• by Wayne Friedman , September 4, 2020

Even with a questionable start to the fall TV season due to less new scripted and other programming, TV networks continue to amp up summer TV show promos for the new season.

The top four broadcast networks ran 21% more TV show promos from August 5 through September 3 -- with 25,530 airings versus 21,020 in 2019, according to iSpot.tv.

Overall, broadcast and cable networks aired 550,005 airings versus 399,976 a year ago in August -- typically a major period for TV show promotion for the upcoming fall season that starts in September.

This year generated more impressions overall -- 86.9 billion impressions, with a media value of $51.5 million.

A year ago, there were a total of 72.6 billion impressions, with a media value of $49.8 million.

The increase in TV show promos, non-paid inventory could also be a result of TV networks taking in less TV paid advertising in the period due to the COVID-19 pandemic disruptions.

NBC and Fox in particular amped up their respective TV promo efforts. NBC ran 10,880 promos (versus 6,464 in 2019) and Fox, 7,382 (versus 6,577 in 2019). CBS ran virtually the same number of TV show promos at 3,791 versus 3,723 in 2019.

ABC was one of few networks to air fewer promos -- 3,477 versus 4,256 in 2019.

Many cable networks also upped their TV show promo efforts. This year, the top five cable networks were Discovery (32,473), followed by MTV (23,051), HGTV (22,020), Food Network (18,072), and TLC Channel (16,963).

A year ago, the top five results were as follows: Discovery (18,157), OWN (14,306), FX Network (13,995), Investigation Discovery (13,918), and Nickelodeon (11,194).