• by Wayne Friedman , March 4, 2008

The TV upfront presentations are far from being anachronisms--more are joining the party in the high-profile May program presentation period.

In an effort to get more attention from TV broadcast network advertisers, Turner Entertainment Networks has wedged its upfront meeting right in the middle of the week, when the networks schedule their upfront presentations.

Turner will hold its upfront program presentations for TNT, TBS, and truTV May 14 at 9:30 p.m in New York at the Hammerstein Ballroom. In the afternoon after Turner's event, CBS will hold its usual upfront gathering. In the past, Turner networks would do an upfront presentation in April, several weeks before the broadcast networks.

"We earned a right to be there," said David Levy, president of Turner Broadcasting Sales and Turner Sports. "It's really a one-television world. We are not saying don't buy broadcast. We believe we are a true alternative to broadcast."

Some media executives wonder whether adding another event for media executives--in the middle of an already busy week full of upfront presentations and special parties--is the right move for Turner.

But Levy adds that it is more efficient to hold Turner's upfront event during the broadcast upfront week because "every client and agency executive is in town at the same time." All this won't take place at separate client meetings. To date, Levy says Turner has had about 50 meetings with media planners out of 200 client-meetings scheduled.

Turner--as well as other networks--increasingly holds separate meetings with clients to give a heads-up on integrated marketing and programming opportunities, such as product placement and product integration.

Turner still looks to make headway with TV network advertisers--especially as cable cost-per-thousand (CPM) prices are still at a discount compared to network CPMs, says Levy. He did note that cable CPMs have "closed the gap" in regard to sports, animation and late-night programming.

This won't prevent Turner from doing what some cable networks have done in the past--striking upfront deals before broadcast networks strike their deals, typically in late May. "We may have deals done before our upfront [presentation]," he says.

Turner's upfront plans are to announce some 14 new projects for TNT--including efforts from Mark Burnett ("Survivor," "The Apprentice") and Ridley Scott ("Numb3rs," "Blade Runner")--as well as transforming the network's Monday-through-Wednesday prime-time schedule to an all-original lineup by 2010. On Thursdays, TNT runs regular-season NBA from October through April.

TNT has several new series already in development, one from executive producer Steven Bochco ("NYPD Blue") called "Raising the Bar," and another called "Leverage," from executive producer Dean Devlin ("Independence Day"). TNT is also working on "Truth in Advertising," which centers on a multimillion-dollar advertising agency in Chicago, from the creators of "The Closer."

TBS is working on a number of comedy projects--one to be adapted from Jane Ganahl's bestselling memoir "Naked on the Page: The Misadventures of My Unmarried Midlife," along with half-hour comedies from Dave Caplan ("The Drew Carey Show") and Brian Hargrove ("Titus").

For late-night, TBS is working on an animated series "Stay Tooned," and a new version of game show "Match Game." TBS has ordered additional episodes of "Frank TV," "The Bill Engvall Show" and "My Boys."

Turner's most recent network, truTV, is developing reality shows that focus on subjects like helicopter rescues and road rage.