Nielsen released their market ranks for the 2009-2010 years and it is not good news for South Florida.
The Miami-Fort Lauderdale market which ranked as low as 15th in size just a few years ago moves to 17th, from its current place of 16th, for the 2009-2010 market ranks. That bump is thanks to Denver, Colorado which saw an increase in households that help move it to 16th largest TV market from it’s current 18th place. Nielsen estimates that in a year Miami-Ft Lauderdale has lost 8,830 households while Denver, CO gained 15,170 households in the same year.
West Palm Beach-Ft. Pierce market saw a gain of around 3,350 households compared to the 2008-2009 time period, but not sufficient enough to move it from its current position of 38th.
Another TV market in Florida to experience a drop in rank is Tampa-St Pete, moving to 14th from 13th place. Tampa is trading places with Seattle-Tacoma (sorry for contributing to the growth of Seattle, didn’t mean). Seattle, Nielsen estimates, has gained 14,020 households in a year while Tampa area lost 16,350! Fort Myers lost two rank and moved from 62nd to 64th while Tallahassee, FL lost a rank causing it to move to 106th from a 105th place. Orlando and Jackonville remain at 19th and 47th respectively.
Miami’s market rank drop (as well as everyone else’s) is bound to have an effect on the already fragile advertising market. The market rank in which a station operates has at least some influence on what that station can charge for its airtime.
Also, the only markets to lose households in the top 30 were all in Florida. Tampa and Miami are also two of four markets in the top 100 Nielsen says declined due to ‘domestic migration’. New Orleans on the other hand saw a 5% increase in households.
Overall the number of TV households increased by 400,000 to 114.9 million but Nielsen says this is the smallest increase in a decade.
Miami-Ft Lauderdale:
08/09 – 1,546,920 households
09/10 – 1,538,090
loss of 8,830 households
West Palm Beach – Ft. Pierce
08/09 776,080 households
09/10 779,430
gain of 3,350 households
Seattle-Tacoma:
08/09 1,819,970 households
09/10 1,833,990
gain of +14,020
Tampa-St Pete:
08/09 1,833,990 households
09/10 1,822,160
loss of 16,350 households
Nielsen’s local TV market estimates [pdf link]
West Palm gained?
“West Palm Beach – Ft. Pierce
08/09 779,430 households
09/10 776,080
gain of 3,350 households”
That’s a loss!
But they dont look at potential viewers. Nearly all Miami-Ft. Lauderdale Stations have access to almost a million more people in Palm Beach, and ad agencies know this. SAme can be said for stations in west Palm beach (particularly 5, 12, and 29) which can all be reached as far as downtown Miami.
Oh and Technically admin, you are using terminology incorrectly. This would be an example of their rank going down. When you use the word rank you go backwards. Their rank going up means going towards #1. Also I think you have the #s messed up there. Look at the post LL made above mine.
Know you are well intentioned admin, but you’re post is incorrect. Markets want to go down in rank (from #14 to #13 for example), that’s the goal so they can command higher ad rates on national buys based on their market size. This is not good news for Miami-Ft Lauderdale – not the end of the world but not a plus for sure.
I come here for insider info, not math tests! Oy!
what happens when i’m watching my work and blogging at 4am… post amended
and Chuck good thing you don’t because I hated math and it shows 😀
Look at the nielson pdf again. West Palm Beach lost viewers. you fixed the wrong thing and made your own statistics inaccurate.
YOu know I was thinking this still seems strange. Palm Beach County alone has 1.5 Million people and the Treasure Coast was roughly over 100,000. Miami-Dade has over 2.5 Million and Broward has nearly 2 Million. How can THAT many people be without television sets??? That just doesen’t seem right.
“How can THAT many people be without television sets???”
Because they look at households and not people?
It still doesent make sense.
It will get worse and worse as the 4 local aired stations get more and more liberal and gay with their broadcasting. I hear it from people everyday that they are watching less and less of local TV. Channel 39 is one of the worst offenders, how much gayer can they get ?? The other 4 locals are getting so liberal with not only their broadcasts, but also their online sites and of coarse their national news !!!!