Ad Rates for ABC Shows.

[Another Voice]

First, a quick aside. I noticed in another thread a complaint about how this place is devoid of "real news". I must humbly disagree. I've always found this board to be the best place on the Internet for the important news and for the "whys and hows" of Disney. If others are more happy gushing over improved soap dispensers, plotting on how to get the next "exclusive" trading pin commemorating the latest churro cart opening or wade through a board filled with animated avatars of people's cats dressed up like Mulan - then I wish them all the luck. I just find important stuff more interesting.

Since the last quarterly earnings announcement made mention about improved earnings at ABC, I thought this might be an interesting time to post this. Like any other retailer, the networks have "published" rates for ad times on all of their programming - sticker prices as it were. The ones for the current Fall season have been out, and if you wonder where ABC stacks up in these things here the list.

Generally ad rates are set by the kind of audience a show draws rather than its total size. Conventional wisdom is the adults 18-49 years old are worth more; shows that draw an older audience are less valuable even if they have larger in numbers. Certain shows with a specific demographic that's hotly fought over by big-spending companies (say car buyers and beer drinkers) can also bump up a price.

So here's how much it takes to buy a 30-second spot on selected TV shows (with an emphasis on ABC):

'Friends' - $473.500.
'Will & Grace' - $414,500
'E.R.' - $404,814
'Survivor' - $390.367
'Scrubs' - $360,950
'Coupling' - $316400 (show already cancelled)
'C.S.I.' - $310,324
'The Simpsons' - $296,400
''24' - $292,200
'Monday Night Football' - $272,867
'Law and Order' - 264,889
'Everybody Loves Raymond' - $257,700
'Joe Millionare 2' - $256,704
The Bachelor' - $253,940
'The West Wing' - $229,429
'Alias' - $170,761
'My Wife and Kids' - $170,650
'Las Vegas' - $167,167
'The Practice' - $154,118
'8 Simple Rules' - $151,240 (set prior to the death of John Ritter)
'Smallville' - $142,333
N.Y.P.D. Blue' - $141,644
'I'm With Her' - $129,970
'Less Than Perfect' - $126,935
'Fear Factor' - $125,800
'Karen Sisco' - $111,679 (mostly likely cancelled)
'Gilmore Girls' - $10,371
'The George Lopez Show' - $100,183
'Funniest Home Videos' - $97,600
'Life With Bonnie' - $96,480
'10-8' - $90,970
'Hope and Faith' - $89,175
'60 Minutes' - $88,567
'Dateline NBC' - $82,833
'Charmed' - $80,850
'20/20' - $78,800
'Extreme Makeover' - $74,750
'The Wonderful World of Disney' - $69,707
'J.A.G.' - $69,333
'L.A. Dragnet' - $69,277 (show cancelled)
'Threat Matrix' - $66,375
'Star Trek: Enterprise' - $65,682
'Married to the Kellys' - $60,733
'UPN's Night At The Movies' - $12,209 (#124 our of 124 shows priced).

As you can see, a wide range of prices and the kind of money a hit TV show can bring in. It's also rather sad to see the flagship 'Wonderful World of Disney' is valued less than a show about liposuction.

Now if only any of the commercials themselves were worth $100,00 for 30 seconds…


In other news, the executive producer of '8 Simple Rules' has been fired over differences about the direction of the show post John Ritter. The "comedian" David Spade has been signed to an extended guest starring role as an undisclosed relative of John Ritter's character. These episodes will air during the February sweeps period.

 

[Peter Pirate]

Thanks AV. It's intersting to see ABC leading the middle of the pack, as it were (from your listings).

I'm surprised to see Everbody Loves Raymond well below Friends...Does anybody still actually watch Friends?

I too was saddened by the Wonderful World of Disney numbers and positioning...Sad that Survivor Joe Bachelor command such hefty coin.

Lastly, 8 Simple Rules...I wasn't thrilled hearing Spade was coming on board. He's been OK in some things but not a real stalwart, IMO...It worries me more with your announcement of the EP's departure. This could get ugly (although I certainly hope not).

 

[crusader]

I was surprised Monday Night Football landed where it is.
I also thought Karen Sisco was a pretty good show. Maybe DeVito can salvage it.

The real question is: what is the fate of the networks? With HBO continuing to produce great programming and the concept of TiVo, is the future of television moving away from the advertising/network arena?

 

[HB2K]

First, a quick aside. I noticed in another thread a complaint about how this place is devoid of "real news". I must humbly disagree. I've always found this board to be the best place on the Internet for the important news and for the "whys and hows" of Disney. If others are more happy gushing over improved soap dispensers, plotting on how to get the next "exclusive" trading pin commemorating the latest churro cart opening or wade through a board filled with animated avatars of people's cats dressed up like Mulan - then I wish them all the luck. I just find important stuff more interesting.

Ahmen AV. It's great to have you back and quite frankly I missed your postings...

I'd like to send in my .02 as well.

Where the heck are the moderators around here? I understand letting scoop vent a little. I even understand giving him a little leeway with his slam at me (I can stand up for myself). But for him to blatantly & publicly encourage members of this site to abandon it to go somewhere else should have generated some type of response from Sara, Luis and or Pete.

Back to the topic...

I too was shocked to see where MNF fell and it's sad watching the network fight to keep 8 Simple Rules alive when statistically in all likelyhood the show will never be able to recover from John's loss.

 

[raidermatt]

Spade doesn't seem to fit all that well, and he's filling some pretty big shoes. But I guess, as ususal, time will tell.

At least they didn't go with Jon Lovitz.

 

[wtg2000]

I always thought J.A.G. was a hit show. Must have pretty lousy ratings to be commanding only that much per ad. Maybe it has bad demgraphics. That amount times the number of slots must put them on an extremely tight budget.

Does anyone know a good website for complete TV ratings. I searched but couldn't find anything.

 

[HB2K]

Hey AV-

Any idea how 10-8 is doing? I caught it for the first time last night and was impressed enough to catch it next week...it's not law and order but it wasn't too bad either (although I might have a slanted view because of my background).

 

[aero99]

Hi!

Thanks for the info. It is really interesting to see how the shows stack up for ad cost. My ONLY comment is please fix the gilmore girls price. It is my favorite show and to see the ad cost in the 10k range is upsetting (even if it is just a typo)

Thanks!
Melissa