Hallmark Ad Revs Dip 8%, Adjusts To Lineup Change

money arrow downCrown Media Holdings' Hallmark Channel advertising revenues slipped 8% in the second quarter to $51.9 million.

The company said this came from ratings declines in its key demographics in the period. Hallmark said it shifted its scheduling and programming more to the female 25-54 demographic in the period, with shows like "The Golden Girl."

Hallmark says the decrease in advertising revenue came from lower scatter rates and lower direct-response advertising revenue. The company says this was offset somewhat by an increase in the number of available general/scatter rate advertising spots.

Overall, Crown Media revenue fell 5% to $68.2 million. But subscriber fee revenue increased 9% to $15.9 million, from $14.6 million in the prior year's quarter. For the last six months, advertising revenue dropped 5% to $107.2 million, from $113.0 million for the same period in 2008.

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The company narrowed its net losses to $5.3 million from $5.9 million from the second quarter of 2008. In an effort to trim some losses, marketing expenses were chopped by more than half to $842,000 in the period, from $2.06 million in the prior period 2008.

Also, Crown Media said its adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization increased 8% to $21.3 million, from $19.7 million in the second quarter of 2008.

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