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‘Flat Is the New Up’: What’s the Mood Among Media Buyers One Week Into the New TV Season?

Sep 30, 2013  •  Post A Comment

One week into the new fall television season, media buyers — not known for being optimistic — are showing signs of optimism, B&C reports.

“It looks like all four of the networks have gotten out of the starting gate with at least one promising hit,” says Horizon Media’s Brad Adgate, senior vice president of research.

He pointed to NBC’s "The Blacklist" and ABC’s "Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." among the shows that are off to strong starts, along with CBS’s "The Crazy Ones" and Fox’s "Sleepy Hollow."

“That’s better than last year,” Adgate added, noting that broadcast ratings dipped by double digits a year ago, with only a single show, NBC’s "Revolution," breaking out.

The piece reports: "Media buyers say they root for higher ratings — especially when they get more viewers than they paid for. They like broadcasting’s vast reach to help sell products."

The report adds that when ratings come up short, buyers’ clients receive make-goods from the networks that don’t always fit their marketing plans or run alongside their promotions.

Sam Armando, senior VP for strategic intelligence at Publicis division SMGx, noted that the buzz has been greater in anticipation of this season’s shows than it was a year ago.

“Let’s face it," Armando said, "the broadcast ratings have been down consistently year after year. It sounds like I’m being sarcastic if I were to say that flat is the new up, but if they could maintain their audience it would be a success.”

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