TV On-Air Promos Dip Slightly Year-On-Year

In the first two months of 2018 -- with big sports and award TV programs -- TV networks' on-air program promo efforts yielded slightly lower results compared to a year ago.

From January 1 through March 7, a total of 914,618 TV network promos aired, pulling in 187.1 billion impressions. That is in comparison to a year ago, when 935,720 promos took in 197.2 billion impressions, according to iSpot.tv.

A year ago, NBC aired the Winter Olympics (as well as the Super Bowl), where it ran 21,953 airings over the first two months of 2018 versus 17,512 airings in 2019. It pulled in 6.1 billion impressions (2018) and 12.3 billion in (2019).

The overall estimated media value of TV promotion activity grew slightly this year to some $211 million (2019) versus $198.2 million (2018). In addition to the Super Bowl, the two-month January-February period also includes highly viewed awarded programming: the Oscars, Grammys, and Golden Globes.

This year, CBS had 7,319 airings of promos yielding 17.9 billion impressions (it aired the Super Bowl in February). ABC had 11,773 promo airings, pulling 11.5 billion impressions; and Fox aired 22,377 airings -- the most of the big four networks -- totaling 8.7 billion impressions.

advertisement

advertisement

A year ago, CBS was at 7,399 airings and 14.1 billion impressions, while ABC came in at 12,450 airings and 10.1 billion impressions. Fox posted a massive 31,429 -- again, the most of the big four networks -- resulting in 9.3 billion impressions.

Looking at specific TV networks’ estimated media value of those promos to date,  Disney Channel was $25.8 million this year, followed by Fox with $20.2 million; NBC at $13.1 million; NFL Network with $12.6 million; ABC at $9.4 million; Starz Channel with $7.1 million; HBO at $7.0 million; TNT  at $6.3 million; truTV with $6.1 million; NBA TV at $5.6 million; History with $4.9 million; and FX Network at $4.9 million.

Next story loading loading..