The NEW TNN

A Positioning Document

By Alan Goodman & Bill Burnett

December 21, 2001

 My husband and I watch TV at the same time in
two different rooms. We yell back and forth to
each other from the living room to the bedroom,
“What are you watching? Quick, switch to
Channel 11.”

-Gennifer Birnbach,
TNN Brand Central

December 21, 2001

 As soon as a commercial comes on I bang to
another channel. I’m like, “Come on, come on.
I’ve got TV to watch.”

-Diane Robina, TNN

V.P. General Manager

December 21, 2001

HOFFMAN: What does he mean, the war is over?
DE NIRO: It’s over.
HOFFMAN: This is my war. I’ll decide when it’s
over.
DE NIRO: The war is over. I saw it on TV.

-“Wag the Dog”

December 21, 2001

 First, a quick refresher course.

December 21, 2001

 Why position?
Positioning is essential to the success of any product.

Whether it’s a tube of toothpaste, a luxury car, or a

cable television network, every product needs to
occupy a unique place in the minds and hearts of
the consumers -- and in the minds and hearts of
the people who make the product.

December 21, 2001

 Why position?
A well-crafted position should serve as the yardstick
against which we measure every decision we make
about our “product,” both internally and
externally.

December 21, 2001

 Why position?
Internally, positioning will help us answer these
questions:

December 21, 2001

 Why position?
What kind of network are we?
What do we do?
What do we say?
What do we look like?
What do we sound like?

December 21, 2001

 Why position?
Who is our audience?
What programs should we run?
What programs should we not run -- even if they
give us a bounce in the ratings -- simply because
they’re “not us”?

December 21, 2001

 Why position?
Externally, positioning will help define us to the
world:

December 21, 2001

 Why position?
What can the public expect from TNN?
Why should they even bother to tune in?
What segment of the viewing public is TNN for?

December 21, 2001

 Why position?
And the most important positioning question:

What unique quality do we offer that viewers can’t

get anywhere else?

December 21, 2001

Positioning The New TNN:
The Good News and The Bad News

December 21, 2001

 First, the bad news. . .
TNN has been around for a long, long time. It has
had many faces over the years.
It’s been Country. It’s been Pop. And it’s been a lot
of things in between.

But nothing has clicked.

December 21, 2001

 First, the bad news. . .
Two decades of unclear or misguided marketing and
programming concepts have given people a
chance to encounter TNN and form a wide variety
of opinions -- mostly negative.
Many have written TNN off as an aging, paunchy,
Middle American mediocrity.

December 21, 2001

 First, the bad news. . .
Some have paid enough attention to decide we are
the Wrestling Channel, with filler material
between matches.
Quite a few confuse us with TNT or other three letter
“T” networks.
Or they’re behind the times and think we’re still The
Nashville Network.

December 21, 2001

The hardest positioning job in the world is to reverse
a bunch of garbled negative preconceptions.

December 21, 2001

 The good news. . . sort of. . .
On the positive side, the single biggest impression
TNN has made on the cable-ready public is a
shrug.
A shrug and maybe a yawn. Most people don’t
know anything about TNN, and to the extent they
know, they don’t care.

December 21, 2001

 The good news. . . sort of. . .
Which means that we can make fundamental
changes, and create “The New TNN” without
running the risk of offending to many people.

December 21, 2001

 THE NEW TNN POSITION:

December 21, 2001

 THE NEW TNN POSITION:
The New TNN is going to become:
the General Entertainment network
for 25-35 year olds –
a demographic commonly known as
“Generation X.”

December 21, 2001

Now, we know what you’re thinking. . .

December 21, 2001

 Are We Nuts!?!?

December 21, 2001

Do we really think TNN can become the
cable home-base for a bunch of jaded,
doom-and-gloomers, the most cynical,
media savvy generation in history?
Gen-Xers probably think TNN stands for
“The Nothing Network.”
We can’t snow them into being “targeted.”
They’ll laugh us off the transponder.
December 21, 2001
Yes, but wait. . . it gets worse.

December 21, 2001

We intend to become
“The General Entertainment Network for
Generation X” without using the words
“General Entertainment” or “Generation X”.
We’re gluttons for punishment.

