TV Land elects Clinton for baby boomer pep talk

By Paul J. Gough

NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - TV Land will get a helping hand in its move toward becoming a baby boomer destination network from President Clinton.

Clinton will speak during the cable network's advertiser presentation on March 23, at Jazz at Lincoln Center in Midtown Manhattan.

Executives at the MTV Networks-owned channel declined to say how much Clinton would be paid for the hourlong appearance. They also wanted to wait until the event to discuss what he would talk about, though it's safe to assume it'll be more about the power of baby boomers in American society than plot intricacies of such TV Land shows as "The A Team" and "Little House on the Prairie."

TV Land has been gradually moving further away from the classic TV shows and more toward original programming aimed at baby boomers, a segment that is slipping further and further from the coveted adults 18-49 demographic that advertisers pay a premium to reach. (Baby boomers are loosely defined as those born between 1946 and 1964; Clinton was born in 1946.)

TV Land and other similar networks like Ion Media Network and Hallmark Channel argue that even though they're leaving the holy grail of Madison Avenue in droves by virtue of aging, baby boomers are still a viable and advertiser-friendly demographic.

"Who better to help us underscore that point than American's first baby-boomer president?" asked Rob Pellizzi, senior vp marketing at TV Land.

Clinton's appearance had been in the works for several months. His office couldn't be reached for comment. He is also scheduled to be the keynote speaker at Promax/BDA's annual conference in June in New York.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter