Ad rates on free-to-air satellite channels in Arab world at their highest level in 2009

The average advertising rate for a free-to-air satellite TV channel in the Arab world is $3,362 for a 30-second advertisement during peak time.

Despite the boom in the supply of FTA channels in the region, few popular channels are emerging; these retain a large share of the region's viewer base and as such, should have a stronger bargaining power with advertisers. The Arab Advisors Group believes that the FTA Sat TV advertising rates are low in the region due to the lack of an agreed-upon audience measuring system that diminishes the bargaining power of the popular TV stations.

Arab Advisors Group's analysis of advertising rates across 35 free-to-air satellite TV channels reveals that FTA satellite TV average ad rates are highest ($3,362) during night time between 21:00 and 22:00 KSA, followed closely by the time interval 22:00 and 23:00 KSA. The average advertising rate for a particular time segment represents the mean advertising rate for a standard 30-second TV commercial spot (known as a TVC) in that time segment throughout the week.

A new report, "Satellite TV Advertising Rates in the Arab World 2009", was released by the Arab Advisors Group on August 2, 2009 to the Strategic Research Service Media subscribers. This report can be purchased from the Arab Advisors Group for only $1,200. The 61-page report, which has 54 detailed exhibits, provides detailed analysis of satellite TV advertising rates across 35 FTA satellite TV channels chosen as a representative sample of the total market.

The choice was also partially based on our surveys' findings with respect to viewership, where the list includes very popular channels as well as much less popular ones. The categories in which the analyzed channels fall under are as follows: Business and Financial Channels, Children's Channels, General Channels, Movies and Series Channels, Music Channels, News and Current Affairs Channels, Religious Channels and Sports Channels. Please contact the Arab Advisors Group to get a copy of the report's Table of Contents. The Arab Advisors Group now avails a secure online payment option for purchasing its reports.

Any investment in this report will count towards an annual Strategic Research Service subscription - Media should the service be acquired within three months from purchasing the report.

Mr. Issa Goussous, Arab Advisors Senior Research Analyst, said:

"In 2007, the rates of major channels appear to have stabilized: slightly above those of 2005 and below those of 2004. In 2009, the peak average advertising rates of major free-to-air satellite channels were 25% higher than that of 2007."

"General channels, Movies and Series and News and Current Affairs channels have the highest average advertising rates amongst the channel types covered in this report. The reasons why these channel types have considerably higher advertising rates than the rest of channels could be attributed to a number of factors such as: high viewership and wide variety of content," Ms. Danya Nusseir, Arab Advisors Senior Research Analyst, commented.

The Arab Advisors Group's team of analysts in the region has produced 1,650 reports on the Arab World's communications and media markets. The reports can be purchased individually or received through an annual subscription to Arab Advisors Group's Strategic Research Services (Media and Telecom). To date, Arab Advisors Group has served 545 global and regional companies by providing reliable research analysis and forecasts of Arab communications markets to these clients.