Planning on Growth in 2010? INSIDE
Start With TV’s Video Brands—They’re Still
Growing and Driving TV’s All-time Viewing Highs
In 2009, TV’s cable brands proved to be media’s ultimate “must-keep.”
In 2010, media planners will turn even more to these same cable brands as
their clients shift back into “must-grow” mode.
In many ways, 2009 was the ultimate torture test of each major
medium’s real value to advertisers and their agencies. In making the criti-
cal media decisions to get through the toughest product/service selling en-
vironment in memory, only cable’s video brands grew in ad spending in 2009 while investment in the rest of
the media choices shrank, typically down double digits vs. 2008, according to our numbers.
In that tough-choices environment, cable’s video brands turned out to be the easiest choice—across the
board of advertiser categories and all audience demographics. As we approach the coming upfront TV buying season, we’re asking those same advertisers to rely even more heavily on cable to deliver their future-growth goals. It’s a purely rational decision based on unprecedented market merit:
; Even with dramatic proliferation in screen options for video content, TV viewing achieved all-time highs
over the past few quarters, driven by ratings gains by cable brands.
; The ratings and reach of cable’s video brands have firmly moved past the tipping point. Agency media
planners are now looking at a stronger-than-ever TV medium where 80 percent of all ratings points (adults
18 to 49, all day) are cable ratings points. Cable’s dominance doesn’t stop at demographics; it extends
across important programming genres. Cable now accounts for:
•98 percent of general documentary ratings
•95 percent of children’s ratings
•70 percent of drama ratings
•65 percent of news ratings
; What pushed cable viewing beyond the tipping point? Original programming. Branded cable’s record
$22 billion investment in original programming has produced a collective schedule that now comprises 67
percent original programming. Looking at any given month in 2010, a media planner can see at least double
the amount of original programming on the cable grid vs. just five years ago.
; With cable’s brands that transcend TV, any look at “Top 25” or “Top 50” most popular Web sites reveals a
list tattooed with cable brands. Also extremely popular on social networking sites and all other emerging
video apps, U.S. cable brands and their programming accumulate big numbers of viewers and users on
every available screen.
For selling more goods and services in a climate where advertisers have worked the word “growth” back
into their business plans en masse, cable will again be a must buy—and progressively more the hub of the
media plan.
Last year, you trusted cable to get your clients through the toughest of selling conditions, and cable delivered—all the way back to growth.
C 10 A&E
C 12 AMC
C 14 BET
C 16 BIO
C 18 CBS College Sports Network
C 20 CMT
C 22 CNBC
C 24 Discovery
C 28 FOX Business Network
C 30 FOX News Channel
C 32 Fox Soccer Channel
C 34 Fox Soccer Plus
C 36 Fuse
C 38 FX
C 40 GSN
C 42 HISTORY
C 44 The Hub
C 46 Lifetime Networks
C 48 msnbc
C 50 MTV
C 52 NCM Media Networks
C 54 Nick at Nite
C 56 Oxygen
C 58 Scripps Networks
C 60 SOAPnet
C 62 SPEED
C 64 Sportsman Channel
C 66 Syfy
C 68 Tennis Channel
C 70 TV Guide Network
C 72 USA Network
C 74 WE tv
C 76 The Weather Channel
C 78 WGN America
Look for the Ad Age Cable Guide online at:
brandedcontent.adage.com/cableguide10/
TRENDS
C6 Original extravaganza
Cable TV is in the middle of an original programming explosion, producing more hours than ever. Cable now offers new
dramas, comedies, reality series and docudramas all year
round—and the trend shows no signs of stopping.
Sean Cunningham, President-CEO, Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau
C 7 Online opportunity
Slowly but surely cable networks are starting to offer their
programming online. The question is how to best monetize
this potential revenue stream without cannibalizing their TV
numbers.
Jackie Ghedine
Managing Director, Sales
212-210-0725
jghedine@adage.com
Rob Eisenhardt
Senior Director, Media
212-210-0139
reisenhardt@adage.com
Karen Egolf
Editorial Director, Custom Programs
847-577-9032
kegolf@adage.com
C8 Play ball
Despite the economy, fans’ passion for their favorite athletic
activities is driving a boom for sports networks, which are
scrambling to give their viewers what they want on TV and
online 24/7.
Richard K. Skews
Associate Editor
Julie Liesse
News Editor
Nancy Dietz, Nancy Coltun Webster
Section Editors
Barbara Knoll
Copy Editor
Gregory Cohane
Art Director
Kate Costanzo
Production Manager
C9 Brand expansion
The maturing cable industry, built on a strong foundation of
focused channels, is reaping the benefits of networks broadening their appeal. Even niche channels focused on one subject are finding ways to move beyond their traditional target.
