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Free TV ad revenues continue to fall with Ten showing only improvement

Free TV’s decline in revenue fell back below double percentage figures during the second half of last year, data released today suggests.  

The total advertising revenue for Seven, Nine and Ten for the second half of last year was $1.871bn – down 4.4% on the same period in 2008. However, this was an improvement on the bloodbath in the first half of last year, when free TV revenue was down by nearly 12%.

A sign of the economic and structural challenges faced by the broadcasters though is that the long term trends are also down once inflation is taken into account. The $1.871bn revenue  is broadly the same as the $1.872bn revenue for the same period in 2006, and well behind the second half of 2005.

In network share, Ten had the best result, with share lifting from 28.328% in the first half of 2009 to 30.08%. Seven fell back slightly from 38.51% to 38.01% and Nine fared worst, dropping from 33.163 to 31.91%.

Ten’s result was broadly driven by market sentiment around the unexpected success of Masterchef.

In a statement, Network Ten CEO Grant Blackley said:

“In a market that declined overall on the same period last year, we’re pleased to have been the only network to have grown in revenue.  We’ve said we believe our performance warrants more than a 30 per cent share, and this result delivers on that expectation.  In an improving market, and with strong advertiser renewals and a now-proven schedule, we’re working hard to deliver another successful year in 2010.”

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