• by Joe Mandese  @mp_joemandese, September 15, 2003

Demand for broadcast ad inventory picked up in July, according lagging data reported by two industry sources on Monday.

Network TV ad spending rose 3.2% over July 2002, an improvement over a year- to-date decline of 3.5% versus the first seven months of 2002, according to estimates provided to MediaDailyNews by Nielsen Monitor-Plus.

Meanwhile, estimates from a Radio Advertising Bureau survey of member stations shows demand for national and local radio advertising time continued to grow in July, especially from national spot radio advertisers. National spot radio sales rose 12% over July 2002. Combine national and local sales rose 3%, the RAB said.

July & Year-To-Date Network TV Ad Stats

July    7-Months 
Network Ad Minutes:      -6.8%       -7.0% 
Network Ad Dollars:      +3.2%       -3.5% 
Cost Per :30:           +10.7%       +3.9% 
Network Advertisers:     +0.7%
-5.1% 
Avg. Network Ad Budget:  +2.4%       +1.7% 

Source: Nielsen Monitor-Plus (www.nielsenmonitor-plus.com)

The network TV data is particularly encouraging, because it shows that an erosion in advertisers buying network TV was reversed in July. While the number of advertisers using network TV declined 5.1% through the first seven months of 2003, it was up 0.7% in July, Monitor-Plus found.

An MDN analysis of the data also reveals average unit rates have been climbing amid a reduction in the supply of commercial ad units.

The average cost per 30-second spot on the major broadcast networks has risen 10.7% over July 2002 and 3.9% over the first seven months of 2002.