Merge or die

US television The merger of the channels
UPN (CBS) and WB (Warner) targets young audiences and could also become the
Merger of the news departments of CBS News and Time
Warner subsidiary CNN.it was a surprise for the entire
television industry, when the owners of the two US networks UPN and WB
January the merger of the two "netlets", as they are known because of their
of young age. Since its existence
In the mid-90s, neither of the two stations was able to compete with
the network competitors ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox a foot on the ground
get. The start-up costs were too high and the
evolving media landscape.

But it is precisely for this reason that the merger of the two orphans
Sense: Both stations serve a young audience, both have a high
on its own, the company had difficulties establishing itself. "It was
unavoidable," says Philip Napoli, professor of communication at the
Fordham University in New York. "They either had to merge or
to hire one of them." While UPN, which is part of the media empire of
Viacom and now belongs to the spun-off CBS division,
primarily female and African-American viewers
the Warner Brothers Network WB mainly produces
series for a mainstream audience that has just finished high school.
has become.

The best of both TV worlds
Both networks will continue to exist until September, when they will merge
a program that broadcasts around 30 hours a week and is based on
can fall back on the best shows from both channels. Successful were
UPN's "America's Top Model" series, featuring
Supermodel Tyra Banks, "Veronica Mars" and "Everybody Hates Chris",
a sitcom based on the childhood memories of Chris Rock
supports. On the WB side, the youth dramas "Gilmore Girls",
"Smallville" and "Beauty and the Geek" survive.

The deal between CBS chief Leslie Moonves and WB Entertainment chief
Barry Meyer was set up in just eight weeks - a coup,
which both attribute to their friendship. The romance between the
media companies is considered so unusual that industry insiders have already
about a possible merger of the news departments of the two
companies, CBS News and the Time-Warner subsidiary CNN. In addition
comes that the president of CNN USA, Jonathan Klein, previously spent 20 years
worked at CBS News for many years and knows both stations very well.

The star of the collaboration is Leslie Moonves, who joined CBS from
the old cliché of being a pensioners' station and turned it into today's
most successful network. Even in the coveted
In the 18- to 49-year-old category, CBS is hard on the heels of market leader ABC.
on its heels, thanks to the continued dominance of hit shows such as "Survivor" and
"CSI.

Moonves is well aware of the needs of a young audience.
conscious: CW should prove that the TV content is also suitable for
media is made available that is appropriate to the target group, such as
through Internet downloads, DVDs and iPods - an ideal prerequisite,
to encourage advertisers to do cross-platform deals. "Stations that use the
alternative media to their advantage and use them for the advertisers.
The people who make this available will reap the benefits in the long term,
says Michele Harris, founder of the marketing company Smarti
Solutions in New York.

The race for new forms of video-on-demand, which is currently underway in the USA
is likely to be further enhanced by new interactive CW projects.
are being fueled. In recent months, ABC, CBS and NBC have all launched
as well as Fox new distribution channels via the Internet, satellite and cable,
to revisit their most successful shows in this way.
to the people for a fee.

However, it is clear that Moonves does not exactly look like a reckless
young entrepreneur will proceed with his new venture: Experiments
projects that promise a profit, not just for the sake of it.
for the sake of innovation. Expectations are correspondingly high: Already in the
next year, the new program is expected to be in the black and
to distance himself from the deficient past of his predecessors.
Since their foundation in 1995, both UPN and WB have generated
Losses of between 25 and 75 million dollars annually.

Not quite as enthusiastic as many Wall Street analysts are the
advertising companies. "Less competition means that the
Network has more bargaining power," says Donna Lukenbill, Media
Director at the media buying agency Fasttrack. "And that boils down to
higher prices". By eliminating an entire network
The available advertising space, which is a national
audience, about seven percent in total. Some
However, industry observers do not see this as too great a loss
on. "If you look at the diversity in the media scene, then
the importance of networks is shrinking anyway," says Philip Napoli.
"I don't think many advertisers will shed a tear over this.
will be shed."

Gerti Schön