Miami

Spending on Spanish-language TV was slow to start the year, but the second quarter has been strong and political will soon give it a boost. Spanish-language TV outlets do well in Miami. Univision places programs among the local weekly top 25, regardless of language. But like most English-language TV stations, Hispanic outlets have seen ratings fragment over recent years, which has impacted the market.

Miami ranks as the nation’s No. 3 Hispanic TV DMA, and advertisers’ desire to reach those Hispanics is driving a healthy media market. Spanish-language media often outrates English-language competition. Spanish-language stations are in high demand, and overall TV pricing and spending are up from last year.

As tech community leaders rally behind an effort to build a tech hub in South Florida, Miami’s Hispanic media and entertainment industry may be able to teach them a thing or two. That’s because Miami already has become a hub for the Hispanic media industry. Speaking at a Miami Finance Forum event Wednesday, media executives from Cisneros Group, Telemundo, SapientNitro, Imagina US and the Miami Herald pointed out that in their industry, the elements of a healthy ecosystem have already developed.

Political dollars came in lower than expected to start the year. Meanwhile, other advertisers pulled back to avoid being caught up in political clutter that never came.

With Florida’s gubernatorial election coming in November, Miami is readying for a flood of political advertising in the coming months. That will build on the already-healthy TV market, which has seen increased activity and tighter inventory in recent weeks.

Five years after the start of the Great Recession, the Miami media economy is finally making strides, led by a surge in TV advertising from auto dealers and manufacturers. Many categories have contributed to the improving TV market, but none more so than auto.

A hot season by the defending NBA champion Miami Heat has helped drive a healthy media economy in the squad’s home city, and the market will remain strong leading to a mayoral election in the fall. TV spending and pricing are up slightly versus a year ago, and advertisers must book early in most cases to avoid paying a premium. Early and late news, primetime and late fringe are among the hot dayparts.

A huge amount of political advertising is squeezing out everything else, and the market will stay healthy post-election as retailers scramble to get holiday ads on the air.

A Federal judge in Miami ruled in favor of the Nielsen Co., which had been sued by Sunbeam Television, owner of WSVN Miami, for abusing its monopoly power over TV ratings when it installed its new local people meter audience measurement system.

The trade group also introduces tech and online networking tools for its 2011 marketplace in Miami.

The sales director at CBS’s KTVT-KTXA Dallas is moving into the VP-GM slot at WFOR-WBFS, succeeding Shaun McDonald.