R.I.P The Upfronts

For all you guys who have to sit through television networks pushing you the hard sell described as “the upfronts,” you’re in luck. Things are a changin’.

The lavish parties are out according to Stuart Elliott of the Times. The networks are getting savvy and ordering fewer pilots, changing the schueduling to a 52 week program, broadening the presentations beyond what will be on TV, to include programming in new media like the Internet and mobile devices. Looks like everyone on every side of the advertising business (networks, web portals, media agencies) are changing the way they play the game. General market agencies need to get on the ball and follow suit.

Gail Ettinger, executive vice president and director for national broadcast at KSL Media, nicely wraps up what everyone in this business needs to get a grip on:

“The networks are selling in a 360-degree fashion because that’s the way people live these days. They have to be better content providers because advertisers are looking for something better… there’s nothing about the media landscape that’s traditional anymore.”

Sidenote: 90210 is coming back to TV via craptasic network CW. Jennie Garth, who played Kelly Taylor in the original, has joined the cast. No shit.

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