December 21, 2001

“General Entertainment” is out because it’s a term --
and a concept -- that everyone from advertisers to
our boss despises.
Who needs General Entertainment on cable when
they can get it bigger and better from the
Broadcasters? And “Generation X” is an obvious
no-no, guaranteed to drive the audience away.
(Though it might be fine to tell advertisers Gen X
is our target.)
December 21, 2001
There will be no “I Want My TNN” campaign for us.
We’ll have to be more clever; more subtle.
We need to fly in under the radar, capture those
hearts and minds (and eyeballs), and emerge six
months to a year from now as the new bright star
on the cable horizon.

December 21, 2001

But before we drop the whole idea and start cleaning
out our cubicles, let’s take a look at some myths
and facts about this thing called “X”. . .

December 21, 2001

 Myth # 1

Generation X is an insignificant
crowd of slackers.
They dress in baggy jeans and thrift store rags.
They have no sense of purpose or direction.
No initiative.
They are apathetic about the future. Right?

December 21, 2001

 WRONG!
They comprise an audience of 48 million.
54% of Gen-Xers have completed or enrolled in more than
one year of college.
Despite the fact that more of them believe they will see a
UFO than a social security check – or maybe in reaction
to it -- more Gen-Xers secure funds in retirement plans
than Boomers at this age.
40% invest in mutual finds. They contribute to political
campaigns.
And 42% thought it was worthwhile to call a politician.

December 21, 2001

 Myth # 2

They have no emotional or 
financial future. 
They grew up alone at home after school.
They face bleak job prospects, have no faith in
politicians or institutions to provide for them, and
in general represent something negative to their
elders. So they are fated to fail at life. Right?

December 21, 2001

 WRONG!
They’ve been described as “incredibly ambitious.”
They are materialistic, tech savvy, and mobile.
The fact that they are not as willing as Boomers to live and
die for the company is simply a pragmatic response to how
willing companies are in this society to leave their workers
adrift.
They didn’t get good parenting and family models, but that
hasn’t kept them from attempting their own.

December 21, 2001

 WRONG!
They are pairing up and starting families, although they have
learned from their parent's mistakes:
They are marrying later, having kids later, and want to spend
more time with family.
While 63% are dissatisfied with the way things are going in
the U.S., many see the individualism and resourcefulness
built up through their childhoods as the generation’s
saviors.

December 21, 2001

 Myth # 3

They are angry, spiteful

contrarians.
They disregard anything of value, denigrate anything
purposeful and thumb their noses at anything 
meaningful.  Right? 

December 21, 2001

 WRONG!
They might be the first modern generation with a realistic
view of the world. Unlike “the silent generation” that grew
up during World War II and believed in institutions and
conforming, or the Baby Boomers who believed in
rebellion and alternative community, Gen-Xers believe in
themselves.
They are actually the opposite of angry and spiteful. Along
with their healthy skepticism comes an ironic complacency
about their lot in life and an almost comical embrace of it.

December 21, 2001

 WRONG!
They are more accepting of alternative lifestyles, quirky
personal appearances, cultural and racial differences, and
outrageous viewpoints than the generation that preceded
them, which was supposedly devoted to counter­cultural 
pursuits. 
They are less judgmental of people, events, art,
entertainment. Boomers find Howard Stern controversial.
Gen-Xers find him at 92.3 FM. They like him or they
don’t, but they don’t find him controversial.

December 21, 2001

 WRONG!
Disregard value?

It’s quite the opposite. They find value in more things than
their elders do because they are less likely to look askance
at things that bring them joy, pleasure, relief, or even
transient amusement.

December 21, 2001

 Myth # 4

They have nothing new or

important to offer the world.
Right?

December 21, 2001

 WRONG!
They are the generation doing stuff.
They are the ones getting their heads cracked open in protests
on the streets of Italy.
They might be the ones who cure cancer and AIDS.
They made the movie “Swingers.”
They continually revolutionize the world with hip-hop music
and fashion.
They are heavy shoppers, dominating the purchase of CDs,
athletic shoes, movies, fast food, cosmetics and outdoor
equipment.
December 21, 2001
 WRONG!
Popular culture is their culture. They don’t look down on it.
Guilty pleasures are still pleasures, and pleasure – given the
hand they’ve been dealt – is good.

December 21, 2001

 Myth # 5

They are just gloomy.

Right?

