May 16- Network Upfronts and Back-Outs

One traditional springtime thing that’s been happening is all the TV networks doing their “upfronts”- these are presentations that they do to reveal their upcoming fall schedules, indicate which shows won’t be coming back, etc, for the advertisers, so they can start getting sponsorship commitments. Some used to do them in a big auditorium or theater, with a huge stage, and would trot out many of their stars. These days, some do that, others just have a big party- and some juts make trips to go “one on one” with the various advertising groups. These “upfronts” are usually where you learn if that favorite show of yours that’s “on the bubble”- which means, hovering between cancellation and coming back- will get the nod to return next fall- or fall by the wayside. I think most of the shows that I make a point of watching are coming back next year-even some that I, as a fan, am not sure should!
As you’ve probably heard, NBC backed out of even showing all the episodes of “Scrubs” that were produced for this, its “final” season- so, ABC picked up the show as a mid-season replacement next year- and will show the rest- AND may even have additional episodes- so “Scrubs” will continue longer than it had originally planned anyway!
I read that ABC also wanted Oprah to do another “Oprah’s Big Give”- but her royal O-ness backed out, saying she has “too many other things going on” to do another one. So, it has become “Oprah’s Big Give-Up”…one has to wonder if, since the first run of the show lost viewers every week, she’s worried it wouldn’t be a total smash hit on a second outing, and –she can’t have that! She’s Oprah, dammit!
Meanwhile, here in local television land- we don’t have an upfront- or an outback, unless it’s a steakhouse. Even though
our bosses here pretty much know what shows they’ll have for the fall- they usually don’t reveal the schedule until mid-summer, when we begin all the advertising for the upcoming fall season. So, you may ask- is Svengoolie on that schedule?
I have reason to believe it is- especially since a deal for some
pretty cool movies appears to have been made! That means that, most likely, the show will make it to next June- when we would be celebrating a full THIRTY YEARS since I put on the black hat and became a member of the Svengoolie family!
Thirty?! Well, they say thirty is the new twenty…so, lend me thirty and I’ll pay you back with a twenty… meanwhile, don’t miss the vintage Sven on our sister station “Me-Too” – overnight tonight at 3 am (chances are it’s less than thirty years old!)