Episode 21

Each spring, TV broadcasters in the U.S. announce their show lineups for the coming fall season with great fanfare. Dubbed the Upfronts, the series of events that mark these announcements kick off an important advertising sales period where marketers can buy commercial television airtime “up front,” or several months before the new TV season begins.

For the more than $90 billion advertising industry in the U.S., this marks a key investment period. And with billions of dollars being spent, an array of different media companies—including many digital platforms—have been eager to get in on the action over the past few years.

So what do the Upfronts mean for the various players involved? How are shifts in audience viewing habits affecting the buying and selling of media? And how are media providers and advertisers adapting to this new media landscape?

In this episode, Amanda Tarpey, SVP of Product Leadership, and Andrea Lipstein, SVP, Product Marketing, for Nielsen’s Global Media business, share their insights into the role of the upfronts and how the media industry as a whole is coping with the widespread changes in American viewing habits.

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