Upfront 2023: WGA Strike Effects the Ad Sale Event
Netflix’s debut for its ad-supported tier went virtual because of the writer’s protest.
“Upfront,” the annual series of presentations held in May in New York City by major television broadcasters, is usually one of the most important advertising sales events, with nearly half of an advertiser’s video budget allocated for the next television season. This year was different.
The writer’s strike took a toll on the event, eliminating all-star power from the live events while picket lines greeted ad buyers at every meeting.
It also ruined Netflix’s big debut. The event shifted to virtual because of the threat of disruption by the strikers. Nevertheless, Netflix showed dozens of scripted series and movies that could sustain its new ad-supported tier.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Chris Hemsworth, and Julia Roberts were some of the actors whose efforts could be tied to advertising. Ted Sarandos, the company’s co-CEO, told advertisers that Netflix had already changed the way people watch TV and video and suggested Netflix would help them do the same with commercials. For example, the executive described one ad format akin to “a 30-minute commercial” that “plays out over several days” and follows subscribers as they watch different shows on the service.
Disney’s upfront featured a half-dozen teasers for Marvel and Lucasfilm series, including Secret Invasion, (Hawkeye spinoff) Echo, and Loki Season 2. For Lucasfilm’s Upfront’s debut, attendees watched a teaser trailer for the upcoming series The Acolyte, Skeleton Crew, and Ahsoka. Thereafter, Pixar shared footage from its first-ever series, Win or Lose.
Hulu, which ordered 20 new episodes of The Kardashians, also shared the trailer for Only Murders in the Building Season 3.
Following a samurai sword-fighting stunt in the aisles, FX shared footage of its most-expensive series ever: Shogun. Usual presenter Jimmy Kimmel didn’t attend to show his support of the writers’ strike.
Earlier on Tuesday, ABC revealed its all-unscripted fall TV schedule, save Abbott Elementary reruns on Wednesday nights.
Fox Corp.’s Upfront event had strike-related issues as well. Fox unveiled its 2023-24 programming slate but not a fall schedule.
On the contrary, NBCUniversal’s program planning president Jeff Bader said the strike did not impact the broadcast channel’s lineup. All of NBC’s scripted fall shows were either “out of production” or “just finishing shooting,” he said — or at least, “the scripts are all written.”
CW held its first “Upfront” week meeting with the press since the Nexstar acquisition closed last year, presenting a schedule heavy on foreign purchases and unscripted fare.
The CW fall schedule made no mention of the network’s remaining superhero shows Gotham Knights and Superman & Lois (or the spinoff series All American: Homecoming, for that matter). It’s quite the turnaround for the network, which built up an impressive roster of Greg Berlanti-produced DC shows like The Flash, Arrow, Legends of Tomorrow, and many more. Schwartz said that a decision on the remaining shows would be coming soon.
Every broadcaster has taken a different approach to making their fall slate strike-proof, with the CW network leaning on several Canadian comedy and drama acquisitions. While CW president Dennis Miller notes “the young-adult audience is not making an appointment with broadcast television today,” Schwartz says the CW is not abandoning young-adult content – it&’s just going to be “one of five things we do,” rather than the entire focus.
The writers’ strike injects new uncertainty for ad buyers when television viewership declines and the possibility of a recession looms. An estimated $18.79 billion in ad spending could be committed for the upcoming season, up a modest 0.8% from the current season, according to researcher Insider Intelligence.
This year, advertisers and ad agencies may use the strike as a bargaining tool, said Erin Firneno, vice president of business intelligence for researcher Advertiser Perceptions.
“While it won’t necessarily cause them to allocate fewer dollars upfront, it will help buyers get more flexibility in their contracts, something buyers have been pushing for,” said Firneno.
Share:
LA Production Permits Decline 69.5% in Strike's Second Week
Guerrilla Tactics Applied to the Writers' StrikeRelated Posts
Netflix’s debut for its ad-supported tier went virtual because of the writer’s protest.
“Upfront,” the annual series of presentations held in May in New York City by major television broadcasters, is usually one of the most important advertising sales events, with nearly half of an advertiser’s video budget allocated for the next television season. This year was different.
The writer’s strike took a toll on the event, eliminating all-star power from the live events while picket lines greeted ad buyers at every meeting.
It also ruined Netflix’s big debut. The event shifted to virtual because of the threat of disruption by the strikers. Nevertheless, Netflix showed dozens of scripted series and movies that could sustain its new ad-supported tier.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Chris Hemsworth, and Julia Roberts were some of the actors whose efforts could be tied to advertising. Ted Sarandos, the company’s co-CEO, told advertisers that Netflix had already changed the way people watch TV and video and suggested Netflix would help them do the same with commercials. For example, the executive described one ad format akin to “a 30-minute commercial” that “plays out over several days” and follows subscribers as they watch different shows on the service.
Disney’s upfront featured a half-dozen teasers for Marvel and Lucasfilm series, including Secret Invasion, (Hawkeye spinoff) Echo, and Loki Season 2. For Lucasfilm’s Upfront’s debut, attendees watched a teaser trailer for the upcoming series The Acolyte, Skeleton Crew, and Ahsoka. Thereafter, Pixar shared footage from its first-ever series, Win or Lose.
Hulu, which ordered 20 new episodes of The Kardashians, also shared the trailer for Only Murders in the Building Season 3.
Following a samurai sword-fighting stunt in the aisles, FX shared footage of its most-expensive series ever: Shogun. Usual presenter Jimmy Kimmel didn’t attend to show his support of the writers’ strike.
Earlier on Tuesday, ABC revealed its all-unscripted fall TV schedule, save Abbott Elementary reruns on Wednesday nights.
Fox Corp.’s Upfront event had strike-related issues as well. Fox unveiled its 2023-24 programming slate but not a fall schedule.
On the contrary, NBCUniversal’s program planning president Jeff Bader said the strike did not impact the broadcast channel’s lineup. All of NBC’s scripted fall shows were either “out of production” or “just finishing shooting,” he said — or at least, “the scripts are all written.”
CW held its first “Upfront” week meeting with the press since the Nexstar acquisition closed last year, presenting a schedule heavy on foreign purchases and unscripted fare.
The CW fall schedule made no mention of the network’s remaining superhero shows Gotham Knights and Superman & Lois (or the spinoff series All American: Homecoming, for that matter). It’s quite the turnaround for the network, which built up an impressive roster of Greg Berlanti-produced DC shows like The Flash, Arrow, Legends of Tomorrow, and many more. Schwartz said that a decision on the remaining shows would be coming soon.
Every broadcaster has taken a different approach to making their fall slate strike-proof, with the CW network leaning on several Canadian comedy and drama acquisitions. While CW president Dennis Miller notes “the young-adult audience is not making an appointment with broadcast television today,” Schwartz says the CW is not abandoning young-adult content – it&’s just going to be “one of five things we do,” rather than the entire focus.
The writers’ strike injects new uncertainty for ad buyers when television viewership declines and the possibility of a recession looms. An estimated $18.79 billion in ad spending could be committed for the upcoming season, up a modest 0.8% from the current season, according to researcher Insider Intelligence.
This year, advertisers and ad agencies may use the strike as a bargaining tool, said Erin Firneno, vice president of business intelligence for researcher Advertiser Perceptions.
“While it won’t necessarily cause them to allocate fewer dollars upfront, it will help buyers get more flexibility in their contracts, something buyers have been pushing for,” said Firneno.
Share:
LA Production Permits Decline 69.5% in Strike's Second WeekGuerrilla Tactics Applied to the Writers' Strike
