TV Spots Rates Hold Steady

We wish each and every one of our family within the crazy, unpredictable and wonderful world of media a Very Happy Holiday season...along with a healthy, NEW YEAR FILLED WITH ABUNDANCE AND JOY. May the world be filled with peace and comfort, passion, contentment, patience and tolerance, hope, charity and forgiveness and may the unnecessary wars, famine and pestilence end and once again we can regain the blessings of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Philip Jay LeNoble, Ph.D. Publisher MediaDailyNews by Wayne Friedman, Dec 21, 2012, 1:17 PM For almost two-and-a-half years, broadcast network television commercial costs have been up or virtually flat -- reversing declines in previous years due to the recession, among other factors. That trend continued in 2012. Third-quarter commercial unit costs averaged $82,396, virtually the same as 2011. Fox is at the highest level, with $119,265. CBS is next at $82,265, followed by ABC at $73,618 and NBC -- sans the Olympic programming -- at $71,368. This analysis comes from independent media agency TargetCast tcm, using data from NetCosts and research firm SQAD. During the bigger previous period -- the second quarter of 2012 -- average prime-time 30-second commercials were up 3% to $130,194. Fox was tops again -- at almost twice the level of the next networks, with $227,490. ABC was at $122,396, followed by CBS at $121,464 and NBC at $101,586. TargetCast says this makes 10 consecutive quarters in which broadcast network unit costs were either up or virtually flat, which comes after the economic recession, declining broadcast ratings and the growth of cable. Despite a softer scatter market than last year, overall costs were stable due to the high sell-out levels in the upfront, stated Gary Carr, senior vp and executive director of national broadcast at TargetCast. He added that advertisers committed more money up front to avoid potentially high prices in scatter. Cable networks' TV commercial pricing was flat in the second quarter of 2012, among the top 15 networks for adult 25-54 viewers at $14,267. ESPN was at the top with $32,575, with TNT next at $32,525. In the third quarter of 2012, commercial prices were down 2% to $12,793 -- due to lower demand caused by advertiser dollars going to Olympics programming. TargetCast added that ad-supported cable ratings in the second quarter for the Top 15 networks among 25-54 viewers were up about 4%. Third-quarter ratings were down 2% due to Olympics programming. TV Spots Rates Hold Steady by Wayne Friedman, Dec 21, 2012, 1:17 PM Comment Recommend (1) inShare.1 Subscribe to MediaDailyNews RSS Email Print Tags advertising, tv For almost two-and-a-half years, broadcast network television commercial costs have been up or virtually flat -- reversing declines in previous years due to the recession, among other factors. That trend continued in 2012. Third-quarter commercial unit costs averaged $82,396, virtually the same as 2011. Fox is at the highest level, with $119,265. CBS is next at $82,265, followed by ABC at $73,618 and NBC -- sans the Olympic programming -- at $71,368. This analysis comes from independent media agency TargetCast tcm, using data from NetCosts and research firm SQAD. During the bigger previous period -- the second quarter of 2012 -- average prime-time 30-second commercials were up 3% to $130,194. Fox was tops again -- at almost twice the level of the next networks, with $227,490. ABC was at $122,396, followed by CBS at $121,464 and NBC at $101,586. TargetCast says this makes 10 consecutive quarters in which broadcast network unit costs were either up or virtually flat, which comes after the economic recession, declining broadcast ratings and the growth of cable. Despite a softer scatter market than last year, overall costs were stable due to the high sell-out levels in the upfront, stated Gary Carr, senior vp and executive director of national broadcast at TargetCast. He added that advertisers committed more money up front to avoid potentially high prices in scatter. Cable networks' TV commercial pricing was flat in the second quarter of 2012, among the top 15 networks for adult 25-54 viewers at $14,267. ESPN was at the top with $32,575, with TNT next at $32,525. In the third quarter of 2012, commercial prices were down 2% to $12,793 -- due to lower demand caused by advertiser dollars going to Olympics programming. TargetCast added that ad-supported cable ratings in the second quarter for the Top 15 networks among 25-54 viewers were up about 4%. Third-quarter ratings were down 2% due to Olympics programming. TV Spots Rates Hold Steady by Wayne Friedman, Dec 21, 2012, 1:17 PM Comment Recommend (1) inShare.1 Subscribe to MediaDailyNews RSS Email Print Tags advertising, tv For almost two-and-a-half years, broadcast network television commercial costs have been up or virtually flat -- reversing declines in previous years due to the recession, among other factors. That trend continued in 