• May 13, 2003

March was a mixed bag for radio revenue as national dollars rose 4% over the same month a year ago, and local revenue dropped 3%. According to the Radio Advertising Bureau, the changes reflect "some of the effects that the looming possibility of war had in the local marketplace at the time." The combined local and national total was down 2%. The first quarter however posted positive gains due to a relatively strong January and February. Combined local and national sales figures for Q1 were up a healthy 4% over Q1 2002. National ad dollars were the leader, rising 8% for the first three months of the year compared to the same three months from last year. Local ad sales were up 2 %. The March 2003 Radio Sales Index for combined local and national ad sales was 126.1; the national index was 132.4; and the local index was 124.8. Looking at the Radio Sales Index from a year-to-date perspective, the combined local and national index was 134.4; the national index was 139.8; and the local index was 132.1.