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In the past, an advertiser would have counted on TV to make the point. But as younger audiences increasingly turn to other screens, TV airings alone don't necessarily have the impact they once did. So more TV networks are pitching programs that make use of the chatter it generates in some of the new venues. This week's upfront sessions are likely to include a sizable amount of talk about how Fox, CW and their brethren can use popular TV shows to harness consumer interest in social-media outlets. "Making sure that you've got a layer of digital and social amplification as part of the plan is paramount," said Brent Poer, exec VP-executive creative director at Starcom MediaVest Group's LiquidThread unit, which specializes in weaving ad messages into content and was involved in the pact between CW and Microsoft. Earlier this month, CBS unveiled "CBS Connect," a digital hub where TV fans can aggregate updates about their favorite shows from Twitter and Facebook, and interact with actors from the programs. On Tuesday, for example, members of the cast of "NCIS: Los Angeles" will connect with fans who use the show's hashtag in their tweets and posts during the program's season finale.

Now accounting for 20 percent of the revenue taken in by News Corp.’s cable empire, FX has seen income grow from just $279.7 million in 2006 to $460.7 million in 2011. “When you look at the ramp-up of ad revenue for FX, as they’ve increased their movie content, they’ve also increased their ad revenue,” Erik Brannon, the IHS analyst who prepared the report, told paidContent. Among networks not devoted full-time to movies (a la Fox Movie Channel), AMC also ranks high for movie reliance. While the network is known for original-series hits like Mad Men, Breaking Bad and The Walking Dead — now staples in the Netflix streaming lineup — nearly 80 percent of its air time is filled with movies.