2011’s Strong Start Couldn’t Last the Year

[Commentary] The year is ending on an up note for television broadcasters. Last week's news that CBS, Fox and NBC had extended their TV rights contracts with the NFL through 2022 shouts that TV broadcasting is still the No. 1 TV medium and will be for a good long while. And many local TV broadcasters might have been in need of a little boost since before that football news, the year has been a little bit of a disappointment.

Not that anybody was expecting big doings from the year, with political advertising in its biennial hibernation. But many thought the economy would really pick up some speed this year, and carry the industry into 2012 without any more bumps and bruises. But it wasn't to be the case. The economy never really did get going, and a lot of auto advertising dollars disappeared after Japan and its auto industry were devastated by the earthquake and tsunami on March 11.