Buyers: Upfront Budgets Better than Expected, Even from Auto

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The upfront market is healthier than expected, according to media buyers. Advertiser budgets have come in higher than many expected them to be; they have been particularly strong from pharmaceutical companies, movie studios, and even the auto industry.

Fox and ABC are setting the pace, having completed anywhere from 20 percent to 50 percent of their deals. Fox is securing CPM increases in the low double-digits, while ABC has been snagging increases of around 9 percent, according to AdAge.

CBS and NBC are said to be pulling increases just under the increases ABC is pulling.

The CW is said to be seeing strong demand for Gossip Girl, 90210 and America’s Next Top Model, with wireless, movies, retail and health and beauty leading the way in discussions.

While the action may be a little hotter than expected, that may be because the networks are working hard to drive volume now, getting as many deals done as early as they can. They may find less demand for scatter later on, if the economy continues to struggle. At least one buyer suspects that the reason the upfront is more solid than expected is that some scatter money is coming into the upfront market, which would mean volume later in the year could be sluggish.

Turner, which tends to lead the negotiations among cable nets, has begun to move, and some buyers are saying the cable group is offering a package touted as a replacement to prime time, offering ad time in the best of the group’s shows and in none of the lesser-performing dayparts and programs. Other cable nets are being aggressive, as well, in the hopes of moving in on the broadcast nets’ business at a time when the networks are seeing slipping ratings and after-effects from the writers strike.