Chicago: Good deals available on TV

Chicago is an active, healthy market heading into 2013, but it’s not sold out and there are deals available on both television and radio.

TV in Chicago has quieted after a busy 2012, when inventory was in high demand with the Summer Olympics, the November elections and a number of large advertisers returning to the market.

But buyers say that though the market was tight this year, they have still been able to get most clients on the air.

“The scatter market has had inventory, so Chicago isn’t seeing any trickle-down from a sold-out market,” says Claudia Eggan, broadcast director at Haworth Marketing + Media. “You have to wonder if companies are holding back spending in the midst of the budget battle going on in Washington.”

Pricing for 2013 is generally flat year-to-year, and buyers are locking in favorable rates with annual buys.

But there is one thing that could cause a ripple in the market in early 2013: A special primary and election to fill the U.S. House seat vacated by Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.

The actual election will likely be in March, but the bulk of the political spending is expected to come leading up to the Feb. 26 primary, when each party chooses its nominee.

The area is heavily Democratic, and whoever wins the Democratic nomination is expected to win the general election. Democratic candidates are thus expected to spend heavily for the primary.

Chicago radio, meanwhile, is much like TV. The market is healthy but not sold out. Categories driving spending include healthcare, financial (banks, financial planning and insurance), automotive, retail and restaurants.

“I really think it’s a healthy market,” says Marge Pistulka, senior broadcast specialist at Empower MediaMarketing. “With automotive becoming more active in the market it’s definitively seeing some resurgence, but not crazy and sold out where I can’t get any clients on the air.”

For 2013, radio stations are pricing aggressively in an attempt to lure in advertisers, and buyers who lock in spots early won’t have inventory issues. But those who wait too long can expect to pay higher rates, if they’re able to get on the air at all.

That was the case this year, when radio was often quite tight despite the fact that it saw little political spending.

“There had been some weeks where radio was sold out and stations weren’t even offering bump rates,” Pistulka says. “Some weeks big clients came in, and [all] at the same time, so there were some issues with inventory.”

There are many competitive radio stations in Chicago, but in November the elections gave the news/talk format a boost.

Three of the top six stations for November were news/talk stations, led by CBS Radio’s WBBM-AM, which tied for No. 1 with a 5.5 portable people meter rating, according to Arbitron.

Also among the top six were Tribune’s WGN-AM (4.5 rating) and Cumulus Media’s WLS-AM (4.1 rating).

Tags: buyers, chicago, chicago advertising, chicago radio advertising, chicago tv advertising, election, local advertising, market profile, political, political advertising, political spending, radio, tv, WBBM, WLS, WMAQ