Media Outlook: Syndication - Durable Goods

First-run hits, off-net sitcoms create uptick in ad spending.

On the heels of another rapidly paced and unexpectedly strong broadcast network upfront, syndication sales executives were obviously ready, willing and able to do business. Fueled by what analysts refer to as tempered optimism in the economy, advertiser spending in syndication remained on the upside for the second consecutive year. Estimated ad dollars in syndication this year fall in the mid-$2 billion range, and consensus points to more growth for at least the next few years.

“Last year, we saw an uptick in the advertising marketplace once the recession ended,” says Leo Kivijarv, director of research and publications at Veronis Suhler Stevenson, who estimates growth through 2007-08 of another 3 percent annually.