The Television Bureau of Advertising (TVB) reports that broadcast TV in total saw revenues rise 9% in Q3. Network was the big gainer, up 16.1%, with syndicated TV up 6.6% and the station business (local and national spot combined) up only 1.2%. With three-quarters of 2008 tallied, television industry revenues were up a mere 1.9% — and that’s in an elections and Olympic year.
In what’s supposed to be the up year of TV’s two-year cycle, TVB’s tally, based on estimates supplied by TNS Media Intelligence in the top 100 markets, shows the television station business down 2% for January-September 2008. TVB recently revised its forecast for 2009 and is expecting the station business to decline 7-11%.
In Q3, political spending countered declines in other major ad categories to give the TV business an overall up quarter. Auto, the largest category, was down 17.7%. Political shot up 1,056%.
| 3rd QUARTER 2008 SUMMARY | |||
| ($000) | |||
| 3rd Qtr 2008 | 3rd Qtr 2007 | % Change | |
| Local Broadcast TV* | 4,336,996.0 | 4,285,959.5 | 1.2 |
| Syndicated TV | 1,101,120.4 | 1,032,742.5 | 6.6 |
| Network TV | 5,931,485.2 | 5,110,066.1 | 16.1 |
| Total Broadcast TV | 11,369,601.6 | 10,428,768.1 | 9.0 |
| JAN-SEPT 2008 SUMMARY | |||
| Jan-Sept 2008 | Jan-Sept 2007 | % Change | |
| Local Broadcast TV* | 11,925,129.6 | 12,174,177.6 | -2.0 |
| Syndicated TV | 3,301,801.5 | 3,030,526.5 | 9.0 |
| Network TV | 19,072,469.7 | 18,454,769.7 | 3.3 |
| Total Broadcast TV | 34,299,400.8 | 33,659,473.8 | 1.9 |
| *Includes both local and national spot activity in the 100+ markets measured by TNS/MI. | |||
Source: TVB
