Broadcasting & Cable
Between 2006 and 2009, TV station revenues were down over five and a half billion dollars, according to a new report from SNL Kagan, from $24.6 billion to under $19 billion.
By 2013, Kagan predicts TV station revenues will only have recovered about half of that drop, to $21.7 billion. “While still below 2006 levels,” says the report, “our analysis indicates an industry with positive momentum.”
That’s in part because the good news is that Kagan predicts the increase in retrans and online revenue, while still only a relatively small fraction of the total pie, will lead to a healthier future.
It is also because the report estimates a 5-7% boost in ad spending this year, which Kagan calls conservative and adds could increase if auto comes back and political “delivers on some early promise.” A Supreme Court decision allowing direct funding of campaign ads by corporations and unions could help boost the latter, unless it is undone by unhappy legislators and the Obama administration. More…