CBS finished its upfront deals as the leader in both prices
increases and sales volume.
The Tiffany Network registered price increases on a
cost-per-thousand viewers (CPM) basis in the 13% to 15% range, according to a
source familiar with negotiations. The volume of advertising commitments sold was about $2.65
million, up from $2.5 million a year ago.
CBS had come out aggressively, asking buyers to fork over increases
of 18%. CBS CEO Les Moonves publicly said that the network would get prices in
the mid-teens, or sell its commercials in the scatter market. With Fox opening the market and agreeing to
increases in the 10% to 11% range, it took time for CBS to get its price. But
at the end of the upfront, CBS emerged with the biggest price increases and the
most sales of any broadcaster.
Among the broadcasters, Fox, ABC and the CW have announced
that they are done. NBC is nearly done too, according to sources.
And market sources say some of the major cable network
groups have begun making sales.
