In Push to Sell Ads, CBS Sells Itself in New Campaign

As a run-up to television’s upfront week—in which broadcasters sell as much advertising as possible for the year—CBS is taking the offensive, launching a massive ad campaign selling CBS itself. The initiative is aimed at curbing the perception that broadcast is declining and cable is the future of TV. Though CBS ad revenue is stagnant, ratings have been improving, Broadcasting & Cable reports.

The campaign—which will air on the company’s flagship TV network, its 140 radio stations, on CBS Interactive, and in the New York Times and USA Today—will focus on CBS’ ratings growth, particularly against leader Fox. CBS is gaining in the 18-49 demographic and trails only Fox in C3 commercial rating, the medium’s most important metric, which calculates the viewership of the average commercial minute. (More entertainment stories.)