Networks Ready to cash In

With about three weeks to go before the broadcasters unveil their 2011-12 upfront slates, you don't exactly have to place a call to Dionne Warwick and the old Psychic Friends Network to figure out that the TV networks are going to make a killing.

According to a new forecast issued by analyst Anthony DiClemente of Barclays Capital, the Big Four broadcasters are likely to increase their upfront commitments by 7.5 percent year-over-year to $9.23 billion, beating the previous high-water mark of $8.8 billion in the 2008-09 bazaar. DiClemente sees CBS leading the market with sales of $3.01 billion, or a gain of 15.6 percent from a year ago. ABC’s sales should rise by as much as 12 percent to $2.68 billion, while Fox will see a 6.4 percent lift, taking in $2.11 billion. With NBC expected to move less inventory than its peers, The Comcast owned network should experience a concomitant decline in dollar volume. DiClemente is forecasting a 10.7 percent drop for the Peacock, with upfront orders adding up to $1.43 billion.