With the world going to hell in an economic handbasket, it was a given that this year's upfronts were going to be more homey affairs. Under the circumstances, less pomp was certainly in order. But that doesn't mean there weren't any surprises. Quite the opposite, in fact, as each broadcaster responded to the downturn by rolling out their fall skeds in their own singular style.

While most media buyers say there's no sure breakout hits in the few acquisitions that cracked the fall lineups, no one is complaining about the status quo. Stability is never a bad thing, after all, especially when you're talking about advertisers and their money. Fewer launches mean fewer risks.

"With no changes," observes Florence Ng, VP broadcast investments at ZenithOptimedia, "it becomes: how does your schedule compare to the competition? Are you still maintaining that dominant role? Basically, it gives the buying community a comfort zone. All the good shows, all the shows that we are familiar with, are going to be coming back.

"This year, there is a lot more selection, a better variety, and hopefully some [shows] will actually survive to the end of the year."

So, once you've ruled out revolution, all that's left is evolution. Here's the buyers' take on the four networks' approaches to the upfronts and the broadcasters' scheduling strategies.

CTV

Upfront review:

CTV's upfront was a more personal affair this time around. Dubbed the "Up Close" to better reflect the warm, fuzzy feeling it hoped to create, CTV chose to do small group presentations and allow buyers a chance to ask questions and create a dialogue. The broadcaster followed that with a celebrity-filled affair at the old CHUM-City building on Queen Street in Toronto. (Call it what you like, it will always be the old CHUM-City building.)

That approach was favoured by most buyers. "I enjoyed listening to Ivan Fecan speak casually and answer questions," says Anne Muscat-Erskine, investment director at Starcom Worldwide. "CTV - and Rogers [for that matter] - did a good job of changing the way it has always been done, and showing their true colours; showing what their hopes are."

Hits and misses:

Never in the history of television have buyers used the phrase "tried and true and safe" so often. With CTV only adding one new show to the prime-time lineup, that's what got most of the attention.

The Vampire Diaries has been slotted in at 7 p.m., but buyers expect it could move if it breaks. Put to a panel at Gaggi Media in Toronto - consisting of VP Kelly Dutton, media supervisor Susan Robb and senior media buyer/planner Sarah Bergamo - the show brims with potential: "The station has chosen to stretch the 'twilight' hours and jump on the popular vampire bandwagon. It is in a timeslot where big competition is scarce and vampire magnetism could persist."

While the CTV sked saw no significant changes that would affect viewership, over on the A channels it's a slightly different story. Flash Forward is the buzz show, even though the network was not allowed to screen the pilot for buyers. That didn't dampen enthusiasm, however. "I think that is a show that is going to come out of the gate well, like Fringe did," predicts