• The New York Times, Wednesday, May 18, 2016 8:49 AM

A really cool look at a media buyer's experience during the busy upfront season from The New York Times. Carrie Drinkwater, director of investment activation for the agency MullenLowe Mediahub, has been attending the upfronts for two decades and let a reporter tag along with her. First stop on Monday: 10:45 a.m., NBCUniversal's event at Radio City Music Hall. "Ms. Drinkwater arrives at the 50th Street entrance to Radio City after taking a 5:20 a.m. train from Boston, where she works. As she enters the music hall, she says she loves the upfronts because there’s 'a lot of energy.' She shows her ticket and begins navigating the way to her seat, stopping to greet people along the way. NBCUniversal has combined its broadcast and cable upfronts this year for the first time, meaning it will showcase shows on NBC alongside those on cable networks like Bravo, Syfy and E!. But it has promised that the presentation will last no more than two hours. Ms. Drinkwater is skeptical. The presentation begins shortly after 11 a.m. 'It’s a celebration of TV,' Ms. Drinkwater says about the upfronts as the lights dim. She takes a sip of water. Here we go."

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