2Q Broadcast TV Ad Revenues Down

by TVB Staff | Aug. 15, 2008

Total broadcast TV ad revenues fell 4 percent in the second quarter compared to the same period last year, according to the Television Bureau of Advertising.

Network, local and syndicated TV generated a total of more than $11 billion in the second quarter of 2008, compared to nearly $11.5 billion last year. Network TV was down 4.8 percent for the quarter; local broadcast, down 6.1 percent, and syndicated TV was up 9.1 percent, generating an overall decline of 4 percent.

For the first six months of 2008, all three generated more than $22.9 billion, compared to more than $23.2 billion last year. Network was down 1.5 percent, broadcast, down 3.8 percent, and syndie, up 10.2 percent, for an overall decline of 1.3 percent.

Of TV’s top 25 advertising categories, 17 spent less in 2Q08 than last year. Among the top 10:
No. 1: Automotive -17 percent
No. 2: Communications/Telecommunications -2.3 percent
No. 3: Restaurants -3.3 percent
No. 4: Automotive Dealers -13.8 percent
No. 5: Government and Organizations +19.0 percent
No. 6: Travel, Hotels & Resorts +5.1 percent
No. 7 Furniture Stores -12.6 percent
No. 8 Insurance -4.2 percent
No. 9 Financial -3.1 percent
No. 10: Schools, Colleges & Camps -1.8 percent

The story was similar for the top 10 individual advertisers in local broadcasting:
No. 1: Chrysler-Cerberus +0.9 percent
No. 2: Ford Motor Co. Dealers Association -7.9 percent
No. 3: AT&T -28.2 percent
No. 4: Nissan Motor Co. -13.3 percent
No. 5: Toyota Motor Corp. Dealers Association -5.1 percent
No. 6: Honda Motor Co -5.5 percent
No. 7: Comcast Corp. +68.5 percent
No. 8 Toyota Motor Corp -2.9 percent
No. 9: General Motors Corp. +5.7 percent
No. 10: Verizon Communications -29.9 percent