Los Angeles — Advertisers may be leaving TV for good. Television advertising sales in the US fell 7.8% to $61.8bn in 2017, the steepest drop outside of a recession in at least 20 years, while sales at cable networks slumped for the first time in almost a decade. And there’s no sign of a pick-up in 2018, excluding cyclical events such as the Olympics and the midterm elections, according to data from Magna Global. The decline in TV viewership is accelerating as online rivals Google and Facebook have increased their investments in video, capturing almost every new advertising dollar entering the marketplace. Television ad sales are falling although global advertising is growing, leading research firms and analysts to predict that the business may never recover. "In a healthy economy, we’re looking at no growth in advertising from traditional media companies," said Michael Nathanson, an analyst with research firm MoffettNathanson. "That’s a worrying trend." That would be a serious blow ...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.