Radio Advertising Slows Plunge in Q4, down 8%

Radio Advertising Slows Plunge in Q4, down 8%

Published on February 21, 2010 | Email this article

 

The Radio Advertising Bureau says total radio ad revenues fell 8% in the fourth quarter of 2009 compared to the same period in 2008.

For the full year 2009, radio ad revenues slipped 18%, compared to the previous year.

The fourth quarter showed a strong rally, compared to the first three quarters of 2009, which saw radio revenue 24%, 22% and 16%, respectively.

Fourth quarter ad revenue came to about $4.3 billion, with full-year revenue at $16 billion, according to MediaPost.

Network radio sales were down 5% in the fourth quarter, while local and national fell 10%.

Automotive advertising made a comeback in Q4, jumping 9% to $341 million - and regaining its place as the industry’s top category. Digital ad revenue from radio station websites jumped 15%, to reach an all-time high of $133 million, writesCrain’s New York Business.

Digital was up 13% for the year, to $480 million.

There are some positive signs for the beginning of the year, as well. For Q1 10, Katz Media Group chief executive officer Stu Olds projects that national spot radio for the company will be up 19%, with January seeing a 21% rise, followed by a rise of 2% in February and a 7% rise in March.

Barclay’s Capital released revised predictions for the ad industry last week, including good news for radio: the medium is now expected to see positive growth. Barclay’s predicts growth of 2.2% in 2010, up from its previous expectation of a 4% drop.