TVB: Local TV Ad Rev Up 31.7% In 3Q

Total broadcast television ad revenues were up 31.7% in the third quarter of 2010 compared to the same period last year, based on TVB analysis of estimates supplied by TNS Media Intelligence, far outpacing other broadcast TV segments.

Spot TV’s positive performance was reflected across nearly all ad categories, including a 74.1% surge in the all-important automotive category.

Meanwhile, network TV was up 2.7% in the quarter and syndicated TV was down 1.2%; the performance of three broadcast TV segments together resulted in a 12.5% increase in total broadcast TV revenues.

For the first nine months of 2010, local broadcast TV was up 27%, network TV was up 6.6%, and syndicated TV was down 8.3%. Total broadcast TV was up 11% in the nine-month period.

Twenty-two of the top 25 advertising categories in local TV were up in the third quarter. Focusing on the top 10 categories: No. 1 automotive was up 74.1%, No. 2 communications/telecommunications was up 30.2%, No. 3 restaurants was up 11.2%, No. 4 political was up 688%, No. 5 financial was up 69.6%, No. 6 car and truck dealers was up 25.4%, No. 7 furniture stores was up 15.8%, No. 8 food and food products was up 22.2%, No. 9 schools, colleges and camps was up 15%, and No. 10 insurance was up 12.7%. 

Twenty-four of local broadcast television’s top 25 individual advertisers were up in the quarter.  Focusing on the top 10, No. 1 Chrysler Group was up 157.3%, No. 2 AT&T was up 68.1%, No. 3 Ford Motor Dealers Association was up 50.3%, No. 4 Comcast was up 53.1%, No. 5 General Mills was up 26.1%, No. 6 Honda Motor was up 38.3%, No. 7 General Motors was up 48.8%, No. 8 McDonalds was up 30.6%, No. 9 Hyundai Corp Dealers Association was up 78.9%, and No. 10 Doctors Associates (Subway) was up 17.9%.