Television: The Youth Brigade

Dawson, Buffy, Felicity and the rest have transformed the WB frog into a prince of a network

Ask broadcasting executives or Wall Street analysts and advertising consultants to explain why the WB has been so successful--actually increasing the size of its audience while all the other networks are losing viewers--and they will talk about market niches, brand loyalty, cable affiliates and so on. All of which is very interesting and valid but misses the point. The key to the WB's success is this: babes, male and female. With the glossy yet smoldering Sarah Michelle Gellar of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the coltish Katie Holmes of Dawson's Creek, the Phoebus-like Barry Watson of 7th Heaven and all the rest,...

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