Warner Bros Discovery said it will return to The Theater at Madison Square Garden for its upfront event on May 17, the Wednesday morning of broadcast upfront week.
WarnerMedia’s Turner division had held its upfront presentation in the venue and, after Discovery acquired WarnerMedia from AT&T, the new company quickly put together a combined presentation for media buyers and clients there.
Despite the evolution of the TV industry and changes in the advertising industry, most major media companies have elected to mount a traditional upfront extravaganza. The exception is CBS parent Paramount Global, which gave up its historic event at Carnegie Hall in favor of smaller dinners with clients on the Wednesday evening of upfront week. Netflix, which has just entered the ad business, swooped in, inviting media buyers to an event at the Paris Theater in what had been CBS’s timeslot.
Also: Disney Sets Upfront Event at Javits Center on May 16
“We’re excited to unlock new opportunities for our partners across Warner Bros. Discovery’s dynamic ad-supported ecosystem, where stories create and define culture,” said Jon Steinlauf, Chief U.S. Advertising Sales Officer at Warner Bros. Discovery.
Also: Goodbye Carnegie Hall: Another Sign the Broadcast Era Is Ending
“This year’s upfront will shine a spotlight on how WBD’s best-in-class programming and products connect brands with highly engaged audiences,“ Steinlauf said. “We will provide new details about the ad-lite tier of our enhanced streaming service that brings together iconic programming from HBO Max and popular programming from Discovery Plus. And we will demonstrate how our newfound measurement and currency solutions and our unmatched advanced advertising portfolio bring unprecedented value to our partners.”
Warner Bros. Discovery said it will also be streaming its upfront event, enabling people to attend virtually. ■
