Examples of the trend include “CSI: Cyber,” “Madam Secretary” and “Scorpion” on CBS; “Allegiance,” “Odyssey” and “State of Affairs” on NBC; and a potential series on TNT, “President X.”
The professional comics were out, but so were network executives and actors who tried out their own bits.
“Everybody wants to get in on the action,” said Joe Mandese, editor in chief of MediaPost, who estimated there would be “almost 100 events” by the time the upfronts conclude.
The network announced a fall schedule with shows about singing knights, a modern-day Eliza Doolittle and a medical examiner who appears immortal.
The networks will spotlight their strengths and cast their weaknesses in the most favorable light this week in their pitches to potential advertisers at the annual upfront presentations.
The once wildly popular live music and talent contests on television seem to have run their course, as other genres have in the past.
The network, whose prime-time audience has fallen about 17 percent, is under pressure as it prepares to present its fall schedule to advertisers.
The move to integrate brands and products into video content and the resulting revenue have prompted the development of more original video programming.
The online video industry is relying on TV, radio and movie stars to spice up its offerings.
In a pitch to advertisers, the cable channel introduced new shows with the actor and composer Lin-Manuel Miranda and the commentator Meghan McCain.
With the departure of Piers Morgan, who followed Larry King, CNN won’t install a new host but will instead show a variety of documentaries.
The channel announced plans to appeal more to a younger generation with series that reflect multiculturalism.
With hundreds of new shows, specials and returning series, Discovery Communications needed more than two hours of star-stuffed spectacle to showcase next season’s lineup to advertisers.
The competition for advertising dollars for the 2014-15 television season is in full swing with Gannett, CMT and Screenvision on the agenda for Wednesday.
     |
“The Royals,” set in modern-day Britain with a fictional royal family, has been introduced to advertisers before. Now the plan is for a debut in 2015.
| |
The cable network, perhaps best known for live baseball games and reruns of broadcast network series, is creating its own shows.
| |
For the big television industry event called upfront week, NBCUniversal will borrow a page from the playbook of its parent, Comcast, and bundle together its cable channels.
| |
A multicultural talk show from Warner Bros, “The Real” was introduced to advertisers on Wednesday, the beginning of a season that hits its stride in May.
| |
The video game system is a useful tool for reaching young men, who can elude advertisers. Sony estimates advance sales will reach about $10 million.
| |
In a toughening ad market, the network was able to increase what it charges to reach 1,000 viewers by an average of 7.5 percent.
| |
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
