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Networks Ready to Deal

ABC insiders have said that the network is ready to deal, having loaded its computers with information that will allow it to do upfront deals based on any of nine different data streams for either program or commercial ratings.

CBS, too, is prepared to begin selling right away, and is also prepared to sell using either program ratings or commercial ratings, writes Mediaweek.

“If buyers are ready to buy, we are capable of using whatever stream they want without slowing down the process,” Dave Poltrack, executive vp and chief research officer at CBS, is quoted as saying.

Though networks say they’re ready to deal, a couple of variables could slow down the process. First, cross-platform negotiations, particularly those in combination with traditional TV commercial buys, will take time to be worked out. And second, deals that involve the new commercial ratings data could set a precedent for the future, so both sides need to be careful to avoid signing a deal that could haunt them in the future.

So, while networks are ready to deal, that doesn’t necessarily mean deals will take place this week. “We don’t get paid by the day, we get paid to get it right for our clients,” Charlie Rutman, CEO of MPG, said, pointing out that the upfront is about negotiating the best deal for the client, not about how quickly it gets done.