Kantar Reports First Half 2010 Ad Spending Up 5.7%

RADIO ONLINE | Monday, September 13, 2010 | 3:52pm CT

Total ad spending in the first six months of 2010 rose 5.7% from 2009, finishing the period at $63.57 billion, according to data released by Kantar Media. Ad spending during Q2 was up 5.4% compared to last year. Spending in National Spot Radio increased 16.8% while Local Radio was up 4.2%. Network Radio registered a small decline of 0.4%. All radio types saw growth rates ease slightly during the second quarter.

"The rally in ad spending that has emerged from last year's collapse continued at a steady pace through the second quarter, even as softening economic data on retail sales, spending and employment began to raise concerns about the outlook for consumer activity," said Senior VP Jon Swallen. "Early figures from the third quarter indicate the advertising expansion is still maintaining its momentum and that is an encouraging sign for the industry."

Television media led the first half rebound. Spot TV expenditures jumped 25.1%, fueled by demand from auto and retail marketers and a cyclical upturn in political advertising. Spanish Language TV spending rose 14.6%, with gains driven by the World Cup event in June. Cable TV (8.8%) and Network TV (7.2%) benefitted from selling more ad time and increased spending across a broad range of retail and consumer package goods categories.