TV Ad Spending Rose 4% in 2013, SMI Says

Advertising spending on TV rose 4% in 2013, according to new figures from research firm Standard Media Index.

TV ad spending got a boost in December when a 9% gain was posted.

TV lagged the overall media market, which registered an 8% increase for the year, including a 14% jump in December.

CBS posted a 14% increase in ad spending for 2013, including a 7% gain in December. For 2013, ABC was up 7%, Fox was down 1% and NBC, which had the Olympics a year ago, was down 18%. Univision posted the biggest gain, rising 18%.

In total, the broadcast networks posted a 1% increase for the year, topped off by a 7% increase in December.

Cable network posted an 8% increase for 2013, boosted by a 16% jump in December.

Among the agencies providing data to SMI, History showed a 16% increase in spending, A&E and FX were up 15% and TNT was up 11%. December was a very strong month for Nickelodeon, A&E Network and FX.

Grouped by media owner, ad spending on CBS channels rose 12% for the year. Time Warner was up 7% and Walt Disney Co. grew 6%. A post-Olympic Comcast racked up a 10% drop.

SMI collected spending data from media agencies representing about 60% of total agency spending. Agencies contributing to SMI’s figures include VivaKi, IPG Mediabrands, Aegis Media and Havas Media.

Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.