View source for Engineering:Upfront (advertising)

In the television industry, an '''upfront''' is a gathering at the start of important [[Finance:Advertising|advertising]] sales periods, held by television network executives and attended by major [[Finance:Advertising|advertiser]]s and the media. It is so named because of its main purpose, to allow marketers to buy television commercial airtime "up front", or several months before the television season begins.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://marketingland.com/ready-digital-upfront-123841|title=Are You Ready For A Digital "Upfront?"|work=Marketing Land|first=Rob|last=Rasko|date=April 16, 2015|access-date=October 17, 2016}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/12/business/media/network-upfronts-television-streaming-advertising.html|title=As TV Industry's $20 Billion Week Starts, Signs That Streaming Isn't King Yet|last=Lee|first=Edmund|date=May 12, 2019|work={{wipe|The New York Times}}|access-date=May 14, 2019|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

The first upfront presentation was made by ABC in 1962, in an attempt to find out how advertisers felt about the network's new shows.<ref name=Reynolds>{{cite news|url=http://www.adweek.com/news/television/upfronts-and-newfronts-comes-invasion-acronyms-164142|title=Invasion of the Acronyms Sorting out OTT from SVOD from MVPD, etc|first=Mike|last=Reynolds|work=Adweek|date=May 18, 2015|access-date=July 15, 2015}}</ref>

==United States==
In the United States, the major [[Engineering:Broadcast network|broadcast network]]s' upfronts traditionally occurred in New York City during the third week of May, the last full week of that month's sweeps period. That has changed over the years with the 2017 season now starting in early March and running through May.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Teller|first1=Maryann|title=2017 Network Upfront and Digital NewFronts Calendar|url=https://www.mediavillage.com/article/2017-network-upfront-and-digital-newfronts-calendar/|website=Media Village|access-date=June 19, 2017|date=May 8, 2017}}</ref>

The networks announce their fall [[Finance:Prime time|primetime]] schedules, including tentative launch dates (i.e., fall or [[Engineering:Mid-season replacement|midseason]]) for new television programming, which may be "picked up" the week before. The programming announcements themselves are usually augmented with clips from the new television series, extravagant musical numbers, comedic scenes, and appearances by network stars, and take place at grand venues such as Lincoln Center, Radio City Music Hall, or Carnegie Hall.<ref name=":0" /> It is also the time when it is announced (by virtue of not being on the fall schedule) which shows are canceled for the next season.

The broadcast upfront has seen momentous change as advertisers shifted their spending to digital platforms. While the advertising research firm Standard Media Index reported "softening" in 2017. That trend is slowing, according to the same report, which revealed that the last quarter of 2016 saw "the first glimpse of a flattening Digital market". Year-over-year sales were up 9% over last year's 35% growth in the same period. In the first quarter of 2016, digital gains hovered at 6% versus the 19% growth of the prior year.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Lieberman|first1=David|title=TV Ad Market Is "Softening" As Upfront Sales Approach, Research Firm Says|url=https://deadline.com/2017/05/tv-ad-market-softening-upfront-sales-standard-media-index-1202085515/#respond|website=Deadline Hollywood|access-date=June 19, 2017|date=May 8, 2017}}</ref> [[Big data]] and new software algorithms for targeting specific consumers may reverse the trend. M'Lou Walker, CEO of the maker of the Zicam brand of cold remedy, talked about using big data and analytics allowed her precise targeting, flexibility and measurable results of $1.50 of profit for every $1 spent on television advertising.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Merriam|first1=Lisa|title=Brilliance In Marketing: Zicam Media Buying Innovation|url=http://www.amanewyork.org/resources/brilliance-in-marketing/zicam-media-buying/|website=American Marketing Association|access-date=June 19, 2017|date=June 18, 2017}}</ref>

In recent years, the networks have mostly revealed this information to the public a few days before the actual presentation. Some cable networks present earlier in the spring since they usually program for the summer months, and these are much more confined to television trade press as far as public attention outside prestige projects. Streaming services associated with the networks (which often feature lower-cost plans with commercial advertising) may also announce new projects or releases at the same time, though other services like [[Company:Netflix|Netflix]] or [[Software:Prime Video|Prime Video]] which subsist on subscriber fees without any advertising often market their programming under a different strategy altogether.

