RADIO REVENUE POSTS 6.1% Q3 GAIN Broadcaster National radio sales continued to climb by 6.1% in the third quarter from year ago levels, with forward bookings for the final quarter of the broadcast year pacing 9.9% ahead of a very strong Q4 last year, according to information supplied by Canadian Broadcast Sales.
“Ontario remains the strongest region nationally led by a very hot Toronto market,” said Patrick Grierson, president of CBS. “Business for radio has been strong for some time now and we don’t see that changing in the short term.”
The top five demos this quarter were: “Adults 25-54” (43.6%); “Adults 18-49” (13%); “Women 25-54” (11.5%); “Adults 18-34” (3.3%); and “Men 25-54” (2.9%).
A decline in total “Adult 25-54” spending has been more than made up for by strong gains in the “Women 25-54” group. This shift to a female-focused demographic continues a recent trend, but maintains the dominance of the 25-54 demo.
The top five categories by spending accounted for over 56% of national advertising spending on CBS-represented stations: Retail $6 million (14.5% share); Automotive $5.3 million (13%); Telecommunications $4.5 million (11%); Government $3.7 million (9.1%); and Financial services and insurance $3.6 million (8.7%).
The top five major categories by growth on CBS-represented stations were: Business (122%); Health care (88%); Telecommunications (79%); Travel and Transportation (54%); and Restaurants (45%).
“There are a number of interesting industry issues that we are watching,” said Grierson. “People meters are currently being tested in Montreal with the first results expected next year; Google radio sales in the U.S.; and the impact of the strong Canadian dollar on marketers who repatriate profits to the U.S. all have the potential to affect radio in varying ways.
“In the near term, radio will continue to enjoy the positive momentum of the past several years. The early revenue pacing for the first quarter of 2008 is up 11.6%, which bodes well for another good year.” |