Oxygen's Laybourne: 'Buying Season Runs 52 Weeks'

Here's a fun, if not just a little disconcerting, way to look at the cable marketplace now that Oxygen has executed the earliest upfront presentation in recent memory: If any of the media buyers or network executives that were on hand for the network's ad sales pitch were to become pregnant today (Jan. 23), in all likelihood, she would deliver before the last cable upfront business is written in early fall.

Gestation aside, Oxygen chairman and CEO Gerry Laybourne decided to get an early start for what was the network's first official upfront presentation after recognizing that the vicissitudes of the marketplace can no longer be served by a strict adherence to the solar calendar. "We're a network that believes that the advertising buying season runs 52 weeks a year," Laybourne said during her opening remarks at the New York upfront mainstay Cipriani.

Oxygen president and COO Lisa Gersh echoed Laybourne's sentiments, telling buyers that the net was getting an early start on the upfronts "because your world is changing and we're changing with you." One area undergoing particularly accelerated change is the online space; as such, Oxygen aims to bolster its on-air content with a new broadband channel and a social networking site.

The broadband site, SheDidWhat.tv, launched Monday with the first installment of an original comic Web series, Our Bodies, Myself, hosted by Lauren Weidman. Ad-supported clips from Oxygen's linear series (Bad Girls Club, Campus Ladies, et al) also will be made available for streaming on the site.

Oxygen is also putting a lot of muscle behind Oomph.net, an online social networking site designed to facilitate interaction between women who share interests in areas like pop culture, sex and art. "We want to figure out this multi-screen world with you," Gersh told buyers, adding that Oxygen has redoubled its online efforts while continuing to push for maximum penetration of the linear network.

The network's goal is to reach 80 million subs by the end of 2007; at last count, Oxygen is in just under 71 million U.S. cable and satellite households.

Gersh said that Oxygen brokered "over $100 million in ad sales" last year, and asked buyers looking to reach the net's target demo (women 18-49) to "double down" with the net in 2007.

While Oxygen looks to own its demo, the network is expanding its reach with a slate of new projects meant to draw a younger audience, one that may even include a fair number of male viewers. "Our profile is now in line with networks like VH1, Bravo and E!," said M.J. Cavanagh, senior vp, national ad sales. "Our programs are female-focused but not female-exclusive."

Oxygen's development slate for 2008 and beyond features four scripted series, including Angry Little Girls, an animated half-hour strip produced by Jennifer Love Hewitt, and the hour drama Graphic City Limits, from Xena: Warrior Princess producer Rob Tapert.

Nonscripted fare makes up the bulk of the net's development slate, as no less than eight reality shows are in the works, including the one-hour competition series Adfight; the half-hour "docu-soap" about women firefighters in the FDNY, Smoke and Mirrors; and the half-hour Rodeo Girls, characterized by Oxygen as "Laguna Beach at the rodeo."

Also in the pipeline are four original movies, including a pair of romantic comedies, a mystery/thriller and a family drama. Oxygen has also picked up the rights to the Hilary Duff theatrical A Cinderella Story and the 2005 Amanda Peet/Ashton Kutcher vehicle, A Lot Like Love.

As for this year, Oxygen has three summer premieres scheduled, including season three of Mo'Nique's F.A.T. Chance (July, seven one-hour episodes), the new series Fight Girls (June, eight one-hour episodes) and the two-hour countdown special, 50 Funniest Women Alive, hosted by Kelly Ripa (early summer).

Comedy will continue to play a leading role in the network's programming plans, as Oxygen hopes to shatter the prevailing stereotype that women aren't funny. "Comedy is Oxygen's voice," Laybourne said.

Last year, Oxygen increased its average prime-time audience by 15 percent versus 2005, drawing 252,000 viewers per night. The network also upped its 18-49 audience by 16 percent (128,000) and increased its core demo by 19 percent year-over-year.