CBS, 'CSI' Shows Dominate With TV Advertisers

CBS has become the dominant network among advertisers interested in buying network air time for the fall, with CSI: New York cited among industry insiders as an expected "sure bet" for television success.

In the week following the up-front presentations, Reuters noted that advertisers might find "no new stand-out hit shows to bet on," but cited CSI: New York one of few shows generating buzz for the fall.

"'Law & Order' definitely proved you can take a franchise and expand it," said Jason Maltby, co-executive director of broadcast at WPP Group's Mindshare, a media buyer. Maltby called the third CSI series a safe bet for advertisers.

AdAge.com went further, noting that "CBS emerged as the network to watch next season after last week's broadcast TV upfront presentations" and predicting that "CSI: New York is expected to be the network's biggest hit."

The Ocala Star-Banner labeled most of the fall offerings "escapist brain candy", but said that advertising agency executives were unanimous in their agreement that CSI: New York would be a hit in its 10 p.m. Wednesday slot on CBS, despite being in competition with the original Law & Order on NBC.

"A preview last Monday of 'C.S.I.: New York', the second spinoff of the successful 'C.S.I.: Crime Scene Investigation' franchise, attracted 23.1 million viewers," noted the Star-Banner.

Stacey Lynn Koerner, executive vice president and director of global research integration at Initiative in New York, said of the third CSI show, "That, we know is going to work."

The show is also part of a trend in which shows about police and forensic work have been successful.

John Rash, senior vice president and director for broadcast negotiations at Campbell Mithun in Minneapolis, cited the strength of "'cop culture as pop culture,' because those series offer a special form of escapism: 'control, a clean resolution in an untidy world, from crime to incarceration in 60 minutes.'"

CSI: New York debuts this fall on CBS, joining CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, the top-rated weekly drama series on network television, and CSI: Miami.

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