December 21, 2001

 WRONG!
To Gen-Xers, sex means AIDS and drugs mean addiction.
But again, that’s realism. Not gloominess.
They like fun. They goof off. They watch TV.
And they watch TV differently from Boomers.
Boomers thought TV could inspire, teach, reveal and
entertain.
Gen­Xers understand it’s a necessary appliance of life – a 
talking toaster. 

December 21, 2001

 WRONG!
Boomers watched Leonard Bernstein conduct the New York
Philharmonic on CBS on Sunday afternoon Young
People’s Concerts.

Gen-Xers watch Johnny Knoxville ski downhill inside a

shithouse.

December 21, 2001

 Myth # 6

You can’t own Generation X.

Well, this is probably true.
Theirs is the most desirable demographic target, and most of
television is made for them.
But no television marketers focus exclusively on them.
Why? Because they’re scared.
They’re afraid Generation X is too disparate, too dyspeptic,
too cynical and too savvy to fall for TV’s usual line of
baloney. And they’re right.

December 21, 2001

 You can’t own Generation X.
But you can win them.
Winning someone’s heart and mind is harder work
than “owning” them.
You own your car, but you win the respect and
loyalty of your friends and loved ones every day.
It requires that you be there for them round the
clock, in a host of ways large and small.
It requires empathy, wit, and honesty. And all of the
above requires a certain kind of hard work.

December 21, 2001

Everybody still here? Okay good.

Let’s take a look at how some successful networks 
position themselves. . . 

December 21, 2001

 Successful networks fall into
one of four categories:
• Broadcasters -- still trying to be all things to all people.
• Networks that are based around a specific subject or
art-form category.
• Networks overtly based around a certain demo.
• Networks that covertly attract a demo by creating an
on-air and off-air environment that makes the
demographic feel at home.

December 21, 2001

 Group #1

The Broadcasters
There are four of them.
One -- Fox -- is positioned in a way that will be discussed
more in a couple of pages.
The position of the other three is basically “We are the
establishment. We have always been here. We provide
everything for everyone.”
They still pack enough clout to make it necessary for the rest
of us to scurry for our niches.

December 21, 2001

 Group #2

Subject or art-form positioners

MTV
VH-1
Comedy Central
Cartoon Network
CNN
ESPN 

December 21, 2001

 Group #2

Subject or art-form positioners

All of these -- Sports, Comedy, Music, News, Cartoons –
are universally accepted and easily understood categories.
So in terms of positioning, these networks have a relatively
easy job.
(Although let’s keep in mind that none of them were so easy
when they were starting out. They had to work hard then, 
too.) 
But The New TNN doesn’t have an easily understood subject
or art form category to build our network around.
We must look elsewhere to find our success role model.
December 21, 2001
 Group #3

 Demographic positioners
Kids, African-Americans, Protestants, and Koreans (or
Mexicans, Italians, etc.) are all easily understandable
categories. MTV and VH-1 show up in this list as well, 
because while their initial draw is music, age is at least as
important an element in defining both networks.

December 21, 2001

 Group #3

 Demographic positioners
In fact, music is often just their calling card, their
“foot in the door.”
Both of the biggest “music networks” could really be seen as
General Entertainment networks – for Generation Y and
the Baby Boomers, respectively.
They use music (and the attitudes music evokes) as the
launching pad for the movies, documentaries, game shows,
sitcoms and even news shows they run on a regular basis.

December 21, 2001

 Group #3

 Demographic positioners
This concept of “attitude” being used to spin “General
Entertainment” will play a big part in our discussion about 
positioning The New TNN. 

December 21, 2001

 Group #3

 Environmental positioners
There are a few examples of this fourth group – the group
that has successfully positioned themselves by creating an
on and off-air environment that attracts a certain group.

Nick-at-Nite
TV Land (NAN’s spin-off)
Fox

December 21, 2001

 FOX Network
You might argue that FOX belongs back in the Broadcasters
group, or in the Demographic group, since the “fourth
network” was very outspoken about its intention to be
another broadcast network aimed at a younger audience.
But Rupert Murdoch’s audacious challenge to the Big Three
owes more to on and off-air attitude that in fact spoke the
language of a younger audience than it does to any
demographic declarations.

December 21, 2001

 FOX Network
The FOX network has an on air look and feel that is edgier
and, well, more MTV than the other Broadcasters.
It runs ads about itself that express that edge. And shows like
“Married With Children,” “The Simpsons,” “The X Files,”
“Cops” and more recently “Family Guy,” “Ally McBeal,”
and “Temptation Island” show that the 4th network had
(and has) the courage of its convictions.

