Cable Networks Pulling Money Away From Broadcast Networks

By SpyWriter 

Cable channels are bringing in more money than broadcast channels in advertising dollars this year. According to NY Times, “Preliminary figures for advance sales indicate that the cable channels will collectively sell about $8 billion in airtime to advertisers this season, up 7 to 8 percent from last year’s total.” Broadcast channels are said to have raised their numbers by only about 1%.

As the Times points out, this shift in advertising dollars from broadcast to cable has been happening for a few years now. But this year it’s an obvious gain for cable networks. That may have something to do with how bad network tv sucks these days.

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It’s fair to point out that the ad game has changed, so ratings are not the only reason for the shift. Advertisers are having to vary their targets so they are reaching out in ways they weren’t before. There are a lot more niche channels, which certainly pull advertisements away from the general market and the broadcast networks. And, last winter’s writers strike is cited as one the reasons that people headed over to cable channels for entertainment and therefore forcing those ad dollars to follow.

There really hasn’t been, in my opinion a real push to draw back that viewership and regain those ad dollars. How about product placement? Oh, right.

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