CBS is actively writing upfront business, according to
market sources.
Executives at the Tiffany network have said they expect to
lead the market, and would hold out until they got the price increases they
were seeking for commercials.
The activity at CBS follows a late night for agency
staffers. On Wednesday, it was reported that Fox and ABC had begun doing deals
with the movie studios and automakers, two categories eager to get prime
inventory in high-rated shows near the weekend. Fox was getting high
single-digit price increases, sources said. ABC was reportedly getting
mid-single digit increases.
Market sources also said that some agencies had provides
budgets to some of the cable networks and that price negotiations had begun.
That would be relatively early in the process because the cable networks
usually don't do much of their business until buyers are finished with the
broadcasters.