Historically, the fall television schedule was created to help the {{wipe|Automotive industry}} promote new automobiles coming in the new [[Physics:Model year|model year]], though many automakers often start new vehicle marketing during the Super Bowl in the present day.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Carter|first1=Bill|title=Television's Fall Season Endures|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/24/business/media/television-changes-but-the-fall-season-endures.html?pagewanted=all|website=The New York Times|access-date=October 1, 2014|date=September 23, 2012}}</ref>

Digital Content NewFronts are similar, but for original video content from the Internet, and managed by the Interactive Advertising Bureau. These were first held in 2008.<ref name=Reynolds/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2015/digital/news/newfronts-2015-preview-1201477374/|title=NewFronts 2015 Preview: Digital Players Push Superiority to TV|last=Spangler
|first=Todd|work=Variety|date=April 24, 2015|access-date=July 16, 2015}}</ref>

==Canada==
Upfronts in Canada are similar but occur in either the last week of May or the first week of June, after networks have had a chance to buy Canadian rights to new American series. Usually all presentations are combined by each broadcast network/television system and their associated cable group of channels, traditionally meaning the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (with CBC Television and Ici Radio-Canada Télé), Bell Media (owner of CTV and CTV 2), Corus Entertainment (owner of Global), Novoo, Groupe TVA (owner of TVA) all hold their own individual presentations.

==Australia==
Upfronts (also referred to by the British television naming of ''showcase'') in Australia,<ref name="Knox">{{cite web|publisher=TV Tonight|first=David|last=Knox|url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2020/11/abc-sets-upfronts-date.html|title=ABC sets Upfronts date|date=November 5, 2015|access-date=November 8, 2020}}</ref> are a relatively new concept to the industry, introduced in the 2010s, and are not always a lavish affair. Upfronts are typically held between October and December before the start of the [[Earth:Southern Hemisphere|Southern Hemisphere]]'s summer non-ratings period, highlighting programming for the next [[Physics:Calendar year|calendar year]].<ref name="AUup">{{cite web|publisher=TV Tonight|first=David|last=Knox|url=http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2013/10/upfronts-are-on-the-way.html|title=Upfronts are on the way|date=October 10, 2015|access-date=November 21, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2016/10/upfronts-2017-on-the-way.html|title=Upfronts 2017 on the way|date=October 16, 2016|access-date=October 17, 2016|first=David|last=Knox|work=TV Tonight}}</ref>

Unlike American upfronts, a detailed schedule for the year ahead is not typically released, as the Australian market, with a smaller population, is more apt to change schedules if a certain programme schedule does not immediately work out, and the growth of their streaming platforms allows lower-rated import programmes from the United States and United Kingdom to air without materially affecting the broadcast network. Announcements regarding new programmes, axing confirmations and casting news are revealed to advertisers and the media. All three commercial networks (Seven, Nine, and 10) as well as both public broadcasters (ABC and SBS) hold upfront events for their suite of channels, with the ABC having also used the term ''showcase'' to describe the event.<ref name="Knox"/><ref name="AUup"/> The dominant subscription platform [[Company:Foxtel|Foxtel]] showcase programming airing across all their cable channels, rather than each cable network holding separate events.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=TV Tonight|first=David|last=Knox|url=http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2015/11/foxtel-upfronts-2016-local-thrillers-lifestyle-us-drama.html|title=Foxtel Upfronts 2016: Local thrillers, Lifestyle & US Drama. |date=November 5, 2015|access-date=November 21, 2015}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|40em}}

==External links==
*[https://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2006-05-11-new-shows_x.htm ''USA Today'' article with 2006 upfronts schedule]
*[http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/comenget-your-upfronts-schedule/ Updated schedule from ''Deadline Hollywood'' blog]
*[https://nytimes.com/ref/arts/television/tv-upfronts-journal.html NYTimes.com 2005 Upfronts Journal]
*[http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002315462 Mediaweek, April 2006: "Turner Upfront: TBS Greenlights My Boys, 10 Items"]

[[Category:Television terminology]]

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