2012. Third-quarter commercial unit costs averaged $82,396, virtually the same as 2011. Fox is at the highest level, with $119,265. CBS is next at $82,265, followed by ABC at $73,618 and NBC -- sans the Olympic programming -- at $71,368. This analysis comes from independent media agency TargetCast tcm, using data from NetCosts and research firm SQAD. During the bigger previous period -- the second quarter of 2012 -- average prime-time 30-second commercials were up 3% to $130,194. Fox was tops again -- at almost twice the level of the next networks, with $227,490. ABC was at $122,396, followed by CBS at $121,464 and NBC at $101,586. TargetCast says this makes 10 consecutive quarters in which broadcast network unit costs were either up or virtually flat, which comes after the economic recession, declining broadcast ratings and the growth of cable. Despite a softer scatter market than last year, overall costs were stable due to the high sell-out levels in the upfront, stated Gary Carr, senior vp and executive director of national broadcast at TargetCast. He added that advertisers committed more money up front to avoid potentially high prices in scatter. Cable networks' TV commercial pricing was flat in the second quarter of 2012, among the top 15 networks for adult 25-54 viewers at $14,267. ESPN was at the top with $32,575, with TNT next at $32,525. In the third quarter of 2012, commercial prices were down 2% to $12,793 -- due to lower demand caused by advertiser dollars going to Olympics programming. TargetCast added that ad-supported cable ratings in the second quarter for the Top 15 networks among 25-54 viewers were up about 4%. Third-quarter ratings were down 2% due to Olympics programming. TV Spots Rates Hold Steady by Wayne Friedman, Dec 21, 2012, 1:17 PM Comment Recommend (1) inShare.1 Subscribe to MediaDailyNews RSS Email Print Tags advertising, tv For almost two-and-a-half years, broadcast network television commercial costs have been up or virtually flat -- reversing declines in previous years due to the recession, among other factors. That trend continued in 2012. Third-quarter commercial unit costs averaged $82,396, virtually the same as 2011. Fox is at the highest level, with $119,265. CBS is next at $82,265, followed by ABC at $73,618 and NBC -- sans the Olympic programming -- at $71,368. This analysis comes from independent media agency TargetCast tcm, using data from NetCosts and research firm SQAD. During the bigger previous period -- the second quarter of 2012 -- average prime-time 30-second commercials were up 3% to $130,194. Fox was tops again -- at almost twice the level of the next networks, with $227,490. ABC was at $122,396, followed by CBS at $121,464 and NBC at $101,586. TargetCast says this makes 10 consecutive quarters in which broadcast network unit costs were either up or virtually flat, which comes after the economic recession, declining broadcast ratings and the growth of cable. Despite a softer scatter market than last year, overall costs were stable due to the high sell-out levels in the upfront, stated Gary Carr, senior vp and executive director of national broadcast at TargetCast. He added that advertisers committed more money up front to avoid potentially high prices in scatter. Cable networks' TV commercial pricing was flat in the second quarter of 2012, among the top 15 networks for adult 25-54 viewers at $14,267. ESPN was at the top with $32,575, with TNT next at $32,525. In the third quarter of 2012, commercial prices were down 2% to $12,793 -- due to lower demand caused by advertiser dollars going to Olympics programming. TargetCast added that ad-supported cable ratings in the second quarter for the Top 15 networks among 25-54 viewers were up about 4%. Third-quarter ratings were down 2% due to Olympics programming. TV Spots Rates Hold Steady by Wayne Friedman, Dec 21, 2012, 1:17 PM Comment Recommend (1) inShare.1 Subscribe to MediaDailyNews RSS Email Print Tags advertising, tv For almost two-and-a-half years, broadcast network television commercial costs have been up or virtually flat -- reversing declines in previous years due to the recession, among other factors. That trend continued in 2012. Third-quarter commercial unit costs averaged $82,396, virtually the same as 2011. Fox is at the highest level, with $119,265. CBS is next at $82,265, followed by ABC at $73,618 and NBC -- sans the Olympic programming -- at $71,368. This analysis comes from independent media agency TargetCast tcm, using data from NetCosts and research firm SQAD. During the bigger previous period -- the second quarter of 2012 -- average prime-time 30-second commercials were up 3% to $130,194. Fox was tops again -- at almost twice the level of the next networks, with $227,490. ABC was at $122,396, followed by CBS at $121,464 and NBC at $101,586. TargetCast says this makes 10 consecutive quarters in which broadcast network unit costs were either up or virtually flat, which comes after the economic recession, declining