National spot radio experiencing strong regional gains

0

This, according to the latest market update memo that Katz Media CEO Stu Olds shared with clients 9/27. He tells them, the National Spot Radio Market is heading into this year’s final quarter showing strong gains amid growth in all regions of the country and increased spending in the run up to November’s elections: “National Spot Radio revenue is pacing up 15% through September year-to-date from the same period last year. Based on the pacing of business on the books today, the fourth quarter is pacing up 43% compared to the year-ago period. As a result, we expect to end 2010 on the same positive note that we’ve experienced all year.


Our core business is driving these results. National Spot Radio’s top seven categories (excluding political) in the fourth quarter are all pacing well ahead of last year’s results. In fact, each of the seven categories is up more than 34% from last year. 

 

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

Retail

+8.8%

+22.7%

+17.8%

+51.6%

Finance

+2.7%

-16.7%

-0.3%

+34.8%

Entertainment

+29.7%

-10.4%

+9.9%

+36.1%

Auto

+33.4%

+29.5%

+13.4%

+68.9%

Telecomm

+21.6%

+36.6%

+13.0%

+46.8%

Consumer Products

+30.6%

+31.8%

+4.0%

+47.0%

Prof. Services

+14.4%

+29.4%

+20.6%

+45.5%

Leading Q4 Advertisers
The largest spenders by category represent the depth and breadth of National Spot Radio’s broad-based recovery.

Retail

Supervalu, Safeway, Aldi, Wal-Mart, Target, Home Depot, Joseph A.

Bank, Kohl’s, JCPenney, Lowe’s

Finance

Geico, Allstate, JP Morgan, MasterCard, Capital One, PNC, United

Services Auto Assoc., Nationwide, American Family, Wells Fargo

Entertainment

Comcast, Fox, Turner, California State Lottery, Sony, Paramount, Half

Price Books, SuperMedia, Ameristar, NBC

Auto

O’Reilly, GM, Honda, Autotrader, Chevrolet, Volvo, Toyota, Mercedes

Telecom

Verizon, AT&T, TracFone, Clear Wireless, US Cellular, Cricket, Metro PCS

Consumer Products

Eastman Kodak, Pfizer, Panera Bread, Kidde, Tribe Mediterranean

Foods, Buffalo Wild Wings, Wright Bacon, North Face

Prof. Services

Kaiser Permanente, Navy Federal Credit, Portfolio Media

Management, Ace Cash Express, UPS Store

 

Broad-Based Recovery
National Spot’s broad-based recovery can be seen across all market groupings. In Q4, pacings for every tracked market segment are up double digits. What’s more, each one of the top 100 markets is up significantly over last year’s results. For example, pacing in the fourth quarter in New York is up 57.2%, Boston (+52.0%); SF (+74.6%); Houston (+65.4%); Philadelphia (+67.4%); Detroit (+51.2%); Miami (+82.7%); Tampa (+97.3%); Baltimore (+74.5%); Columbus (+72.0%); Ok City (+65.5%); Knoxville (+73.6%); and Akron (+97.0%).

In addition, political spending is adding substantially to the overall results as the period between August and Election Day historically accounts for almost 75% of total political/issue spending for the year. The strength of additional political pressure on inventory will continue to push up pacing trends.

Pacing By Market Groupings

By Market Ranking

Q1 Actual

Q2 Actual

Q3 Actual

Q4 Pacing

1-10

+24.5%

+14.5%

+5.2%

+38.1%

11-25

+19.8%

+18.0%

+13.6%

+41.9%

26-50

+9.9%

+13.4%

+11.0%

+53.7%

51-75

+16.2%

+19.4%

+9.9%

+48.7%

76-100

+3.2%

+14.6%

+7.0%

+33.5%

100+

+16.4%

+15.0%

+18.7%

+45.6%

 

The market grouping strength is reflected in every region of the country. The West’s resurgence as we move into Q4 is especially heartening. All other regions are pacing well into double-digits in Q4, according to the memo.

By Region

Q1 Actual

Q2 Actual

Q3 Actual

Q4 Pacing

North Central

+17.6%

+13.5%

+13.4%

+46.4%

Northeast

+33.4%

+20.2%

+8.8%

+37.1%

South Central

+17.0%

+27.5%

+15.9%

+37.5%

Southeast

+14.4%

+24.5%

+14.0%

+46.7%

West

+13.1%

+2.2%

-0.7%

+43.9%

Demand/Pricing
Said Olds: “We are experiencing higher pricing because of increasing demand from markets blanketing the country. More than 90% of markets across the country are experiencing higher prices, according to the most recent tracking data, with Average Minute Rates up 13.8% in July, 2.0% in August and 6.7% in September. The active political season is expected to keep prices high through Election Day, creating positive momentum as we head into the holiday season.

Inventory is filling up, and we need to clearly communicate this information to our customers. With demand for fourth-quarter spots at very high levels, it’s critical that your teams relay this information to key customers to make sure they get their orders in quickly. We do not want our most important customers to miss significant opportunities during such critical periods.”