THE LA SCREENINGS, ANNUALLY HELD IN MAY IN LOS ANGELES AFTER THE NY UPFRONTS, IS AN INTERNATIONAL TELEVISION MARKET BEING HELD AT THE NEW FAIRMONT CENTURY PLAZA IN CENTURY CITY. IT ATTRACTS OVER 1,000 TOP LEVEL TELEVISION CONTENT BUYERS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD WHO TRAVEL THE GLOBE TO LOS ANGELES TO SCREEN THEIR CONTENT FROM INDEPENDENT COMPANIES TO MAJOR STUDIOS.

THIS EVENT TAKES PLACE DAYS BEFORE THE STUDIOS PRESENT THEIR U.S. TV NETWORKS UPCOMING LINEUP.


The Screenings are a byproduct of a unique blue Christmas development in the U.S. TV industry. In 1962, ABC — then the weakest network — came up with the idea of premiering all of its programs in a single week following the Labor Day holiday (the first Monday in September). CBS and NBC followed suit and by the mid ’60s, the new TV season's screenings were a major national event, marking the end of summer. The fall debut of new season programs helped to create the Upfronts in New York City by requiring advertiser commitments by the spring. Therefore the pilots had to be produced in L.A. by February.