TV Ad Spending Up 9% in January: SMI

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The television business started the year with a 9% increase in ad revenues during January.

According to research company Standard Media Index, cable TV posted a 9% increase in ad revenue last month. The medium registered big increases in the alcoholic beverages, restaurants and toys and video games categories, while spending on broadcast in those categories declined. The cable networks racking up the largest gains included Discovery Channel, HGTV, A&E and USA.

For their part, the big broadcast networks were up 15%, with gains of more than 20% at both CBS and NBC, which received a boost from the financial services and auto categories.

SMI said that in several categories, overall TV ad spending declined while digital spending in those categories showed big gains: alcoholic beverages, beauty, grooming and personal care, non-alcoholic beverages and restaurants.

Overall spending on digital was up 15% in the month, driving an 8% increase in total ad spending in SMI’s universe.

SMI’s data comes from spending data from media agencies representing about 60% of all spending, including Vivaki, IPG Mediabrands, Aegis Media and Havas Media.

Jon Lafayette
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.