What are "upfronts?" Upfronts were lavish industry affairs hosted by the big TV networks so they could preview their upcoming season lineup and schedule to advertisers in order to convince them to part with their money. The networks would whore out their stable of stars at these events giving an opportunity to the mid level ad executive or the reporter to rub elbows with various stars and celebrities. The Comeback, an HBO show which I really enjoyed but unfortunately lasted just one season, had a funny episode involving the upfronts from the perspective of one of these stars, albeit an aging former actress (played by Lisa Kudrow after the conclusion of Friends) attempting a comeback on a new show as the matronly chaperon of a house filled with oversexed young 20-somethings. But the question the Times asks is how will the networks' upfronts change, if any, in light of TV audience's steady decline combined with the impact of the writers strike?
[Jeff Zucker] declared that NBC would be “much more realistic and much more honest” in its presentation of programming to advertisers. ...Fox, which still has a bona fide, if recently weakened, hit in “American Idol,” is planning an upfront as usual, but no surprises or dramatic unveilings are expected. Finally, CBS is doing a programming and advertising presentation. No party.
I just want to be invited to one of these upfronts before they die out completely or stripped of the open bar.
Read more here.