TV Ads Around Presidential Debates To Grow

With many TV networks reportedly sold out or near sold out of advertising time in pre- and post-programming around the upcoming Presidential debates, TV advertising revenues among the top TV networks are expected to exceed the total $16 million mark set four years ago.

The top six broadcast and cable TV networks -- ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, Fox News Channel and MSNBC-- pulled in a collective $15.5 million in national TV advertising revenues for the three Presidential debates, according to iSpot.tv -- yielding more than 410 million impressions.

CNN ($4 million), ABC ($3.3 million), CBS ($2.5 million), and NBC ($2.1 million), Fox News Channel ($2.2 million) and MSNBC ($1.4 million) are the top beneficiaries.

As many as 13 TV networks aired the three 90-minute to 105-minute debates, which ran commercial-free. TV networks sold advertising time in related discussion programming before and after the actual debates.

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It is expected this year that as many as 17 to 20 TV networks will air one or more of the Presidential debates.

Top paid-advertisers four years ago for the three debates included Pfizer Columbia Pictures, Adidas, Lionsgate, Warner Bros., Twentieth Century Fox Studios, Jeep, Amazon Prime Video, Oppenheimer Funds, and Vote 4 Energy.

Three Presidential debates between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton totaled Nielsen-measured viewership of 84 million for the first debate, 66.5 million for the second, and 71.6 million for the third.

The lone 2016 Vice Presidential debate took in $3.7 million in advertising revenue on CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox News Channel, MSNBC and CNN.

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