In Advertising Battle, TV Fights Back Against the Web

Marketers have been moving money, gradually but measurably, away from TV and into digital outlets that promise sophisticated ad targeting and the ability to reach audiences that are eschewing traditional television. Now, the TV empire is striking back.

NBCUniversal, owner of channels including USA, Bravo and E!, along with Time Warner’s Turner Broadcasting and other media companies are touting new tools that they say close the gap with the online players when it comes to data and analytics. That will be a key feature of their pitches in “upfront” negotiations in coming weeks, when TV networks sell the majority of ad time for coming programming.