The television industry is ending 2009 with lower than expected revenues of $15.6 billion, a 22.4 percent decline from 2008, BIA/Kelsey says. The revenue level--in the mid-$10 billions range--is a throwback to around 1995 and is expected to persist through 2013, the research firm said.
BIA/Kelsey forecasts 2010 TV revenues to reach $16.1 billion, with $130 million coming from online advertising. The company notes that online income brought the industry $518 million in 2009, a 12 percent increase over last year's $463 million. BIA/Kelsey predicts continuous annual double-digit revenue growth from Internet and mobile platforms through 2013, when they’re expected to reach the $1 billion mark.
BIA said state and local elections will help certain markets in 2010. Among those, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Las Vegas, Chicago, St. Louis and Hartford-New Haven, Conn., are expected to benefit from political spending.
“While television’s numbers are tapering down due to audience erosion from other media delivery options, we continue to see that local TV remains a valuable way to reach relatively larger audiences, critical for mass communications in political campaigns,” said Mark Fratrik, Ph.D., vice president of BIA Advisory Services. “Additionally, online revenues are expected to grow as stations get more sophisticated in the way they sell to advertisers and integrate their mobile and Internet offerings with their broadcasting operations.”
