Broadcast TV ad revenues sank 22.6%, to $8.8 billion in Q309, compared with same period in 2008, according to a Television Bureau of Advertising analysis of estimates from TNS Media Intelligence.
The analysis revealed that local broadcast, or spot TV, experienced the most precipitous drop, falling a steep 28.1%, to $3.1 billion.
Network TV is down 21.5%, to $4.7 billion. Syndicated TV appears to be faring best, down just 7.2%, reports MediaBuyerPlanner.
For the year to date, network TV is down 10.7%, local broadcast is down 27.4%, and syndicated TV is down 2.8%, for a total broadcast TV loss of 15.7% for the first nine months of the year.
Top Ad Categories Down
A total of 22 of the top 25 advertising categories were down in Q309:
Legal services was up 3.3% and was the only one of the top 10 categories to see gains.
Top Advertisers Also Down
Of the top 25 individual local broadcast TV advertisers, 23 decreased spending in the third quarter.Verizon Communications, Ford Motor Co. Dealers Association and AT&T are the top three: