Is Jay Leno Not Worthy of Primetime Prices, and Other Notes from the Upfront That Isn't

(MoneyWatch)  While seemingly everyone in the TV and media buying communities sits around waiting for the upfront ad sales market to start, I'm finally seeing some hints that NBC won't exactly get primetime rates for its new 10 p.m. "The Jay Leno Show," which breaks from the broadcast tradition by putting one show -- and not a drama! -- on at that hour, five nights a week.

While NBC denies this, per a story in Mediaweek, one unidentified agency exec says that agencies are looking for a "blended price" (love the terminology there!), that would be less than what the network would get from 8 pm. to 10 p.m. -- but presumably more than what Leno got when he was at the helm of "The Tonight Show." With rumor still afoot that the network was close to signing a primetime upfront deal across the whole schedule with a seven percent cost-per-thousand discount from last year with Group M, we're talking low, low, Leno, if such speculation about a "blended price" is true -- but remember, everyone, with its much lower production costs, and relative lack of reruns, the Leno shift could still be a huge moneymaker for NBC.

Other non-news from the upfront that refuses to start:

• From Advertising Age: Subaru has gotten a head start on the upfront through already-signed product integration deals with Syfy and AMC.
• From Mediapost: Because this upfront is so slow to start, media companies will have firmer ideas of clients (probably lower) budgets than they would usually, when deals are often struck before budgets are finalized.
• From The New York Post: What if the upfront continues to be negotiated all the way until August? And what does a beheaded Ronald McDonald head lying on its side have to do with any of it? (That's actually my own question. Click on the link above and let me know if you can figure it out.)

That's all for now, folks. I'll wake you up when and if this market ever gets started.

Previous coverage of the upfront on BNET Media:

• Upfront Update: It Might Happen Soon ... or Not
• Upfront Update: Will Cable Deals Happen First?
• The Upfront Ad Market Will Start Whenever
• The Network TV Upfront: CBS Is Where the Sun Always Shines