The Pulse on Programming: February 2024 Preview

Welcome back to our monthly programming spotlight! We know that, as a local business owner, it’s imperative for you to reach your target audience now more than ever – and opportunities in February’s TV schedule can help you do just that.

That is why we have put together a monthly preview highlighting three cable programs that represent exciting advertising opportunities for local businesses. We’ve rounded up information on show premiere dates, audience demographics and data, and other relevant information to inform your media buys and your overall cable TV advertising strategy.

February’s TV schedule is packed with incredible advertising opportunities: awards shows, new and returning scripted shows, and the biggest event in the NFL football season. And while most businesses can’t afford the multi-million-dollar price tag for advertising during one of the world’s biggest sports events, a savvy approach to planning your media buys can still help local businesses capitalize on opportunities around these massive TV spectacles.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at three exciting TV advertising opportunities we want to highlight for February.

Remember: even if inventory for these specific shows are “sold out”, we offer a wide range of additional TV programming that can be used to reach your intended audience. Connect with Cox Media’s experts to learn more about the following television advertising opportunities, as well as additional programming that can help you connect with local consumers.

Here are three big television programming opportunities in February’s TV schedule:

1. Puppy Bowl – Annual Stunt

No big-game advertising budget? No problem. A growing number of cable TV channels are getting creative in creating alternative TV events for audiences that don’t want to watch the big game. Perhaps the best-known of these annual stunts is the Puppy Bowl, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary by bringing adorable puppies to the Vegas Strip.

This three-hour cable TV event will feature 131 puppies from 73 shelters and rescues across 36 U.S. states and territories, and all of the featured dogs will be available for adoption. In addition to the big matchup on the puppy gridiron, this year’s broadcast will feature fun side attractions such as puppies taking over the broadcast control room.

Airing on February 11 at 2/1c, and taking place across Animal Planet, Discovery, TBS and TruTV, the Puppy Bowl earns strong ratings among adults 18 to 54. Thanks to this broad appeal, as well as its availability across multiple cable channels, small businesses can easily plan a media buy that is optimized for their target audience.

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2. People’s Choice Awards – Award Show

Award show season is already in full swing, but this year’s lineup looks a little different: For the first time since 1996, the People’s Choice Awards will move from its typical location in the fall calendar to the middle of the traditional award season.

With a new event date and time of February 18 at 8/7c, audiences may take notice of the award show and be more eager to tune in—especially since the event is coming at a time of year when award shows are on everyone’s mind.

A key opportunity in February’s TV schedule, the People’s Choice Awards will be available on E! and via streaming, and the network’s core audience of adults 18-54 gives this award show great versatility in reaching Gen X, Millennial and Gen Z consumers in your local market.

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3. The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live – New Series

The latest installment in “The Walking Dead” franchise is making a strong play for longtime fans of the show—and in particular the original series that started everything. “The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live” will mark the return of the original series’ main character, Rick Grimes, and take place shortly after the conclusion of the original series.

Both Grimes and Michonne, played by Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira, are reunited in a series pitched as an epic love story of two characters who have been changed by a changed world. The six-episode series order will premiere on AMC on February 25 at 9/8c.

While past spinoffs of “The Walking Dead” have sometimes struggled to gain traction with audiences, the long-awaited return of two of the original series’ biggest stars could draw the renewed viewership and excitement of scores of longtime fans.

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Ready to plan new media buys that capitalize on what linear programming and streaming ads have to offer? Contact Cox Media to get started today.