Station Websites to Make $1.3 Billion in 2009

According to Borrell Associates and the Television Bureau of Advertising, TV stations' Websites reached the $1 billion mark in revenue for the first time last year, a 36% gain over 2007, and are on course to do $1.3 in business this year. Despite the dismal economy, that represents a 26% boost over 2008. Borrell said there's ample room for continued growth. The local advertising pie across all media was $12.6 billion in 2008, with local television's $1.03 billion haul a fraction of that. Broadcast TV's 8.3% of the local online ad share was well behind the newspaper category's 27.7% share and pure-play Internet's 47.2%. But Borrell said many stations are taking the fight to the ailing newspaper category online. In 22 of the 80 markets surveyed, a station site drew more traffic than the big newspaper site.