It’s been an upbeat Upfront season – whether media companies threw celebrity-filled bashes or relied on one-on-one meetings to get their messages across to media buyers and marketers, the industry was abuzz. Here’s what some cablers were talking about.

Digital was a hot topic for networks at events ranging from intimate lunches to late night parties. Freeform noted at NYC’s Spring Studios that it is expanding its digital platform with more live and on-demand content, super-charging social conversations, while GSN, during its event at midtown’s Paley Center for Media, said it’s introducing a real-time second-screen platform that will allow viewers to play along with game shows. At an elegant affair at the Gramercy Park Hotel, Azteca America announced in-house digital content provider Azteca GlassWorks Studio.

At Alice Tully Hall, Scripps Networks Interactive focused on its biggest strengths: family-friendly viewing, live viewing across its portfolio and advertising so endemic it feels like content. In a Park Hyatt dining room set like Mars, National Geographic Channels sent the message that they’re going for a broader, more upscale audience by thinking big with events like Earth Live, featuring live feeds of wildlife across the globe.

Among the big announcements: As guests munched on breakfast pizzas at the Helen Mills Event Space, TV One revealed it will be the exclusive cable home to Fox hit Empire. IFC hosted a lunch for press served family style at Upland, and shared details about late night block Comedy Crib, arriving in the fall.

AMC, after finishing fourth among cable networks in the A18-49 demo, eschewed a monster Upfront event – but with a season finale for The Walking Dead that drew 11.5 million viewers in the demo in Live+3, and a premiere for spin-off Fear the Walking Dead that attracted 5.3 million, there was plenty to talk about in more intimate settings.

Along with 400 hours of original content, Pop was one of many nets counting on branded content to attract advertisers. Viacom was another. EVP of Ad Sales for Viacom Kinds & Family Amy Hyland offered Cynopsis details, ahead of her company’s music-filled event (Cyndi Lauper!) that took place later at Jazz at Lincoln Center.

What’s the pitch?
Hyland: Across the Viacom Kids & Family portfolio, we have an unparalleled connection and emotional bond with our audience.  Our fans trust us because we know their mindset like no one else… Last year, we introduced Vantage, our data tool that enables clients to custom target their media campaigns across the Viacom portfolio. This year, we’ve enhanced the portfolio of products by utilizing our dedicated consumer insights and data science team to focus our creative development. You’ll now see data influence our content creation via our new Velocity Content Network. We will develop and produce original, culturally relevant content that puts our advertising partners first, extending campaigns across the social landscape with targeted talent and distribution.

What are advertisers responding to?
Hyland: For all of our brands, advertisers are responding best to our ability to align our characters, IP, talent and audiences with their marketing strategies.  We are industry leaders in building custom programs that include integration, on the ground experiences, social amplification and mass reach that drive their business.

For Scripps, native content is a natural. “The buzz now is native content, but that’s second nature to us,” Jon Steinlauf, president of national ad sales, told Cynopsis. “The reason our revenue is so much higher than most of our peers is because we have these brands that advertisers really embrace. The flavor of the month now is native marketing, but it’s just a name change. We have a big team here that’s creating content with advertisers.”

There was plenty of sizzle (as in reel) at Discovery Communications’ press breakfast at 10 on the Park. National ad sales EVPs Ben Price and Scott Felenstein served up the steak to Cynopsis.

How do you stand out from the pack?
Price: Discovery’s commitment to original content development has allowed us to build many strong brands with deeply connected fans, and that resonates with advertisers.  Since Discovery owns virtually all of our content we are one of the few media companies with the creative freedom to produce highly engaging original content that integrates advertiser brands in whatever way, format or length they are looking for.

What are advertisers responding to?
Felenstein: Advertisers are excited about our continued commitment to producing high-quality, original content across all of our networks on all platforms.  Last year, Discovery Channel, Investigation Discovery, Science Channel, Velocity and OWN had the highest ratings in their history. Also, clients are responding very positively to our digital platforms like Discovery GO, our TV Everywhere app and our web-native networks that resonate with millennials – Seeker and SourceFed.   Lastly, clients have shown a big interest in virtual reality.  As a leader in this space, we’ve been creating fully immersive VR experiences that put client’s brands in the center of the action.

When you think Hallmark you think holidays – but that doesn’t mean just Christmas anymore for Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, which hosted a crowd at the Rainbow Room to showcase year-round event programming and ratings rises. Cynopsis caught up with EVP of ad sales Ed Georger.

What’s the pitch?

Georger: Hallmark Channel is the undisputed top performer in the key fourth quarter holiday season, delivering more W25-54 viewers – no exceptions – than any other network with our 24/7 seasonal programming. Our “event” strategy throughout the year provides relevant content aligned with marketer’s seasonal focus, including all new Thanksgiving event, Winter Fest, Countdown to Valentine’s Day, Spring Fling, June Weddings, and more.

Significant growth on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries (the fastest growing mid-sized cable network and projected to be in 70 million households by year end) is driven by a more focused brand identity and more original content. The channel has quickly moved into the mid-tier competitive set and consistently delivers an engaged audience with classic a unique mix of dramatic films and suspenseful “who done it” mystery movie franchises. Both channels are district and exclusive in their programming, yet both benefit from the quality and legacy of the Hallmark Brand.

