Cable Network Ad Rates Rising, Says SNL Kagan

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Cable network advertising rates rose 4.8% in 2012, continuing a consistent ramp-up that began after the recession hurt ad prices in 2009.

According to research company SNL Kagan, cable networks last year attracted prices averaging $6.22 on a CPM (cost per one thousand viewers) basis over their full programming day. Those prices have risen four consecutive years, but they are still well below their broadcast counterparts, Kagan says.

Only 10 cable networks have CPMs of $10 or more, led by ESPN, which charges an average of $19.29 for commercials. That’s significantly higher than the network with the second-highest CPM, MTV, which gets $13.10 on average for its spots.

Kagan says that of the 10 networks with double-digit CPMs, six are full-time sports networks, while TBS, also in the top 10 also shows some sports programming.

Jon Lafayette
Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.