TV networks are uneasy about declining advertising

Network executives are preparing in the coming weeks to negotiate sales of their commercial time to advertisers for the coming year. Executives are worried because during last year's "upfront" market, the economy wasn't in such a bad state. But the last year has been filled with bad economic news, turmoil in the auto industry (a major television sponsor) and other companies cutting advertising spending. One analyst forecasts a 15% decline in prime-time ad revenue, leading CBS to unleash a marketing blitz to boast that it is the most-watched network and NBC to unveil its fall lineup two weeks early.