Normally, the syndication upfronts would have taken place by now, well ahead of the broadcast networks upfront presentations, which began yesterday. As such, the syndication upfronts are generally seen as a good indicator of what the broadcast upfront marketplace might look like. But media analysts say that the absence of an early syndication upfront suggests that the market will be cautious for broadcasters and downright ugly for syndicators. We ve always thought of the syndication upfronts as happening before, but it looks like that s not going to happen. The lack of them occurring yet is a leading indicator.
Advertisers aren t in a rush to make commitments.
He s not alone in suggesting that the delay in the syndicated upfronts is because of a cautious marketplace. Kara Lazarus, senior vice president and director of national broadcast buying at Bates-USA, says that advertisers want to evaluate the broadcast market before making commitments. People will be taking their time because it s a buyers market. We will not be bullied into moving in two or three days out of the fear that we ll be shut out. But no matter when the syndicated upfronts start, media analysts are pessimistic about the outlook.