• by Joe Mandese  @mp_joemandese, July 31, 2006

Rising demand from national advertisers helped offset a languishing local radio advertising marketplace in June, but combined national and local spot revenues for radio stations remained flat vs. a year ago. In other words, the radio advertising marketplace continues to be moribund, according to the latest stats released late Friday by the Radio Advertising Bureau.

The data, derived from a compilation of self-reported sales estimates from stations in 150 markets, indicates demand from national radio advertisers jumped 1 percent in June, but a corresponding decrease in demand from local advertisers kept the lid on total advertising sales. A boost in "non-spot" sales - revenues derived from non-traditional national and local spot radio advertising sales, helped boost total revenues for stations, but overall June did little to improve radio's advertising reception.

"From a year-to-date perspective, grand total spot and non-spot dollars were flat January through June 2006 compared to those same months from 2005," the RAB reported. "Local ad dollars were down one percent January through June of this year over January through June of last year. National ad revenue was flat January through June 2006 over January through June of 2005."