Advertising Age Crowns King of Prime Time Ad Rates

NEW YORK, Oct. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- After at least five years as the top earner for a 30-second spot in prime time TV, FOX's "American Idol" cedes its number-one position this season to NBC's "Sunday Night Football," according to Advertising Age's annual ranking of prime-time television ad rates. It's been a steady ascent for the challenger, with the two programs sharing the number-one spot in last year's ranking (see chart).

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On average, a 30-second spot for Sunday Night Football now costs $545,142, a 6% increase over last season and more than $200,000 more than nearest competitor Idol Wednesday (at $340,825), according to the exclusive Ad Age tally.

The top five most expensive prime time series for 2012 are:

• Sunday Night Football (NBC)
• American Idol Wednesday (FOX)
• Modern Family (ABC)
• New Girl (FOX)
• American Idol Thursday (FOX)

The full list -- which ranks regularly-scheduled prime-time series based on the average cost of a 30-second ad -- appears in today's Ad Age. Average 30-second ad rates for each program are included. The ranking does not consider special programming like the Olympics, bowl games or awards shows.

"These are numbers the networks don't want anyone to see," said Abbey Klaassen, editor of Ad Age. "We spend weeks collating data from a large number of media-buying agencies and other sources. This is really the only public reference point for people to use when trying to understand how much shows cost."

There is no single price for a television commercial. The prices advertisers pay depend on how much inventory they buy with the network and many other factors.

In other surprises, the Ad Age tally suggests the reign of reality television may be over. Behind Idol Wednesday are two comedies. And in all, comedies hold seven of the top 10 positions. With the partial-season aspect of football broadcasts, the door appears swung open for new contenders. In past years, shows like "Desperate Housewives," "House," and "Grey's Anatomy" were veterans of the top 10.

"It's a surprise to see several freshman entries -- including '2 Broke Girls,' 'New Girl,' and 'Big Bang Theory' do well alongside rising stars like 'Modern Family'," said Brian Steinberg, Ad Age's television editor, who compiles the ranking.

Ad Age is the leading global source of news, intelligence and conversation for marketing and media communities. The 83-year-old media group produces more than 15 original rankings each year, including the coveted 100 Leading National Advertisers, 100 Leading Media Companies, Digital A-List, and annual Agency Report.

SOURCE Advertising Age