Broadcast TV’s season finales aren’t the only nail-biters on the mind of Madison Avenue this week.
With the big networks — ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox — launching their fall-schedule pitches over the next few days as part of the annual ad sales bazaar known as the upfront, the scrambling that networks are doing to make casting, scheduling and programming decisions have advertisers equally on edge.
Network execs predict an ad-sales rebound this year, with some estimates calling for the big four networks to see their combined upfront haul surge 20 percent.
But with sitcom stars being coy about renewing their contracts, a number of series coming to an end and a snarky British competition-show judge moving on to other things, anxiety has arisen about what this week holds.
This year much of the drama stems from CBS’ protracted contract negotiations with “Two and a Half Men” star Charlie Sheen. Industry sources are optimistic that CBS will have a deal in place before its upfront pitch on Wednesday — or else its schedule will look quite a bit different next year.
The situation is unusual for a network that has long been considered the most stable of the bunch. With popular crime dramas like “CSI” showing their age, however, industry executives are bracing for more changes to CBS’ primetime lineup.
Meanwhile, hopes are fading fast that Fox will announce a successor for departing “American Idol” judge Simon Cowell during its upfront pitch today. (News Corp. owns Fox and The Post.)
Ratings for “Idol” among adults ages 18 to 49 are down nearly 10 percent this season, adding to the uncertainty around Cowell’s departure. However, Fox doesn’t seem to be feeling the pressure to announce his replacement anytime soon. Rumored contenders have run the gamut from actor Jamie Foxx to singer Elton John to shock jock Howard Stern.
“A lot is dependent on who fills in when Simon [Cowell] bails,” said industry analyst Shari Anne Brill. “It’s the interplay between the judges that makes the show.”
Fox is focused on expanding its slate of live-action sitcoms after the success of high school musical comedy “Glee.” While Fox has had a lot of success with animated hits such as “The Simpsons,” the network has struggled to deliver a live-action sitcom.
For ABC, the big question mark is what will replace “Lost,” which is ending this Sunday. The network could plug in either “Flash Forward” or “V,” but neither show has performed as well as hoped.
NBC, in particular, is under pressure to wow advertisers and its local affiliates after the Jay Leno fiasco. This time around, the network is investing heavily in shows, including “Undercovers” from “Lost” creator J.J. Abrams, after skimping on programming the past couple of years in pursuit of profit.
This is likely the network’s last upfront before it is acquired by cable giant Comcast. Ad executives predict that next year’s sales process will be different.
“There will be a lot more NBC-Comcast cross-pollination in next year’s upfront,” said Jarrod Moses, the founder and president of United Entertainment Group, which pairs brands and entertainment properties.