Broadcast Goes Cable

BROADCAST GOES CABLE
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: Ben Grossman]
In broadcast TV, a network's collective stable of shows defines its current brand, whereas in the cable world, networks are narrowly defined by their genre or audience profile. But more so this year than ever, the broadcast networks are beginning to take on personalities—fitting nicely into niches. It is the inadvertent result of executives' chasing development similar to their current hits. Not only do producers start to pitch more like-minded shows to those networks hoping to capitalize on their current successes, but the networks themselves often want similar fare as companion pieces to anything that works. But networks have to tread carefully, as economic models demand that they command the mass audiences on which advertisers still want to bet $9 billion during the upfront spending season.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6444874.html