• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, May 15, 2008

Turner opted to hold its upfront event during the week typically reserved for broadcasters--and did its best Wednesday to convey a message that it offers quality programming worthy of one of the broadcast networks.

 

Steve Koonin, the head of TNT, TBS and truTV, said the trio offers "excellent broadcast replacements" for buyers to consider. In that vein, plans call for TNT to offer all-original programming in prime time Mondays through Wednesdays by 2010--for 52 weeks a year. NBA basketball during part of the year will give it a fourth night of original content.

Turner personifies the efforts by cable networks to increasingly invest in original programming--in its case, headlined by the popular show "The Closer," which returns to TNT for a fourth season this summer.

During the upfront presentation, Turner turned to at least one tactic that broadcast networks have used for years at their gala event--having series cast members address the audience. The parade can lengthen an upfront significantly, but the event Wednesday lasted 81 minutes.

Partly because of the length of upfronts past, some buyers have expressed a disinterest in large-scale presentations. But the Hammerstein Ballroom was packed for Turner.

As TNT moves toward its goal of nine hours a week of fresh episodes, the network highlighted its new "Raising The Bar" legal series from Steven Bochco--known for "NYPD Blue"--among others. It will debut by early 2009, as will "Truth in Advertising," about life at a Chicago ad agency and star "Will & Grace's" Eric McCormack.

Farther down in the pipeline is a drama starring Ray Romano about three middle-aged friends. And TNT, a holdout in the reality storm, is entering the genre. "Wedding Day," where couples receive a fantasy wedding, has Mark Burnett and DreamWorks Television as producers. Four other unscripted series are in development.

At TBS, the network has ordered 26 more episodes of Tyler Perry's "House of Payne." TBS had previously ordered an extraordinary 100 before the series debuted last summer. It returns next month.

The network also has a single-camera comedy in development with William H. Macy as an executive producer, plus a late-night series with Jamie Foxx in that role.

Returning comedies include "My Boys," "10 Items or Less" and "Frank TV." Koonin said TBS will continue to develop comedies as broadcasters deemphasize them. "The networks have virtually abandoned the art form," he said.

And truTV, known as Court TV until January, has four new series coming--including "Principal's Office," which provides an inside look at life as a school administrator, and "Ski Patrol," focusing on the men and women who provide safety and rescue on the slopes.

During the presentation, Turner also focused on its eagerness to work with marketers on branded entertainment initiatives, including what it calls its TVinContext initiative. The company has reviewed thousands of films and series for which it owns the rights for TNT and TBS, and cataloged the content in various scenes. This allows it to sell relevant, on-topic advertising in adjacent units.

Turner cited the example of a movie scene with a wedding, where an ad for a ring dealer would come at the next break. "For advertisers, the benefit is that when ads are shown in this kind of context, spots are likely to be more effective," Turner said. "Turner's extensive research--coupled with findings from ad agencies, clients and others--points to the value of what is known as contextual advertising." Google is attempting a similar maneuver with its foray into TV advertising.

TVinContext is initially available to a select group of clients when it debuts in the fall.