broadcast ratings and the growth of cable. Despite a softer scatter market than last year, overall costs were stable due to the high sell-out levels in the upfront, stated Gary Carr, senior vp and executive director of national broadcast at TargetCast. He added that advertisers committed more money up front to avoid potentially high prices in scatter. Cable networks' TV commercial pricing was flat in the second quarter of 2012, among the top 15 networks for adult 25-54 viewers at $14,267. ESPN was at the top with $32,575, with TNT next at $32,525. In the third quarter of 2012, commercial prices were down 2% to $12,793 -- due to lower demand caused by advertiser dollars going to Olympics programming. TargetCast added that ad-supported cable ratings in the second quarter for the Top 15 networks among 25-54 viewers were up about 4%. Third-quarter ratings were down 2% due to Olympics programming. TV Spots Rates Hold Steady by Wayne Friedman, Dec 21, 2012, 1:17 PM Comment Recommend (1) inShare.1 Subscribe to MediaDailyNews RSS Email Print Tags advertising, tv For almost two-and-a-half years, broadcast network television commercial costs have been up or virtually flat -- reversing declines in previous years due to the recession, among other factors. That trend continued in 2012. Third-quarter commercial unit costs averaged $82,396, virtually the same as 2011. Fox is at the highest level, with $119,265. CBS is next at $82,265, followed by ABC at $73,618 and NBC -- sans the Olympic programming -- at $71,368. This analysis comes from independent media agency TargetCast tcm, using data from NetCosts and research firm SQAD. During the bigger previous period -- the second quarter of 2012 -- average prime-time 30-second commercials were up 3% to $130,194. Fox was tops again -- at almost twice the level of the next networks, with $227,490. ABC was at $122,396, followed by CBS at $121,464 and NBC at $101,586. TargetCast says this makes 10 consecutive quarters in which broadcast network unit costs were either up or virtually flat, which comes after the economic recession, declining broadcast ratings and the growth of cable. Despite a softer scatter market than last year, overall costs were stable due to the high sell-out levels in the upfront, stated Gary Carr, senior vp and executive director of national broadcast at TargetCast. He added that advertisers committed more money up front to avoid potentially high prices in scatter. Cable networks' TV commercial pricing was flat in the second quarter of 2012, among the top 15 networks for adult 25-54 viewers at $14,267. ESPN was at the top with $32,575, with TNT next at $32,525. In the third quarter of 2012, commercial prices were down 2% to $12,793 -- due to lower demand caused by advertiser dollars going to Olympics programming. TargetCast added that ad-supported cable ratings in the second quarter for the Top 15 networks among 25-54 viewers were up about 4%. Third-quarter ratings were down 2% due to Olympics programming. TV Spots Rates Hold Steady by Wayne Friedman, Dec 21, 2012, 1:17 PM For almost two-and-a-half years, broadcast network television commercial costs have been up or virtually flat -- reversing declines in previous years due to the recession, among other factors. That trend continued in 2012. Third-quarter commercial unit costs averaged $82,396, virtually the same as 2011. Fox is at the highest level, with $119,265. CBS is next at $82,265, followed by ABC at $73,618 and NBC -- sans the Olympic programming -- at $71,368. This analysis comes from independent media agency TargetCast tcm, using data from NetCosts and research firm SQAD. During the bigger previous period -- the second quarter of 2012 -- average prime-time 30-second commercials were up 3% to $130,194. Fox was tops again -- at almost twice the level of the next networks, with $227,490. ABC was at $122,396, followed by CBS at $121,464 and NBC at $101,586. TargetCast says this makes 10 consecutive quarters in which broadcast network unit costs were either up or virtually flat, which comes after the economic recession, declining broadcast ratings and the growth of cable. Despite a softer scatter market than last year, overall costs were stable due to the high sell-out levels in the upfront, stated Gary Carr, senior vp and executive director of national broadcast at TargetCast. He added that advertisers committed more money up front to avoid potentially high prices in scatter. Cable networks' TV commercial pricing was flat in the second quarter of 2012, among the top 15 networks for adult 25-54 viewers at $14,267. ESPN was at the top with $32,575, with TNT next at $32,525. In the third quarter of 2012, commercial prices were down 2% to $12,793 -- due to lower demand caused by advertiser dollars going to Olympics programming. TargetCast added that ad-supported cable ratings in the second quarter for the Top 15 networks among 25-54 viewers were up about 4%. Third-quarter ratings were down 2% due to Olympics programming.

