• by Wayne Friedman , November 21, 2024

After this year’s big political advertising season, for 2025, all local TV-based advertising efforts are projected to be down 20% to $21.3 billion, according to estimates from BIA Advisory Services.

These estimates include over the air (OTA), TV digital media (websites, social media), and local connected TV/OTT ad revenues.

Taking out political advertising, core local TV advertising will rise 3.6% to $21 billion next year.

Typically, TV stations go through a high political advertising revenue cycle every other year -- a Presidential election period followed two years later by the midterm election season.

For all of 2024, all local TV station owners' media platforms are now estimated to pull in $26.6 billion -- with TV over the air (OTA) at $20.8 billion (vs. $16.20 billion in 2023); CTV/OTT at $3.6 billion (vs. $2.36 billion in 2023); and TV digital media at $2.2 billion (vs. $1.78 billion in 2023).

Looking specifically at local TV stations' main over-the-air advertising results, 2024 is estimated to have grown 28% to $20.8 billion, primarily because of record high political advertising. Total TV OTA was at $16.2 billion in 2023.

The broader overall picture of local digital media -- which includes CTV/OTT, directories, email, magazines-digital, mobile, newspapers-digital, PC/Laptop, radio-digital, and TV-digital -- is projected to be up 4.4% to $89.4 billion. This does not include any search engine optimization (SEO) advertising revenues.

Taking out political advertising, total local digital media is estimated to be 8.6% higher to $89.2 billion.

Next year, locally targeted CTV/OTT ad revenues are expected to be down 22% to $2.8 billion. TV digital advertising -- owned and operated by TV stations -- is expected to be down 11% to $2.0 billion.

In 2025, BIA projects automotive manufacturer spending to be $1.1 billion, with local automotive dealers associations coming in at $863.7 million and new car dealers spending $750.1 million.