After over ten years of Young and the Restless, CSI and Cold Case re-runs on your cross-country flights, American Airlines is switching networks...
NBC Universal Domestic TV Distribution's Frances Manfredi was the architect of the Peacock's deal with American. Not so coincidentally, as a CBS exec, Manfredi helped construct the Eye's original deal with the airline in 1998. After a decade with CBS, American decided to reassess the in-flight account and put out a request for proposals last year.
American -- cash-strapped, like all airlines -- was also looking to alter its financial arrangement: CBS had sold the in-flight ad time; NBC will not. NBC also had a leg up when it came to the sheer variety of its programming options: The Peacock will offer fare from NBC, USA, Bravo, Sci Fi, Oxygen, MSNBC and CNBC, in addition to Universal Pictures films and programs from NBC News and NBC Sports. (Variety)
Looks like we're in for a Project Runway marathon to pass the time on our next trip to California, and to that we say: Awesome.