Upfront TV Marketplace Timetable in Doubt as COVID-19 Wreaks Havoc
‘We're not going to go to market until our clients are ready to go.’
Upfront events have already been wiped out by the novel coronavirus—and the timing of the upfront marketplace is now also in question.
Walt Disney Television/Lorenzo Bevilaqua
Key insights:
- It could be several months before advertisers are able to set their long-term buying plans.
- Some media companies are open to the idea of pushing back the upfront marketplace.
- Buyers are in favor of revamping the upfront—but they don't want to do away with it entirely.
It has been exactly two weeks since May’s annual upfronts week was wiped out in its entirety, as every major media company pulled the plug on their traditional events over several hours.
