• by Gavin O'Malley , Staff Writer @mp_gavin, May 17, 2012

Forget the NewFronts. Under Terry Semel’s (well-compensated) stewardship, Yahoo was putting on Web-centric upfronts years ago (2007), according to Beth Lawrence, former Yahoo-ite, and currently EVP of Ad Sales and Media Solutions at The Weather Channel Companies.

Unfortunately, it was before video, Lawrence explained on a morning panel at OMMA Video, and, as such, “an idea before its time.” As Lawrence recalled, there was a “massive audience” in attendance, but the menu options (display advertising, display advertising, and display advertising) failed to capture anyone’s imagination.

In fact, as Chet Fenster, fellow panelist and Managing Partner at MEC Entertainment, added, AOL did something similar “several years ago.” (2007, as well.) Problem was, every show presented had to be triggered by a big ad commitment… but none were made, according to Fenster. The “pricing was too high,” as he remembers.

The big difference, today, is that networks, portals and other content creators have vowed to make their shows regardless of whether advertisers commit or not, Fenster remarked. That’s “a huge change."