Broadcast TV Revenues Were Down 0.4% In 2008

In 4Q, revenues were down 6.3%

NEW YORK, April 1, 2009 – Total broadcast television ad revenues were down 0.4% in 2008, compared to the year before, according to the Television Bureau of Advertising (TVB) analysis of estimates supplied by TNS Media Intelligence, said Susan Cuccinello, SVP – Research, TVB. In the fourth quarter, total broadcast television revenues were down 6.3%.

Network TV posted a 9.3% decline for the quarter (and a 0.1% decline for the year); syndicated TV was flat for the quarter (and increased by 6.5% for the year), and local broadcast television was down 3.4% for the quarter (and was down 2.4% for the year). Complete figures can be found on the TVB website at www.tvb.org.

Among the top 10 advertising categories on the local broadcast TV side during the fourth quarter of 2008 (including both local and national spot activity), No. 1 Automotive was down 29.3% compared to the same period in 2007, No. 2 Political was up 675.5%, No. 3 Communications/Telecommunications was up 7.9%, No. 4 Restaurants was down 9.4%, No. 5 Government and Organizations was up 108.5%, No. 6 Insurance was down 5.9%, No. 7 Car & Truck Dealers was down 32.8%, No. 8 Furniture Stores was down 18.1%, No. 9 Financial was up 4.8%, and No. 10 Schools, Colleges & Camps was up 10.7%.

Among local broadcast’s top ten individual advertisers, No. 1 Honda Motor Co was up 9.0% compared with the fourth quarter of 2007, No. 2 Obama for President Committee was up 2,146.2%, No. 3 Chrysler-Cerberus was down 29.2%, No. 4 AT&T was up 2.8%, No. 5 General Mills was up 91.1%, No. 6 Toyota Motor Dealers Association was down 14.6%, No. 7 Toyota Motor Corp. was down 2.5%, No. 8 Comcast was up 87.4%, No. 9 Nissan Motor Co was down 5.3%, and No. 10 Ford Motor Co Dealers Association was down 43.9%.

View top 25 spot TV advertisers for 4th quarter

View top 25 spot TV ad categories for 4th quarter

View top 25 spot TV advertisers for full year

View top 25 spot TV ad categories for full year