Advertisers jump on board live TV

[SOURCE: USAToday, AUTHOR: Laura Petrecca]
Broadcast TV's biggest live events are bigger than ever with advertisers. In a world of ad-zapping digital video recorders, cable video-on-demand and ad-free TV off the Internet, the live Super Bowl and Oscars are among the last examples of appointment TV. Such big sports and award shows are “TiVo-proof programming,” says Sam Armando, TV research director at ad-buying firm Starcom. People want to watch these pop-culture events in real time — to be in-the-know and to not spoil the ending, he says. Like most network TV, the two have had some viewership erosion: 4% for last year's Super Bowl vs. 2004, 3% for the Academy Awards. Still, just under 90 million viewers are expected for the Super Bowl, more than 40 million for the Academy Awards. That bulk plus DVR immunity means ad rates aren't eroding. ABC is getting an average $2.5 million for 30 seconds in the Feb. 5 Super Bowl, up from $2.4 million last year. For 30 seconds in the March 5 Oscars, ABC is pulling in $1.7 million, up 6%. “Mass TV audiences are quickly becoming a rarity, so events like the Super Bowl will always be important for advertisers,” says Ben Macklin, an analyst at trend tracker eMarketer. “Live TV seems to be the new prime time, with DVR users far less likely to skip ads and record programs for later viewing.”
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/money/20060126/1b_mustseetv26.art.htm