Surprise! The Internet hasn't killed TV advertising yet. In fact, the patient is doing all right -- and getting better.
The "upfront" season for TV networks to sign primetime ad contracts has just wrapped. All four majors snagged healthy improvements over last year's haul:
Network |
2010 Commitments |
2011 Commitments |
Change |
---|---|---|---|
ABC |
$2.2 billion |
$2.4 billion |
9% |
CBS |
$2.5 billion |
$2.7 billion |
8% |
Fox |
$1.9 billion |
$2.0 billion |
5% |
NBC |
$1.6 billion |
$1.7 billion |
6% |
Total |
$8.2 billion |
$8.8 billion |
7% |
Estimates by AdAge.
These are actually somewhat lowball numbers: NBC doesn't include most of its Super Bowl inventory in the upfront negotiations, nor are the 2012 London Olympics included. New Peacock owner Comcast
But the improvements run across the board, from ratings leader CBS to Walt Disney
This uptick reverses a long-running trend of lower and lower upfront sales. Advertisers have been shifting their ad budgets to a heavier mix of online and mobile marketing, where Google
Also, they've been leery of paying high prices for ad spots that are easily skipped if you use a TiVo
Where will the entertainment industry go from here? Read up on this multifaceted sector, then add a few key operators to your watchlist: