Local Television Up 32% in Third Quarter

Local television ad revenues were up 31.7% in the third quarter, compared to the same quarter a year ago. That vastly outpaced network TV, which grew a modest 2.7% in the quarter, while syndicated TV was down 1.2%, according to a survey from TVB and Kantar Media.
In sum, the three segments showed a 12.5% increase in ad revenues.
Local TV benefited greatly from the abundant political monies spent at the local level. Station revenue was up 27% for the first three quarters of 2010, while network TV was up 6.6% and syndicated was down 8.3%.
Fully 22 of the top 25 ad categories were up at the local level, paced by automotive at 74.1% above the same quarter a year ago. Chrysler was up over 157% in the quarter, Ford Motor Dealers Association was up over 50%, and General Motors upped its spend 49%.
TVB President/CEO Steve Lanzano says automotive appears on course for a strong showing in 2011.

Michael Malone

Michael Malone, senior content producer at B+C/Multichannel News, covers network programming, including entertainment, news and sports on broadcast, cable and streaming; and local broadcast television. He hosts the podcasts Busted Pilot, about what’s new in television, and Series Business, a chat with the creator of a new program, and writes the column “The Watchman.” He joined B+C in 2005. His journalism has also appeared in The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Playboy and New York magazine.