By David Bauder, Television Writer
NEW YORK (AP) --CBS is launching an unprecedented campaign to publicize its prime-time successes weeks in advance of the year’s most important ad sales season, trying not to be dragged down by the economy and struggling rivals.
It includes a front-page ad Monday in The New York Times, a USA Today section front ad and commercials throughout CBS television, radio and the Internet.
The network is two weeks away from unveiling its fall schedule; NBC does so on Monday. Release of the broadcast schedules usually prompts a multi-billion dollar frenzy to lock up commercial space for next season, called the upfront.
All of the broadcasters are worried that the economy will continue to hurt ad sales, and that advertisers will migrate to the Internet or niche cable networks.
CBS has quietly had a strong season in prime-time, seeing its viewership jump 12 percent from the last, writers-strike affected season. CBS introduced the season’s only real new hit, “The Mentalist,” and has won more time slots than ABC, NBC and Fox combined.
“We had a good year and we’re well positioned for next year,” said George Schweitzer, president of CBS Marketing. “We don’t want that message to get lost.”
CBS hopes to reach beyond Madison Avenue to heads of companies that may advertise. It seems like a sound strategy, said Marc Berman, a TV analyst for Media Week Online.
“If they were struggling, I would say it’s very desperate,” Berman said. “They’re the No. 1 network. Why not be aggressive?”
Schweitzer said CBS isn’t worried that the network will be hurt by the struggles of other broadcasters.
“This is not a defensive position,” he said. “This is an offensive position.”
Review: Writer-Directors Scott Beck and Bryan Wood’s “Heretic”
"Heretic" opens with an unusual table setter: Two young missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are discussing condoms and why some are labeled as large even though they're all pretty much a standard size. "What else do we believe because of marketing?" one asks the other.
That line will echo through the movie, a stimulating discussion of religion that emerges from a horror movie wrapper. Despite a second-half slide and feeling unbalanced, this is the rare movie that combines lots of squirting blood and elevated discussion of the ancient Egyptian god Horus.
Our two church members — played fiercely by Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East — are wandering around trying to covert souls when they knock on the door of a sweet-looking cottage. Its owner, Mr. Reed, offers a hearty "Good afternoon!" He welcomes them in, brings them drinks and promises a blueberry pie. He's also interested in learning more about the church. So far, so good.
Mr. Reed is, of course, if you've seen the poster, the baddie and he's played by Hugh Grant, who doesn't go the snarling, dead-eyed Hannibal Lecter route in "Heretic." Grant is the slightly bumbling, bashful and self-mocking character we fell in love with in "Four Weddings and a Funeral," but with a smear of menace. He gradually reveals that he actually knows quite a bit about the Mormon religion — and all religions.
"It's good to be religious," he says jauntily and promises his wife will join them soon, a requirement for the church. Homey touches in his home include a framed "Bless This Mess" needlepoint on a wall, but there are also oddities, like his lights are on a timer and there's metal in the walls and ceilings.
Writer-directors Scott Beck and Bryan Wood — who also... Read More