season, they should reflect back on their big mistakes -- the ones that may be hard to recover from. Think about NBC's 10 p.m. Jay Leno move and, a decade ago, ABC's over-running of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" These risks may have deepened viewer erosion for those networks, a nasty trend that has continued for over two decades, hurting networks and advertisers. ...More

  • Media Insights Q&A with Jane Clarke by Charlene Weisler

    This week the Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) announced the results of a feasibility study for the Trackable Asset Cross-Platform Identification (TAXI) project. This study, in partnership with the ANA, 4A's and the IAB is a first step in implementing open and interoperable industry standard codes for content and ads across all content. I sat down with CIMM's Managing Director, Jane Clarke to talk about TAXI and other CIMM initiatives. ...More

  • 'With The First Pick In The 2012 TV Draft, The CW Selects..." by Wayne Friedman

    The upfront season brings the usual excitement and disappointment when it comes to new programming -- as well as new business opportunities. But TV -- in reality the most popular consumer sport -- should now consider one big improvement, an idea that TV Watch has floated in previous seasons: TV needs a commissioner. ...More