Upfronts 2022 Kick into Gear, but CW Downsizes

 We’re fast reaching one of the most exciting deal-making ventures of the year- the Upfronts. While it’s early days yet for the Upfronts, we’ve already seen some massive shifts from TV broadcasting company, CW. Entertainment attorney Brandon Blake, with Blake & Wang P.A, has the news.

                                                              Brandon Blake

Reduced Content

The first takeaway was a notable reduction in original scripted series for CW, dropping from last year’s 19 to 11 picked up for the new year. It’s a significant drop, even with the overall contraction in the linear network market, and a noted contrast to their expansion over the last few years. CWs pending sale to Nexstar, closing in the next couple of weeks, is mostly to blame. Instead of the rubber-stamping of all series we’ve seen from them in recent years, only the strongest ratings survived.

 

Having long operated as an extension of its parent holdings- CBS TV Studios and Warner Bros- the CW has traditionally launched series for later exploitation by the larger studios. Nowhere was this clearer than the continued renewal of (now axed) Dynasty, which was a repeated underperformer for CW itself, but a rich deal for Netflix and CBS Studios, and a money-spinner despite its performance on the network.

Changed Landscape

While both Paramount and Warner Bros Discovery will retain some interest in the network, it’s easy to see why the downgrade to minority stakes and focus on channeling programming elsewhere would relegate CW to also-ran status for them. Likewise, the demise of the deal with Netflix for CW programming will see newer series channeled to Paramount+ and HBO Max.

 

But financial constraints play a role, too. That’s clear as some great performers, including fan-favorite Legacies and In the Dark, arguably CW’s best series, also hit the chopping block.

 

Despite the reduction, acquired scripted programming will see a rise. All the same, there’s clearly a new era coming for the channel. It will be interesting to see what other changes to the content landscape the Upfronts bring as they kick into high gear over the next few weeks. We will, of course, keep you in the loop.

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