• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, August 16, 2010

Buttressing the good news from radio broadcast groups' second-quarter results, Katz Media Group has released an update on national spot radio showing sales pacing up 15% in the third quarter of 2010, compared to the same period last year.

Katz also confirmed the double-digit gains seen earlier this year, with national spot sales up 16% in the first seven months of 2010.

Looking ahead, Katz noted that sales are rising more than 50% in the fourth quarter of 2010. Because these figures are several months later, any predictions based on them are strictly tentative.

While it's impossible to know whether this rate of growth will be sustained, the Katz figures seem to hold out promise for a big rebound in radio (and perhaps other media) during the fourth quarter holiday season.

Breaking the results down by category, Katz said retail is up 18.7% and 109% in the third quarter and fourth quarter, respectively. Entertainment is up 20.5% and 37.8%; automotive 23.6% and 55.6%; telecoms 15.3% and 65%; consumer products 13.3% and 39.3%; and professional services up 26% and 39.3%.

Somewhat less impressive gains were seen in the finance category, up 2.6% in the third quarter and 21.5% in the fourth. However, Katz expects big gains in political advertising around midterm elections later this year.

Turning to the biggest national spot sales ad buyers, Katz said top clients in the third and fourth quarters included Allstate, Chevrolet, Comcast, ESPN, Ford, Fox, Geico, Honda, JP Morgan Chase, Mini, Safeway, Sony and Wal-Mart.