Tribune Co. Looks To Divest Newspapers

MediaDailyNews by Erik Sass, Yesterday, 4:29 PM After five years of bankruptcy and a seemingly endless legal battle, the Tribune Co. is hoping to sell some or all of its newspapers. It is meeting with bankers to lay the groundwork, according to Bloomberg, citing sources familiar with these conversations. Tribune Co. owns several big metro dailies, including the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times and Baltimore Sun, as well as somewhat smaller newspapers including the Orlando Sentinel, South Florida Sentinel and the Hartford Courant. Tribune Co. could choose to sell some or all properties, or divest them separately over time. If it choses the latter, per Bloomberg, the small pubs would probably go on sale first. Tribune is currently scheduled to exit bankruptcy at the end of this year, marking the end of a disastrous chapter in the company’s history. That began with the buyout engineered by Sam Zell to take Tribune private as an employee-owned business in 2007. Struck at the height of the credit bubble, this deal loaded Tribune with around $8 billion in new debt, just as the bottom was about to fall out of the newspaper industry. With print ad revenues tumbling, Zell was forced to take Tribune into Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in December 2008, where it has since remained. Bondholders and creditors with claims predating the buyout have battled creditors, including the consortium of banks which funded the ill-fated deal in 2007. At one point some members of the former group claimed that the entire deal was insolvent from the beginning and therefore illegal as a “fraudulent vehicle.” The bankruptcy court agreed to defer these claims, ruling that pre-buyout creditors can sue the lenders from 2007 to recover some of their earlier debts in separate legal actions. Tribune has already secured permission from the FCC to transfer its TV and radio licenses to creditors, including JPMorgan Chase, Oaktree Capital Management and Angelo, Gordon