What are advertisers responding to?
Georger: Advertisers are attracted to the diversity of our original content including primetime scripted series, hallmark movies, our original lifestyle programming in the daytime, mysteries on HMM, and specials (like Kitten Bowl). Because our reliable programming consistently delivers high ratings, we take the risk out of the media buy, allowing advertisers the ability to deliver their schedules in the quarter they planned. Crown Media also provides advertisers with the unique value of a family friendly environment, which is becoming increasingly rare in the cable landscape.

Outdoor Sportsman Group, made up of Outdoor Channel, Sportsman Channel and World Fishing Network, celebrated, fittingly, at Hill Country Barbecue. Jason Brist, EVP ad sales, gave Cynopsis the lowdown on this Upfront season.

What’s the pitch?

Brist: As the world’s largest provider of outdoor lifestyle content, Outdoor Sportsman Group has the ability to speak to the 134 million active U.S. outdoor enthusiasts and armchair adventurers (Source: 2014 MRI) in a truly unique way. Our viewers work hard and play even harder; they are a diverse, passionate, media savvy and receptive segment of the American consumer with billions in direct spending.

OSG also has an established integrated media arm that includes 15 outdoor magazines, such as Game & Fish, In-Fisherman, Florida Sportsman and Wheels Afield, and 19 top websites, including BassFan.com. Together, we own the outdoors and our audience is different than the traditional sports set. As advertisers and media buyers think about their respective brands and how they’re going to place their money, not just in television, but also digital, print and social – OSG has the ability to create customized, dynamic plans across our portfolio of proven properties to meet both immediate and long-term goals, as well as generate substantial ROI.

What makes you stand out from the pack?
Brist: You can’t ‘buy around’ our audience. Our viewers participate in the space. They are active and engaged and live the lifestyle. Both our content and the commercials are important to our viewers because they are helping them to be more successful in the outdoors.

REELZ is one of numerous nets that opted for agency meetings rather than a splashy affair, but Bill Rosolie, SVP of ad sales, shared their message with Cynopsis.

What’s the pitch?

Rosolie: REELZ now has an established brand, Real lives. Real stories. Real celebrities., and our programming is delivering a new audience that continues to grow quarter to quarter. We call that audience the Celebrity Enthusiast. We are delivering more females, our audience is younger and they spend money in all the right categories. Our primetime ratings are up 60% among women 25-54 and 29% among adults 25-54 this season and we have already added more than 20 new advertisers this year. We are a leader of programmatic buying and the value of our audience is proven by big data.

How do you stand out from your competitors?
Rosolie: The REELZ approach is all about partnership which is a direct result of being independent and family owned.  In ad sales, as well as all aspects of our business, we believe in servicing our clients and delivering on our promises. Also, we’re standing out because our brand is the only network telling stories and exploring the real lives of real celebrities. We know it’s working and the proof is in our ratings and demo growth.

What are clients saying?

Rosolie: Advertisers are recognizing that REELZ offers tremendous value. Our conversations with our clients are based on creating win-win. We listen to their needs.

Notes John Muszynski, chief investment officer at Spark, “We’re always seeking valuable new opportunities for our clients, and after last year’s Upfrons we decided to partner with REELZ for the first time. Since we initiated our partnership, we’ve been pleased with the results from a ratings, audience delivery and client service standpoint.”

Fuse is another network with a story to tell, as Jason Miller, EVP, ad sales & integrated marketing, tells Cynopsis.

What’s the pitch?

Miller: It’s been an exciting year at Fuse Media. From the rebranding of Fuse to the launch of FM to the successful premiere of new series across both networks with much more on the way.  It’s led to an amazing amount of growth that is 100% fueled by our understanding of today’s millennials, or as we like to call them New Young Americans. We’re inclusive, trendsetting, optimistic and progressive. And you see these attributes reflected across both Fuse and FM.

We have a growth story to share. And there’s a reason for it. From our strategy and approach to our programming and talent, to a growing roster of returning and new shows, to ongoing investments and innovation across our digital platforms, it’s ALL CONNECTED at Fuse Media. Which means more opportunities for brands to connect with our diverse audience of New Young Americans.

Plans for new programming?

Whether we’re talking about Fuse or FM, we’re defining our content based on what we know our audience wants.  We look for stories with diverse points of view that reflect the interests and passions of today’s New Young Americans. We also look for cultural ambassadors like Gabriel Iglesias, Big Freedia, and Tiesto that are trusted voices and influencers of this generation.  When looking at our upcoming series, you’ll see that we continue to identify stories and influencers that connect with this audience.

At Fuse, the 2016-17 season will continue to deliver compelling, engaging content that transcends platforms. This includes Hard Corps, a new series from Dwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia’s Seven Bucks Productions, in partnership with Emmy-nominated 44 Blue Productions, which follows two of the nation’s top drum corps as they compete across the country. Much more is being announced over the next few weeks.

FM, meanwhile, will continue to be the destination for New Young Americans seeking the best in music and music culture.  One program we are excited about is Live Alive, which brings a whole new take on the live music series.  Shot from the audience’s perspective, viewers experience seeing a new artist on the rise through intimate performances and exclusive conversations.

What’s your biggest challenge for 2016?

Our challenge is twofold. First, we are always striving to create content that resonates with this audience of New Young Americans wherever they live – linearly, digitally, socially or experientially. Then it’s being able to uniformly measure the results across these platforms for our partners