December 21, 2001

 FOX Network
FOX still takes the classic Broadcast network position of
being all things to all people – providing sports, sitcoms
and dramas.
But in its swagger, and its far-fewer-holds-barred attitude it
said “we are all things to all people of a certain age. Old
farts need not apply.”

December 21, 2001

 FOX Network
Of course the more youthful minded Old Farts do apply, as do
the more sophisticated younger set. And FOX sees to it
that they all get brought along for the ride.
Anyone who saw the World Series this year witnessed a
“FOX-ification” of our most staid of national past times.
The use of tension-producing music and sound effects, the
quick-cut, grainy montages before the games and in the
breaks, all put a subtle but effective new spin on baseball
-- baseball! -- that made it distinctly FOX.

December 21, 2001

 Nick-at-Nite (and TV Land)
This network is now a cable-household word. But when it
started out it had many of the same challenges that
now face TNN.
It was nothing but a bunch of old black and white shows –  
the best its parent Nickelodeon could afford at the time.
The challenge was to find a way to make those shows more
valuable on Nick-at-Nite than they were anywhere else.
And the solution was to create a kind of theme park --
TV Land -- with the shows as the rides.

December 21, 2001

 Nick-at-Nite (and TV Land)
Nick-at-Nite drew upon the shared experience of people who
had grown up with these shows.
The “TV Land” attitude and creative executions gave
everyone a feeling that there was a way to enjoy these
shows in a contemporary context.
And it had a happy battle cry that summed up the entire
experience:
“Hello Out There From TV Land!”

December 21, 2001

 Nick-at-Nite (and TV Land)
Nick-at-Nite created a world that surrounded the programs,    
a world that gave nostalgic baby boomers a sense of
belonging – not to a particular program but to
an entire network.
Mr. Ed was identical no matter what channel it appeared on,
of course, of course. But it was funnier on Nick-at-Nite,
because Nick-at-Nite was the kind of zoned out, left field,
goofy place that the Boomers felt that they wanted to be.

December 21, 2001

“Hello Out There From TV Land!” was more than just an
advertising slogan. In its good natured goofiness it
announced an alternative universe, a place where the
Boomer audience could journey back to the always sunny,
always silly realm of their youthful shared experience.
There was a sense that the people presenting the TV Land
theme park “got it.” That they were sitting right there
next to you enjoying those old shows, just like you were.

December 21, 2001

But we can’t draw a direct analogy between
Generation X and the Baby Boomers.

December 21, 2001

Gen-X did not enter into young adulthood expecting
to rid the world of fascism, racism, pollution and
war, and get rich and famous in the process.
The unambiguous optimism of the Nick at Nite
position -- “Hello Out There From TV Land!” --
would not work for X.

December 21, 2001

Why?
Because Generation X lives in an ambiguous
universe.

December 21, 2001

 Generation X = Ambiguity
Gen-Xers grew up with an ambiguous set of assumptions.
The world is probably broken beyond repair, but we have to
try to fix it anyway. 
There probably is no career for me, but I’ve got to try to
build one anyway. 
My government can’t be trusted, but I’ve got to vote
and be a good citizen anyway. 
Relationships tend to go bad and marriage leads to divorce,
but I’ve got to try to build a family anyway.

December 21, 2001

 Generation X = Ambiguity
And their biggest pop culture statements speak this
ambiguity fluently.

December 21, 2001

 Ambiguous Movies
Was Michael Douglas in Fatal Attraction the victim or the
perpetrator of his woes?
Were the Pulp Fiction characters funny, colorful denizens of
the underworld, or horrifying creeps?
Were Thelma and Louise feminist heroes or homicidal
(and eventually suicidal) sociopaths?
Was the English Patient a genuine romantic, or a traitor and
philanderer when he sold secrets to the Nazis in a vain
attempt to rejoin his true love with whom he’d been
committing adultery?
The answer to these questions is: Both.
December 21, 2001
 Ambiguous Movies
Who is the most compelling character in
Silence of the Lambs? Hannibal Lecter, right?
The cannibalistic monster. In the end he gets
away, and the audience smiles, while their flesh
crawls.
You can’t get much more ambiguous than that.

