Broadcast Network Upfronts

'Tis the season...for 2008-2009 programming announcements by ABC, CBS, CW and FOX. This year, there were no shocking cancelations, no schedules for a new network, and, really, nothing terribly notable. Anything that would set fans on their ears was leaked in advance, preparing them for bad news.

The CW did announce it would lease its Sunday evening programming block, but they already announced doing the same with their Saturday morning cartoons. That means more to advertisers and production companies than to the average viewer, except, as the network noted, the Sunday programming block will now have more original programming than the previous two years. The change is really a sign that things are not going all that well at the fledgling network. That's too bad for some of it programs. Smallville continues to be one of the most underated dramas on television. Life is Wild was not all that bad, either. We do wish CW more success in the coming year.

The most notable announcements were made in April when NBC courted potential advertisers a good six weeks early. Although NBC is barely ahead of The CW in ratings, it pitched its upcoming year with an emphasis on mobile and Internet content in a way that sounded unusually exciting.

The rundown for each network:

* ABC

* CBS

* CW

* FOX

* NBC

* Broadcast Network Fall Programming Grid