Maybe TV Advertising Really Is Dying

David Card | November 18, 2005, 10:10 AM

Even though 3Q05 faced a tough comparison vs. 2004's Summer Olympics, this is disturbing. Especially since TV viewing is up.

Advertising revenue at NBC, CBS and ABC declined 21.5% to $2.2 billion in the third quarter, with much of the drop stemming from the absence of Summer Olympics ads that bolstered the year-ago period.

About $700 million of the decline was in sports. According to the story, which sources the Broadcast Cable Financial Management Association, prime time and AM programming revenues are up; kids is down. Compared with 2003, overall ad revenues are up a sluggish 3%.