Analysis: Prime Network TV Ad Cost Dives in Q3

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The average cost of a 30-second prime-time ad on network TV dropped 16 percent to just under $84,000 in the third quarter compared to Q3 2008. Meanwhile, boosted by higher ratings, cable showed a slight pricing increase during the same period.

That’s according to an analysis by New York-based independent media agency TargetCast, which noted that the double-digit drop was greater than in recent quarters when price declines were in the single digits.

Fox had the highest average unit cost at around $121,000, per the TargetCast rundown, while ABC, CBS and NBC were all in the $70,000-80,000 range.
 
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