Linear TV Ad Spending Sees Uptick in September, SMI Says

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Gain follows four months of declines but leaves Q3 down 14%

A closeup of U.S. money
(Image credit: Yuriy_Kulik/Getty Images)

Advertising spending on linear TV was up 0.3% in September compared to a year ago, according to new figures from Standard Media Index.

The September gain followed declines in May, June, July and August. For the third quarter, spending was down 14% compared to the 2021 quarter.

Standard Media Index September

(Image credit: Standard Media Index)

In the third quarter, spending on broadcast TV was down 24%, spending on cable was off 8% and syndication was up 15%.

Spending on sports programming was down 43% in the quarter. A year ago, the Olympics and the NBA Finals were in the third quarter. Spending on entertainment programming was up 1% and spending on news programming was down 1%.

Advertising bought through upfront deals was down 10% in the quarter, while scatter spending was off 24% and direct response was down 17%.

In September, spending by consumer packaged goods marketers — the largest single category at nearly $500 million — was down 6%. Spending by pharmaceutical makers was up 19% and entertainment and media company spending was up 2%. ■

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.