RAB: Oct. Radio Ads Grow 5%

Fueled by a spillover of political advertising from TV and easy comparisons to last year, radio advertising bounced back from a soft September, growing 5 percent in October, according to figures released Monday (Dec. 4) by the Radio Advertising Bureau. National soared in the month, up 14 percent, while local increased only 2 percent.

Most analysts were expecting an October spike. Some are even suggesting radio's sales pattern is beginning to mimic TV's. "One new development seem radio now has a muted echo of the two-year-cycle that TV has garnering gobs of political in even years and drops in odd years from politically-juiced comps. Political is no longer merely a 'halo' effect on radio, it has an impact," said Jim Boyle, in a recent report for CL King & Associates, who is predicting a more modest 3 percent increase in Nov.

Year-to-date, radio revenue growth is flat, with national up 3 percent and local down 1 percent.

The RAB's monthly revenue estimates are based on an index of more than 150 markets reported by the accounting firm of Miller, Kaplan, Arase & Co.