• Mediaweek, Tuesday, December 21, 2010 11:50 PM

A strong scatter market and a deluge of automotive dollars have analysts particularly bullish, and many industry observers are predicting a record haul for ad-supported cable in 2011. In a note to investors, Barclays Capital analyst Anthony DiClemente said cable ad spending would hit $19.6 billion this year, up 8.5% from 2009 levels, while next year's take could add up to as much as $21.5 billion (up 9.5%).

In the midst of the Great Recession, cable ad sales in 2009 dipped just 2.5%, making it the most resilient sector across all media. More recently, ESPN has enjoyed the greatest upsurge in ad sales dollars, soaring 22% in the third quarter, thanks to big gains in auto, financial services and telecom business. Those increases have continued in the present quarter, thanks to high scatter pricing (25% above upfront rates) and ESPN's stewardship of "Monday Night Football."

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