The Big Story of 2013: Digital Spending

Medialife Magazine Media economy Online Will Rise 18 Percent to Nearly a Quarter of All Spending By Toni Fitzgerald December 4, 2012 With the fiscal cliff looming and the recovery from the recession still bumping along in fits and starts, there are many things that are uncertain about ad spending in 2013, but one thing that’s not is the increasing role of digital in the media equation. Next year total ad spending in the U.S. will be up 3.5 percent, according to a forecast released today by ZenithOptimedia. By contrast, digital will grow by 18.1 percent. That's triple the growth rate of the second-fastest-growing media, outdoor and cinema, both at 5 percent. That hot pace is on track with recent years, but what’s more interesting is that digital advertising now accounts for almost a quarter of all media spending, 22 percent. That's a huge milestone for a medium that accounted for only 14 percent three years ago. “Digital ad spending continues to be strong as consumers spend more time with digital media and advertisers look for new ways to reach them. The internet will continue to drive total ad growth in the U.S.,” notes the report. Total internet spending will hit $36.25 billion next year. Though television will still have the lion’s share of total spending at 38 percent, or $63.895 billion, internet will be a comfortable second. Digital is clearly drawing away some money from traditional media, most notably newspapers and magazines, as print becomes less and less relevant in a world where headlines are now delivered to your palm via smartphone. Digital media isn’t simply siphoning off ad dollars from other media. It’s also becoming an integral part of traditional media, which is trying to prove its continued relevance as screens accounts for a rising amount of media consumption. More and more, print publications in particular are looking to digital as their savior. ZenithOptimedia notes that the increased popularity of tablets, which about a third of Americans currently own, is giving the magazine industry new hope for increased revenue streams. “As newsstand options expand, publishers will be able to capitalize on this increased accessibility and capitalize on this new revenue stream. Less than half of all publishers have presence on the iTunes newsstand, so there is definitely room for growth,” says the forecast. Within online there are two forms of media that will see explosive growth in 2013, again reflecting the increasing amount of time users are spending with digital media. Social media ad spending will jump 35 percent, to a record $4.61 billion, while mobile media will rise 51 percent, to $1.87 billion. Ten years ago those media were barely imagined, which certainly begs the question, what will be the fastest-growing segment of new media 10 years from now, and does it even exist yet

Right Nice Bump for Third Quarter Advertising

Medialife Magazine Media Economy By Bill Cromwell December 12, 2012 After a disappointing start to the year, U.S. advertising kicked up in third quarter, reflecting strong spending on the Olympics and the election. Third-quarter ad spending grew by 7 percent, according to Nielsen data released this morning, far outpacing the modest 2.4 percent growth recorded during second quarter of this year. Year to date ad spending is up 2.5 percent, with slow growth during the first half of the year that had some worried the media economy could slip back into decline. But third quarter yielded strong results, partly because of the two biannual events that attracted some of their strongest numbers ever. Political advertising kicked up in third quarter as the elections neared, with more than a billion dollars spent on spot television. And the Summer Olympics produced stronger-than-expected advertising. Ratings were higher than NBCUniversal had anticipated for the Games, and advertisers clamored to get their ads in once they’d seen those strong numbers, allowing the company to charge higher prices. But, in a promising development for the ad economy going forward, the growth wasn’t only built on political and Olympic spending. Several ad categories saw big ad spending kickups, most notably automotive manufacturers, which finished as the quarter’s biggest spender at $2.7 billion, up 26 percent over last year. Six of the top 20 advertisers during third quarter were manufacturers. Auto dealerships, meanwhile, finished third in total spending, up 22 percent to $1 billion. “Model year-end promotions traditionally make the third quarter the biggest of the year based on ad sales,” notes Nielsen. Other big gainers included fast food restaurants, up 14 percent to $1 billion; wireless/telecom, up 15 percent to $887.3 million; and department stores, up a scant 1 percent to $772.8 million. Movies and pharmaceuticals, while still finishing among the top seven advertisers, pulled back on spending. Movies were down 12 percent, to $689.7 million, and pharmaceuticals plummeted 22 percent, to $661.7 million. Nielsen data is based on seven media spending categories: TV, magazines, newspapers, radio, outdoor, FSI coupon and national internet. Fourth quarter numbers are also expected to be strong when they come out next year, based on the huge increase in political spending in the final month of the campaign, with spot television alone generating more than $1 billion. But buyers remain uncertain whether the boom will continue into January, with their clients concerned that fiscal cliff worries will prompt people to reign in their spending after a better-than-expected holiday season for retailers.

