Kids keep buyers bullish

March 20, 2008 Early reports on the ill health of the kids upfront have been greatly exaggerated, according to network ad sales executives, who hope to swap out Chicken Little projections of a flat to down market in favor of a more blustery Foghorn Leghorn outlook. "You'd be crazy to think that the upfront will be flat," said Jim Perry, executive vp of 360 Brand Sales, Nickelodeon and MTVN Kids and Family Group. Perry -- who helped Nickelodeon kick off the upfront season March 13, when the kids powerhouse held its annual upfront presentation in New York -- said he was puzzled by projections of a slowdown, pointing out that other than toys, "endemic categories are up in the kids space, and that alone would suggest that we're in for good, steady growth."

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