*Target Market News is reporting that the absorption of UPN and the WB into the new CW network will leave $100 million in black-targeted ad dollars up for grabs. Also, half of the black-oriented sitcoms that currently air on UPN are not expected to make it to the CW, the Web site notes.
CW entertainment president Dawn Ostroff has announced that the network will offer ethnically diverse programming, however, media agency research executives and CW insiders say the new network will most likely keep more WB viewers than UPN fans. Subsequently, the ad dollars previously spent on UPN shows with sizable black and Hispanic audiences will be looking to buy programming delivering those gross ratings points on other networks, the Web site reports.
The likely destination for advertisers seeking targeted black audiences will be Viacom’s BET and Comcast-owned TV One, but according to the Web site, most media agencies say BET has made little effort so far to pitch them on the attributes of the network, its demos and its programming.
“BET is missing the boat,” said one media buyer who has clients in current UPN ethnic sitcoms, adding that the network has not yet made an attempt to secure some of those dollars. Furthermore, the buyer said BET’s sales pitch is less business-oriented than many other nets, while TV One has shown more hustle than most.
“BET tends to try to convince advertisers to buy the network in order to support the African-American marketplace rather than to sell the network based on its own demographics,” he said.
Meanwhile, TV One says it is also ready to acquire any African American show cancelled by UPN, a number that reportedly ranges anywhere from five to seven programs. According to Target Market News, “Eve,” “Half & Half” and “One on One” were not cited in the CW development package given to media buyers.
“A lot of those shows would be a good fit for us, and there’s a lot of great stuff we think we could do with them,” says Keith Bowen, TV One’s executive vp of advertising sales and marketing.