• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, July 12, 2010

Longtime agency researcher Steve Sternberg will produce a series of reports for the B-to B data provider Baseline, starting with a preview of the fall TV season. The information appears to offer a similar type of insight and analysis to his writings at Magna and other agencies.

The "Primetime Television Insight" trilogy starts with the new season preview out now. It includes an evaluation and prognosis for new series in November and a midseason report in January. Baseline is part of the New York Times Co. and offers an array of databases, including a tracker of projects in development, and contact for talent agents and production entities.

The 110-page preview report includes predictions for hits and misses in the new season and full-schedule analysis, as well as info on the continued impact of DVRs and the growing importance of cable networks. The cost is $900. A subscription to the trio is $1,800 and includes a "Median Age Report."

The reports are aimed at networks, advertisers, marketers and production operations.

Among the findings for the fall preview are combined time spent with mobile video, online video, social network and blogs, which is only about 3% of TV viewing, but expected to rise to 8% over the next year.

Also, set-top-box data is "nowhere near" ready to be used as currency and all Big Four networks now have a median age over 50, while 40-plus cable networks are under that age in prime time.