News Corp.’s Fox is seeking $650,000 for a 30-second ad in the series finale of its popular spy drama “24,” according to people familiar with the situation, a significant jump upward from the $200,000 to $280,000 the network was seeking during upfront negotiations. The network had only been asking for around $500,000 in the finale, one buyer said, but the price jumped after Fox announced late last week that this season would be “24’s” last.
Buyers suggested Fox would have been able to command even higher prices for the “24” finale had it made the announcement of the series’ cancellation earlier. These buyers also said they suspected Fox may not have much inventory in the last episode to sell, owing to brisk sales in the so-called “scatter” market that have been going on for weeks. “Scatter” is ad inventory that is purchased close to air date, and broadcast and cable networks alike have been boasting of prices well above those negotiated during the upfront marketplace last year.
