WB-UPN Merger Effect on Smallville?

The news today of the merger of the WB and UPN networks is all over
the media. This English-language German site was the first URL that came
up on web-search and has a fairly comprehensive story on it:

KalElFan...

Actually that seems to be a press release site, and the "story" is actually
a press release from Tribune. Tribune owns a group of strong affiliates
(e.g., WPIX in New York and KTLA in Los Angeles I believe) that
are now part of the WB and will become part of The CW. (To answer

BucketButt...

Tribune also owns a minority stake in The WB, about 20 percent if memory
serves.

Walter's question on a.t.smallville, that is the name of the new network
according to the press release -- "The CW". No word on whether the
Frog's out of a job :-)).

BucketButt...

Alas, Michigan J. Frog has been MIA for awhile now. Maybe they'll bring
him back -- dressed in a Starfleet uniform. (Not a red shirt, please!)

Ugh, "The CW" stinks as a network identification, unless they plan on
creating series around some of Reba McIntyre's fellow Nashville stars.

BC...

Amen. What a dopey name. The head of that outfit has been calling it "The
CW" on the news.
BC

Lilith...

So instead of a frog their mascot will be a CoW?

Sean Walsh...

Well, the Frog was officially retired several months ago.

As for SMALLVILE, it does very well for WB on Thursday nights (better
than it did on Wednesdays) so I think it's a pretty sure bet it's safe.

Brian Henderson...

They've already showed the new lineup and both Smallville and
Supernatural made it. For every show on UPN, at least 5 from the WB
survived.

Again, it's a merger/consolidation of the two networks, to take effect
for the Fall 2006 season. The new network will be called the CW,
the C standing for CBS (which is part of the Viacom entertainment
giant that also owns Paramount and UPN) and the W for Warner
Bros. Each will own 50% of the new network. Station affiliates with
the greatest strength in each market will become part of the network.

BC...

Moooove over froggy!
BC

The end result will be a *substantially* stronger network for several
reasons. For example (i) stronger affiliates mean broader reach; and
(ii) less competition will tend to benefit all the remaining networks,
but especially the CW. Its loyal viewers from the stronger shows on
each network will carry over to the new network. Viewership of
virtually every show that makes it over to the CW will increase. That
will allow crosspromotion and increases in other shows, etc. The
lineup as a whole will be stronger, as the best of each network makes
the cut -- including new pilot pickups -- while weaker shows don't
get a shot or get a quicker ax.

This does NOT mean that Smallville is more likely to be canceled,
in fact I think quite the opposite unless the show tanks completely
the next couple of episodes. Smallville, Gilmore Girls, Supernatural,
and probably a 7th Heaven spinoff (a reversal of the 7th Heaven
cancellation might even be possible), probably get carried over.
The Beauty and the Geek show from the WB should also make it.
On the former UPN side, America's Next Top Model, WWE, and
Everybody Hates Chris should make it over. Veronica Mars, despite
low ratings, might get another season because it is critically acclaimed
and the CW may want that kind of show as part of its lineup.

The flip side is that there are fewer slots open now for series, including
new pickups. So for example Gough & Millar's Aquaman series now
finds itself up against the same tough pilot season competition, but for
fewer available slots.

Another wrinkle here is that the CBS/UPN network people seem to be
in control of the new CW Network. No mention of the WB's Garth Ancier
for example. His counterpart, UPN's Dawn Ostroff, is named in these stories
as head of the new CW network. Her boss, Les Moonves, is a very strong
network guy and runs the much bigger CBS. There could be a tendency
to favor CBS/UPN shows, but Warner Bros.'s 50% ownership of the
new network should ensure that many of its shows make it to the lineup.

Still, Viacom has no particular interest in worrying about the "Superman
Franchise", any more than Warner Bros. would worrying about the Star
Trek franchise and a possible new installment of that down the road. It
would benefit via its 50% share in the CW, but not beyond that in the
syndication and DVD sales and so on. The television production divisions
of each corporate behemoth will be in competition here to get their shows
on the CW.

Another inevitable result is that at least half the lineup of the combined
two networks, will have to be cancelled. So the weaker shows are
all gone without blinking I think. To the extent they want to pick up
other strong new show prospects, even more cancellations would
have to take place. The more of that, the greater the possibility of
ticking viewership off. So I suspect there will be very few new pilot
pickups, in favor of bringing over as many established, viable shows
as they can. Smallville should be one of those, but it's difficult to
predict for sure without knowing how these next few eps go.

All in all, it's a fascinating development -- totally unexpected, but I think
totally brilliant. I predict more than one show on the CW will draw
10+ million viewers next season. This would be a great time for
Smallville to get really good. It has a huge opportunity to bring back
lapsed viewers, and get some new ones.