Nowadays, the network Upfronts are a big deal. It's the time of year when the networks make the case for their Fall lineups before their real customers- advertisers. Despite the fact that the announcements have become very public, they were originally meant just for industry people. The stakes for both sides are huge. Ad buyers are looking for next season's Modern Family, a surprise hit whose commercial time could be purchased on the cheap. The networks are looking to pre-sell as much time as they can before the actual ratings roll in. By pre-selling time, the networks can lock in next year's budget. By pre-purchasing time, the ad buyers can lock in bargain rates on possibly hit television programs. While the networks try to be flashy and excited about their line-ups, the sad truth is that most of the shows announced this week will end up canceled and forgotten by this time next year.
