Upfronts 2010: Advertisers Joining Team CoCo

UpfrontCentral: Complete Coverage from B&C

Turner Broadcasting has already found some advertisers
who want to be on Team CoCo.

Entering upfront negotiations, Turner has been seeking ad
rates for TBS' forthcoming Conan O'Brien-hosted late-night show that are
similar to the rates NBC was charging last season for The Tonight Show, when O'Brien
was host. Apparently, some sponsors have agreed to terms in that neighborhood.

"Since the news
about Conan's TBS agreement came out, there has been strong demand and interest
in the show. We are having very active conversations and a number of
advertisers have already agreed to be partners with us come this fall," Turner
said in a statement.

This week,
upfront advertising sales began in earnest -- a sharp contrast to last year
when negotiations dragged into August.

Foxwas first out of the gate, earning price increases in the 8% to 9% range.
CBS and ABC have also reached agreements with some ad agencies for time on next
year's schedule.

Overall buyers
and sellers are saying advertisers are bringing about 20% more money to the
upfront than last year, when a recession curtailed spending plans.

Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.