December 21, 2001

 Ambiguous Music
Madonna’s whole career has been elaborate,
carefully crafted ambiguous messages: Her name
is Madonna. She dresses like anything but.
She was “Like a Virgin”, meaning she wasn’t one.
But she still had an innocent spirit.
We could analyze every step of her career this way, 
ending up with: she’s a serious artist; she’s pure 
packaging.  
Which is it?  The answer is: Both. 
December 21, 2001
 Ambiguous TV
TV shows like Miami Vice, Seinfeld, The X-Files,
The Sopranos, Jerry Springer, The Simpsons,
South Park, Temptation Island, Ally McBeal and
The Practice, are crawling with ambiguity.

December 21, 2001

 Ambiguous TV
What attracts Xers to these shows and these
characters?
It’s that the foul-mouthed kids; the narcissistic
New York friends; the paranoid FBI agents; the
charming, Prozac taking gangster; the morally and
ethically conflicted lawyers; and the chair-
flinging, righteously indignant cuckolds, are all
reflections of an Xer’s own ambiguity.

December 21, 2001

 Ambiguous TV
All those TV creatures are not quite sure what they
stand for, not quite getting what they want, not 
quite guilty, not quite innocent. 

December 21, 2001

 To speak to Generation X, we
have to go ambiguous
We don’t need irony, per se (although we’ll use it
when it’s useful). Irony is language that says one
thing and means something else.
We need honest ambiguity.

December 21, 2001

 To speak to Generation X, we
have to go ambiguous
We need language that honestly speaks on several
levels at once.
We need language that will attract Gen-Xers and
make them feel The New TNN gets them, just as
Nick at Nite attracted Baby Boomers and made 
them feel the network got who they were. 

December 21, 2001

 To speak to Generation X, we
have to go ambiguous
We need language that will support all the
programming we have now -- but allow us to give
it a new twist – and point us toward future
acquisitions and original development.
We need language that will help us make on-air
promos and advertisements.
We need language that will give executives
something to say when asked about this one 
among many Viacom­owned cable networks. 
December 21, 2001
 To speak to Generation X, we
have to go ambiguous
We need language that recognizes there is no
TV Land – no place with picnic tables and
canned laughter – that makes Gen­xers feel warm.
But language that still understands that TV is central
to their lives the way it never has been before for 
any previous demo.  

December 21, 2001

Time out – in what way is TV central to their lives
the way it never was before?

December 21, 2001

 TV was part of mass culture.
Now it is all of mass culture.
It is like the electricity that powers it.
There was a time in our history when people debated
the goodness or badness of electrical lights. Were
they a positive or negative advancement?
Now, it’s just something we use.

December 21, 2001

 TV was part of mass culture.
Now it is all of mass culture.
Like TV. You never hear people debating whether
TV is good or bad anymore. They might debate
certain shows.
But TV is taken for granted.

December 21, 2001

 TV was part of mass culture.
Now it is all of mass culture.
You need TV. And for Gen-Xers – the real latch-
key generation – it is even more vital.
TV is comfort, mama, nightlight, friend.
The generation that can find nothing to depend on
depends on TV.
You may not have a job – but you have Tivo.

December 21, 2001

 TV was part of mass culture.
Now it is all of mass culture.
Like the electric lights, it is critical. But trivial too.
TV used to make things important. The
assassination of Oswald. Landing on the moon.
Now, TV makes everything trivial. Nelson Mandela
is released from prison. We throw him a hero’s
parade. TV crews trample each other to beam the 
images.  And the next day, something new is the 
lead.

December 21, 2001

 TV was part of mass culture.
Now it is all of mass culture.
Critical. And trivial. Because of TV’s pre-eminent
role in the marketing of anything – TV has 
become a part of everything else trying to reach 
the Gen­X demo. 

December 21, 2001

 TV was part of mass culture.
Now it is all of mass culture.
There are no movies today without TV.  There is no 
music today without TV.  Some people find that 
kind of sad  ­­ 

December 21, 2001

 Gen-Xers might find that
kind of funny.
Remember that Gen-X acceptance we were
talking about? That avoidance of critical
judgment? Nowhere is it as strongly
indicated as Gen-X’s acceptance of
television.

