IS UPN HEADED FOR A 'SMACKDOWN' OF ITS OWN?

Byline: Valerie Kuklenski Staff Writer

UPN executives predicted Friday that their network will continue to operate despite Viacom's new ownership of both CBS and UPN and News Corp.'s pending purchase of UPN's Chris-Craft-owned affiliates.

``There's going to be more evolution to our life cycle in the next year or so, I'm sure,'' Dean Valentine, UPN's president and CEO, told the Television Critics' Association meeting in Pasadena. ``I think it's fair to say that, regrettably, we will find ourselves here again next year, facing each other.''

UPN hopes to finalize affiliate agreements with its Chris-Craft stations before the close of the News Corp./Fox deal that could jeopardize UPN's footing in those markets. But the chiefs were optimistic.

``The last mile of the marathon is always the hardest when it comes to negotiations,'' said Chief Operating Officer Adam Ware. ``I would say we are in the last inches of the last mile.''

Executives said that UPN (plans to change its name to the Paramount Network on Jan. 1 are on hold) has found its niche in men 18-34 and is growing that market while other over-the-air networks continue to lose ratings.

``We had our best fall ever with our target audience,'' said Tom Nunan, president of entertainment. ``We had our best fall in three years in both total viewers and all adult demos.''

Nunan attributed the boost to the network's clearer mission, with programs such as ``WWF Smackdown,'' military intelligence drama ``7 Days'' and ex-ABC sitcom ``The Hughleys.''

``It's pretty clear that our schedule, generally speaking, is working,'' Nunan said. ``The advertising and creative community is behind us, and most importantly, the audience seems to get who UPN is and they're watching.''

UPN is homing in on young men with midseason replacements that include a stop-motion animation road-trip comedy series titled ``Gary and Mike,'' sci-fi cop show ``Special Unit 2'' and paranormal hospital drama ``All Souls.''

UPN also is jumping on the reality programming bandwagon, having picked up Endemol Entertainment's ``Chains of Love'' after NBC dropped its option. UPN also will air a predator-prey game, ``Manhunt,'' created by Vince McMahon, head of the World Wrestling Federation. And it will air two reality specials: ``Cheating Spouses 2'' and a new expose, ``When Chefs Attack: America's Filthiest Restaurants.''

Valentine admitted one of the appeals of reality programming is it's so cheap to make.

``But the more important reason, particularly for the younger members of the audience, is they're finding it harder and harder to suspend the disbelief in traditional story-form programming,'' he said. ``They need a greater sense of reality in what they're watching. . . . They feel it's a more authentic thing than watching another sitcom with hot lights.''

On Feb. 4, UPN will premiere the new XFL start-up football league and hopes to benefit from the heavy promotion NBC is giving to its part of the season.

The network also unveiled its first public service campaign, which addresses teen sex issues. Nunan said research has shown that teen boys and young men tune out ``sincere, earnest messages,'' so UPN is treating the topic with bold humor followed by references to Web sites with more serious information.

One of the new spots is produced in the style of a '50s health film, with Jimmy and his dachshund, Stiffy, whose overly friendly behavior scares away Jimmy's girlfriend. ``Jimmy needs to learn how to teach Stiffy the term 'down boy,' '' the announcer says.

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