Re: Seinfeld

["Bill O'Neill" <billo@erols.com>]

Henry writes:  <snip>  So they made the Finale an event,
>built a huge audience, and brought in vast numbers of
>viewers, giving themselves a promotional window to an
>audience of about 76 million viewers. How's that for an
>upside?

I clearly appreciate your 76 million 'points' and a tip of the headphones!
Cellblock D will never be the same.

>Those "Finales" - be they season or series - that were
>so heavily promoted, were designed to bring in the
>viewers for the all-important [to affiliates, at least]
>May sweeps. This will determine much of the buying for
>the remainder of this year and the beginning of next.

Few can deny that the end appears to justify the means in advertising
strategies.  Interesting that the product, Seinfeld,  now discontinued
(syndi. not in the formula), is the thing that the next buyers are buying,
not the new product line on the network, vis-a-vis pricing.  If Frasier
dogged on Thursday nights (I doubt that it can) then the rates could be
artificially high, riding on the former tenant's success.

>And some networks (although usually the weakest) have
>started up series in late Summer.

One can be surprised with some good stuff there, as well.

Bill O'Neill

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