finance
Media Companies Present Upfronts in New York as They Adjust Programming Portfolios
Comcast's NBCUniversal, Fox, Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, Amazon's Prime Video and Google's YouTube are holding upfront presentations in New York City this week. Paramount Skydance completed its presentations in recent weeks ahead of its planned merger with Warner Bros. Discovery. Executives reported positive advertiser sentiment with no cancellations or major spending pullbacks.
May 12, 9:56 AM·2m read1 source
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Media companies are presenting their programming slates to advertisers in New York City this week even as corporate consolidation and shifting sports rights reshape their portfolios. , Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, Amazon's Prime Video and Google's YouTube will hold upfront presentations in New York City this week, CNBC reported.
Paramount Skydance completed its series of intimate presentations with agencies and marketers in recent weeks. Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery are set to merge. NBCUniversal split off its portfolio of cable networks into the newly formed Versant.
Fox sold its entertainment assets to Disney in 2019. Warner Bros. Discovery recently lost its NBA media rights package. Its pitch to advertisers will be focused on premium content from HBO as well as unscripted programming from its TV networks that drive social media conversations.
Disney owns rights to the NFL and will host the Super Bowl in February. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is set to attend Disney's upfront presentation this week. NBCUniversal will highlight its Sunday night programming which includes NFL, NBA and MLB.
Sports and news make up the majority of Fox's portfolio. Jeff Collins is president of advertising sales, marketing and brand partnerships at Fox. "If anything the last several years has taught us that how large you are is not nearly as significant as the composition of the portfolio you have," Collins said, according to CNBC.
Executives described advertiser sentiment as positive despite global economic and geopolitical uncertainty. "Overall, advertiser sentiment has remained very positive," Jeff Collins said. " Collins added that any pullback in ad spending during Covid had been premature.
