The 10 TV Shows with the Highest Ad Rates
$209,700 for a 30-second ad
This may be the fall’s big breakout hit, at least when it comes to ad prices. The drama is the only new TV show to make the top 10, and advertisers were on the money when they plunked down big bucks for this untested show, which drew more than 10 million viewers in its debut. The show stars “Thor” actress Jaimie Alexander as a mysterious woman covered in tattoos that each contain a clue to a crime.
NBC
$224,509 per 30-second ad
Now in its fifth season, ABC’s “Scandal” is still going strong. In fact, the drama’s ad rates improved this year, thanks to ratings that gained in the previous season. The critics also approve of this show, which has won Primetime Emmy Awards, Golden Globe Awards and more.
ABC
$233,720 per 30-second ad
NBC’s singing competition is still riding high with advertisers, despite entering its 9th season on the network. While the show hasn’t hit the same ratings high notes as in its third and fourth seasons, the competition drew a respectable 11.6 million viewers to its season finale last May.
NBC
$239,993 per 30-second ad
ABC’s award winning comedy just kicked off its seventh season, after consistently ranking as a critical and commercial hit. With its debut earlier this month, the network said the family sitcom is still going strong, drawing 9.3 million viewers. Its loyal audience has translated into steady ad rates.
ABC.jpg)
$240,502 Per 30-Second Ad
With the rise of reality and competition shows, some networks have used the tactic of airing two episodes per week of popular series, such as NBC’s “The Voice.” So why does the same show receive higher ad rates on one day of the week? Often that comes down to viewer patterns and ratings.
While this season’s two weekly airings of “The Voice” may seem like overkill to some viewers, it’s far fewer than in the program’s third season, when NBC occasionally scheduled the show to appear on four weekday nights.
Kevin Winter
$252,934 for a 30-second ad
This ABC drama is one of the big winners in the new television season, with its 30-second ad rate jumping 73 percent from last year. It’s the first time the show has cracked the top 10 in Advertising Week’s survey.
The series stars Viola Davis as a law professor who, while working with a group of students, becomes involved in a murder plot. Davis this year became the first African-American woman to win an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.
ABC
$348,300 per 30-second ad
This CBS comedy has ranked as one of the most expensive TV shows for years but it’s come down a little in the world. The sitcom ranks fourth this year, down from third in last year’s survey. Still, the show has gained viewers during its eight previous seasons on air, drawing 19.1 million viewers last year.
CBS
$464,625 Per 30-Second Ad
Football is increasingly valuable for two reasons: Lots of Americans watch it, and they want to watch it live. The latter is increasingly important in the digital age, given that more viewers are taping or streaming shows, which increases the chance they’ll skip the ads.
CBS’ “Thursday Night Football” has slipped one spot from last year, but still ranks among the most expensive nights on TV.
CBS
$497,364 for a 30-second ad
The surprise entry to the list is Fox’s “Empire.” It not only ranks as the second most expensive show this fall, but it holds the highest ad rate for a drama since “Grey’s Anatomy” averaged $419,000 in the 2007-08 season, according to Advertising Age.
“Empire” — called “the first great hip-hop soap opera” by Rolling Stone — stars Terrence Howard as the head of Empire Entertainment, a music company. Positive critical reviews and an addictive plot have helped this drama gain viewers — and advertisers.
Fox
$603,000 per 30-second ad
The big daddy of them all, “Sunday Night Football” continues to reign supreme. The NBC broadcast not only draws huge audiences, but rabid fans who want to watch the game live, which is increasingly valuable to advertisers who are worried about ad skipping in the age of DVR playback and streaming.
NBC