Can strong lineups trump tough times?

May 25, 2009 Despite the troubled economy, most advertisers are not drastically cutting their national TV ad budgets for next season, a signal that might bode well for the broadcast networks -- if they don't take hard-line positions regarding rate increases. Even if the money is not allocated in the upfront, they added, it will get spent in the scatter market. The networks have to understand there are no must-buy shows anymore and that by waiting for the scatter market, no advertiser is going to get shut out of a show.

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