Indiantelevision.com Team

(18 February 2009 10:00 pm)

NEW DELHI: Broadcaster ABC could see a 21 per cent reduction in total advertising revenue from the forthcoming Academy Awards compared to last year, according to a new report from TNS Media Intelligence.

The network is currently busy battling the on-going recession which has forced marketers to cut costs.

Says TNS senior VP-Research Jon Swallen, “It's unlikely we'll see more than two minutes of advertising or, at most, four films.”

According to TNS last year in 2008, ABC earned an estimated $81 million in advertising revenue, with a 30-second spot costing $1.68 million while this year the report suggests that the total revenue is more likely to be $67 million, with marketers paying anywhere from $1.4 million to $1.7 million, depending on placement of their ads and category exclusivity.

About 32 million people watched the Oscars last year, down from 38 million in 2007 and 45.7 million viewers 10 years earlier. “I would expect a marginal improvement over last year,” adds Swallen.