In Their Prime: Broadcast Spot Costs Soar

Marketers looking to buy time on broadcast television have had to dig a little deeper, as the average cost of a prime-time spot is just shy of $110,000 a pop.

According to analysis by New York independent media agency TargetCast tcm, the average price of a 30-second spot in the first quarter of 2011 was $108,956, up 5 percent from the year-ago period. The percentage increase translates to an average hike of $5,000 per ad. During the 2010-11 season, the most expensive buy on broadcast TV was Fox’s American Idol, which raked in approximately $475,000 per spot, according to media buyers. Close on Idol’s heels was NBC’s Sunday Night Football. The average 30-second spot in the Peacock’s NFL showcase cost around $425,000. Based on rates set in the year-ago upfront bazaar, ABC’s priciest program was Grey’s Anatomy ($225,000 a pop). CBS charged a premium for the Monday night comedy Two and a Half Men ($215,000), while The CW scared up its highest rate with The Vampire Diaries ($75,000).