Angel

MEDIAWEEK DAILY BRIEFING - Monday, January 19, 2004

WB LOSES ITS GLOW

Long the darling of advertisers and agencies targeting young viewers, the WB has lost its glow this season because of double-digit ratings losses, including in its specialty demo, young women. Media buyers say they plan to take a tougher stance when negotiating with the WB in this May’s upfront for next season’s advertising, but they also credit the network with having generated years of goodwill. "A lot of us have unconditional love for the WB and the young demographic it targets," said one media buyer who declined to speak for attribution. But that love can fade quickly if the agencies’ clients balk at paying the huge rate increases the WB has commanded over the last five upfronts - up to 10 percent more than the Big Four networks. - John Consoli