Repeats of Viacom's Struggles Head for Disney, Time Warner

The close of the election season also means the end of the extensive advertising that has saturated the airwaves for months. The major media companies are probably wishing it could go on a bit longer, if only to help their bottom lines. The economic downturn has cut into advertising budgets of many a company, and analysts expect that to be reflected when Time Warner reports earnings Wednesday and Walt Disney releases its results Thursday. Advertising is hardly the only source of revenue for these companies, as it accounts for less than 25% of revenue at each of these media giants, but the decline is expected to be substantial.