MUMBAI: The crib amongst Indian media buyers, planners and marketers is that TV commercial commercial air time at around Rs 1.5 million for a 30 second spot on Star Plus' Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and Kahani Ghar Ghar Ghar Ki is priced way too high.

Wonder what they would say if they had to advertise on the US' highest rated sitcom Friends. One 30-second commercial on the NBC show costs $455,700 (around Rs 24 million) according to Advertising Age's annual network pricing survey. That commercial rate got you an average of 33.3 million viewers if one goes by data provided by Nielsen's Media Research. Rs 24 million is probably the budget that some Indian advertisers set aside for a month.

Friends, which is probably in its last season and has just got the Emmy for best comedy series, toppled CBS' reality TV show Survivor from its top slot of most expensive commercial space ever ($445,000 for a 30 second spot last year). Ad Age points out that "The cost of Friends soared 29 per cent vs. a year ago; the show's ratings last season rose a surprising 21 per cent in the key 18 to 49-year-old age group with an average Nielsen 11.9 rating/31 share."

NBC's other big ticket TV show ER occupied the second most expensive show for advertisers with an average of $438,514 per 30-second spot. At third spot was last year's leader Survivor which fell to $418,750.

Click here for link to the complete Ad Age TV Ad Price Chart