December 21, 2001

 A positioning line for Gen-x
and The New TNN.
We need language:
• that understands this acceptance of TV by the
Gen-X audience.
• that reflects their understanding that it is crap, but that
sometimes it’s really great crap.
• that mirrors how TV has permeated all of our references,
our shared culture and our national intelligence.
• that guides us attitudinally in our messages, programming
and production – without creating the boundaries some 
people felt “pop” presented. 
December 21, 2001
 A positioning line for Gen-X
and The New TNN.
Like “Hello out there from TV Land,” we need a line
that says we get what Gen-X has become. And
where TV fits in for them.
TV isn’t anymore something we watch. To
Generation X, TV is everything they are.

December 21, 2001

A position for the New TNN –

IT’S ALL TV TO ME.

December 21, 2001

 IT’S ALL TV TO ME
Is there anything dumber than Baywatch or V.I.P. ? No. Of
course not. But that’s okay, because it’s all TV to me.
Some parents think the WWF teaches kids to use violence to
resolve conflicts but – they’re wrong. It’s all TV to me.
What’s going on in Afghanistan? Well, they showed more
dim green lights on the horizon. You couldn’t see much.
It’s all TV to me.
I missed the president’s speech. What did he say? The same
stuff you’ve been hearing presidents say your whole life.
It’s all TV to me.
December 21, 2001
 IT’S ALL TV TO ME
Where’s your girlfriend? We broke up. What happened?
Ahh – she was suffocating. I was controlling. I wasn’t
emotionally available. What’s the difference? It’s all TV
to me.
What’s for dinner?  Reruns.  I mean, leftovers.  It’s all TV to 
me. 

December 21, 2001

 IT’S ALL TV TO ME
and ambiguity.
The attitude of “It’s all TV to me” is wonderfully ambiguous.
The phrase can be accepting or dismissive, depending on how
it is said. It can be referring to TV – or to our lives as TV
has affected them.
Meanwhile, it contains the ambivalence that is so typical of
the Gen-X make-up.
“It’s all TV to me” is neither Trash, nor Excellent. It isn’t
good or bad. Or it’s both. What’s important is, this isn’t a
generation that cares. Because this is not a generation that
deals in extremes.
Stuff just is – use it or don’t.
December 21, 2001
 IT’S ALL TV TO ME
How it works for programming and production.

The phrase sums up the attitude of this generation –

Generation X – that is the core of our target demo.
They like TV. They watch it a lot.
But they don’t take it seriously because they don’t take
anything seriously. Especially themselves. 
They watch the serious stuff and they watch the silly stuff,
and they regard both things equally. Because if the TV is
on and there’s stuff there, I must still be alive.

December 21, 2001

 IT’S ALL TV TO ME
How it works for programming and production.

So we can’t look to the positioning statement to help us limit

what we develop, acquire, or produce.
Because technically any show that’s the right show for the
demos we seek could work for us, and it’s almost silly to
say we should go after the ones that we feel are at the heart
of TV’s popularity.

December 21, 2001

 IT’S ALL TV TO ME
How it works for programming and production.

If anything, we might eliminate shows that take themselves

too seriously – that suggest TV’s ability to teach or
enlighten are essential aspects of the show’s appeal.
We could probably do a news show, but it would best if we
did it like Good Day L.A. on FOX, which – at this writing
– is mostly about Tom Cruise.

December 21, 2001

 IT’S ALL TV TO ME
How it works for programming and production.

We should probably eliminate shows that play too old,

because old people are too discriminating. Old people
think about whether or not they like the shows they watch,
and we want people to just watch them.
We could say that V.I.P. and Star Trek are better than serious
drama, but isn’t C.S.I. a perfect example of something that
works for the target demo and works perfectly as
television? Wouldn’t 24 be an excellent show to acquire
for our target viewers?

December 21, 2001

 IT’S ALL TV TO ME
and “real people” programming.

Real people are at the heart of “It’s all TV to me.” Because

they are the “me.” But that’s not the same as saying real
people have to be at the heart of the programs we make.
It’s more important to focus on a program’s appeal than it is
to focus on its content, as far as real people are concerned.
If a show is diverting, riveting, unimportant, vital, useless,
and essential, it works. In fact, it works best for us if it is
all those things at once – in other words, if it is ambiguous.

December 21, 2001

 IT’S ALL TV TO ME
and promotion.