The Critical Difference Between Leadership and Motivation

Smart Blog on Leadership By Garret Kramer on December 11th, 2012 Here’s something that might surprise you: The best leaders do not attempt to motivate their employees, athletes, students or children. In fact, those people in leadership positions who try to light fires for others tend to not keep their jobs for long. However, those who know the difference between leadership and motivation create a different legacy; their impact on others endures. The difference between leadership and motivation, to me, is summed up like this: •Leadership: A consistent example of rising above any and all circumstances. Leadership is external. •Motivation: The inner knowledge or insight that makes rising above circumstances possible. Motivation comes from within. So, in my opinion, leadership is not about encouraging, pushing or cheering on; it’s about pointing others inward so they recognize that the ability to be motivated rests with them. If you are a parent, for instance, you know that it is virtually impossible to motivate your children to work hard at their studies. But you can lead. You can show your children, by example, that no matter how sick you might get or how difficult your circumstances might appear, you can passionately apply yourself to your own job or projects. Thereby pointing your children inward to their innate ability to rise above any circumstance (and excuse) and crack the books with pride and vigor. My message about leadership is simple: Great leaders serve to bring out the inner wisdom and free will of those they serve. Instead of inducing people to view life situations a certain way (or their way), great leaders demonstrate that there are an infinite number of ways to view any life situation. To illustrate, one of my mentors, Sydney Banks, must have given hundreds of seminars and lectures during his lifetime. Like clockwork before each talk, the audience would file in with notebooks in hand. While Syd was incredibly generous with his wisdom, he would always instruct those in attendance not to take one single note. His words were his alone — his interpretation of “truth,” he would say. He wanted the audience to develop their own feelings and ideas, and draw their own conclusions, not follow in his footsteps. I believe, then, that great leaders are those individuals who, like Sydney Banks, set great examples. Why can’t we simply leave leadership right there? Who came up with the belief that leaders must be motivators of others anyway? We must recognize the difference between leadership and motivation, because if we don’t, our companies, teams, schools and even families will be overrun by followers incapable of lending an imaginative hand, let alone coming through when the chips are down. Motivation is personal; leadership brings out personal potential for the benefit of the greater good. Take note of the difference. The business, sports and political worlds — actually the world, in general — can use more of both.

It's Time To Toss Average Frequency Into The Bucket

MediaPost’s MetricInsider by Ronit Fuchs, 2012 You are building an ad campaign. You’ve completed vast amounts of research, worked hard on the creative, media plan and set your goals. Now it’s time to figure out frequency --how many times a person should see each ad. This task is extremely important. If your ad gets either too many or too few views, the whole campaign can derail. And once you’ve set the frequency, what is the actual probability of meeting it? Most premium publishers and ad exchanges claim they’ll help advertisers achieve the perfect frequency target, by ensuring that theaverage frequency meets a set frequency cap. The key word here is average. But is a frequency cap what you need? If you advertise with different premium publishers, how do you choose the cap for each site? How do you avoid overexposure to people visiting more than one of those sites -- or underexposure to those visiting just one? Achieving average frequency can mean you are not necessarily controlling ad exposure to those people reached. For example, a campaign reaching 1 million people with an average frequency of 10 impressions could mean either of the following: • 1 million people were exposed to 10 impressions each (the desired result), with total impressions of 10 million. • 800,000 people were exposed to one impression each (serious underexposure for a total of 800,000 impressions) and 200,000 others were exposed to 46 impressions each (serious overexposure for a totall of 9.2 million impressions). In the second case, there are again 10 million total impressions, and again an average frequency of 10 impressions. But while the first scenario is successful, the second one scenario misses the target frequency with both under and over exposure. So what can you do to avoid such a scenario? Instead of looking at average frequency, you can look at frequency buckets: the number of people exposed to an exact number of impressions. In the example above, for example, you’d want to know how many people fall into frequency bucket 10 – that is, how many saw the ad the desired 10 times? In the first scenario, the answer is 1 million; in the second scenario, zero – a total failure. Some advertisers would also consider any user exposed to the ad nine or 11 times a success; they would look at a frequency bucket of 9, 10 or 11 impressions. And again, in the example above, the first scenario would result in the desired 1 million, the second in zero. The question advertisers should be asking is, “How many people actually had the proper amount of exposure?” Not, “What is the average exposure?” So avoid averages. And raise the bucket!