All our on-air promotion has to recognize television’s place

in our audience’s life.
And recognize as well that – to Gen X – there is no such
thing as “a very special episode of ‘Blossom’.” Or a
feeling you’ll experience watching “E.R.” that you’ll
remember “all your life.”
TV affects their lives enormously. But with no impact.

December 21, 2001

 IT’S ALL TV TO ME
and promotion.

So our promotion for The Godfather was dead on. Stylish,

gorgeous young swingers at a rave mumble the dialog
along with the movie as they stare up at a giant screen.
We know it by heart. We can’t get enough of it. Our interest
in it is part of our casual addiction to our cultural icons.
But we also understand that “an epic, two-night event” is
something that can be background music at a party.

December 21, 2001

 IT’S ALL TV TO ME
and promotion.

Likewise, our “Sunday Special” campaign – where two long

hairs watch our shows while trying products ordered from
TV -- is perfect for us.
First, they have no reverence for the idea that you order
things you plan to keep.   Or that, if you’re going to watch
TV, you give it your undivided attention.
Is playing with the products something to do while they are
watching the shows? Or are the shows something that’s on
while they experiment with products?
You tell me. All I know is, this weekend is different from
last week because the AbFlab-Away came in the mail.

December 21, 2001

 IT’S ALL TV TO ME
and sales and marketing.

Ad sales is selling 18-49. With a sweet spot of Gen-X

viewers.
That’s what they should continue to sell.
With the added ammunition that we are pursuing this
audience aggressively by promoting in their voice.

December 21, 2001

 IT’S ALL TV TO ME
and sales and marketing.

Our intent, in everything we do, is to make Gen-X viewers

comfortable.
To make this a place where they can feel at home.
To not only acquire and create shows targeting them, but to
dream up specials and events that have the same point of
view, and by doing so, create opportunities for advertisers
who have this audience as their goal.
It’s unique in entertainment television today.

December 21, 2001

 IT’S ALL TV TO ME
and sales and marketing.

For our affiliate marketing efforts:

We are a company that can point to enormous successes in
marketing to specific generational slices.
We did it with teens and young adults with MTV.
We did it with kids and Nickelodeon.
We did it with boomers and Nick at Nite.
Now we’re doing it with The New TNN.
No one has a network to super serve this audience unless they
have TNN.
It’s the last piece of the puzzle for the MTV Networks group.

December 21, 2001

 IT’S ALL TV TO ME
and The National Network.

TNN is the National Network. And TV is, truly, the national

network.
It is the thing that unites us. That informs and diverts us all.
We watch the same stuff our friends watch so we can talk
about it tomorrow.
All the better if those friends are a long­distance phone call or 
e­mail away. 

December 21, 2001

 IT’S ALL TV TO ME
and The National Network.

We are a nation of commoners. And TV is

something that helps to make us all perfectly
common.
The National Network isn’t something to salute or
to revile. It just is.
We are all The National Network.
And it’s all TV to me.

December 21, 2001

 THE NEW TNN
and its promises.
Since the positioning statement is attitudinal – and
doesn’t define either a programming or audience
segment –   
our promises remain true.
What’s important is how they are applied.

December 21, 2001

 THE NEW TNN
and its promises.
The New TNN. (Because we are TV, therefore we
are always new.)
Coast to coast. (We have, and will now always
have, a national and not a regional focus.)
Taking your calls 24 hours a day. (Because our
viewers and their views matter to us.)
It’s all TV to me. (We promise to understand how
TV fits into the lives of our viewers.

December 21, 2001

 The New TNN
IT’S ALL TV TO ME.

December 21, 2001

 THEN 9.25.01 NOW
Name TNN: the TNN: the The New
Nashville National TNN: the
Network Network National
Network
Positioning country pop Gen-x
Design generic eclectic tbd

December 21, 2001

 THEN 9.25.01 NOW
Promises N/A First Pop The New
Network. TNN.
Coast to Coast to
Coast. Coast.
Taking your Taking your
calls… calls…

Pop Stars. It’s all TV to

me.
We Wanna
know…
We’ve got
pop.

December 21, 2001

 THEN 9.25.01 NOW
Packaging generic TV <<yes <<yes

Real People << no <<yes <<yes

Phone calls << no <<yes <<yes
Music <<country <<blues <<contemporary
Voice Over <<yes << no <<limited
Lower Thirds << no <<limited <<persistent

December 21, 2001