A comprehensive survey provided by the Association of Hungarian Electronic Broadcasters (MEME)
Press Release
Conclusive findings of the Television Advertisement Cake Survey, 2023
The Hungarian television advertising market achieved a total revenue level exceeding HUF 81.2 billion in 2023, a result exceeding the total of HUF 74.5 billion achieved by the sector in 2022. Commercial revenues again proved to be the main driving force behind the sector's strong performance.
Representing the most widely known form of traditional television advertising, the “commercial spot” advertising category had a particularly strong year in 2023: revenue levels increased by approximately 12%, providing reliability and predictability for advertisers. Revenues in this category (commercial spot category without barter) exceeded a total of HUF 67 billion in 2023.
Representing innovative new advertising tools, the “commercial non-spot” advertising category has also shown significant growth in 2023. This category still has significant future market potential due to its many advantages when it comes to providing flexibility as well as innovative and creative advertising solutions. Revenues in this category exceeded a total of HUF 4.9 billion in 2023.
In 2023, there has been a 11,65% decrease in total revenues realized from public sector spending in television advertising. Nonetheless, total revenues in this category still exceeded HUF 7.5 billion in 2023.
Last year, overall less emphasis was placed on barter activities in the Hungarian television advertising market than in previous years. Despite a slight increase ( around 5%) in revenues realized from commercial barter transactions compared to the previous year, in 2023, these types of deals only accounted for 1.71% of all revenues realized by market players. This same figure was 2.79% in 2019.
For the first time this year, on behalf of MEME, PwC Hungary assessed and estimated distribution revenues in the Hungarian television media market segment, the basis of which was partly determined by evaluation of factual data provided by MEME's membership and in part determined via the estimation methodology prepared by PwC and experts. The estimation determined distribution revenues totaling HUF 66.1 billion in 2022 and HUF 72.1 billion in 2023. These figures show an annual increase of 9.2%. Distribution revenues accounted for a total of 47% of all revenues realized by market players of the Hungarian television sector.
In 2023, the Hungarian television advertising sector achieved total revenues exceeding HUF 81.1 billion, consequently, the segment successfully maintained its exceptional position within the Hungarian advertising economy.
There are several traditional strengths uniquely identifiable for the television sector approaching it from an advertiser’s perspective. Among these we find the capability to easily reach a wide range of audiences, the constant capability of providing high returns on advertising spendings, as well as providing much needed reliability for advertisers. All of the above mentioned attributes are practical guarantors of unique operational stability and resilience.
As a prime example of aforementioned stability and reliability, we concluded that “spot”-type advertising tools had a very strong year in 2023. The category performed exceptionally both with regards to revenues realized form commercial orders, as well as in terms of revenues realized from advertising spendings of the public sectors.
The “Commercial spot” ad-category has managed to keep a constant growth rate year-on-year since 2020. It even managed to keep growing in 2022, despite an already massive increase in overall TV advertising revenues in 2021, caused by the rapid rebound of the advertising market following the pandemic. The category managed to grow yet again by nearly 11,75% in 2023 compared to 2022. This steady growth rate represents the continuous trust of advertisers in the efficiency of traditional television advertising.
Nowadays, in the field of television advertising, "non-spot" advertising effectively expands the range of tools offered to advertisers with a variety of diverse and creative solutions. In 2023, sales revenue total in this category increased around 6% compared to the previous year.
"Non-spot"-type advertising solutions deserve special attention, as these modern and flexible advertising tools can not only further strengthen television advertising's unique ability to enhance brand awareness, but they can also help advertisers to better target their advertisements. Furthermore, these tools can effectively promote implementation of future creative television advertising campaigns.
As in the previous year, the total revenue level realized from public sector spending continued to decrease in 2023. In 2023, the Hungarian television sector only realized HUF 7.5 billion in sales revenues in this category, compared to the total of HUF 8.5 billion realized in 2022, that represents an overall decrease of 11.6%, which is mainly due to the 25.6% decrease in spot-type advertising activity.
Last year, there was a slight increase in barter income compared to 2022. Despite the fact that market players realized approx. 5% more sales revenue under this category than in the previous year, at the same time, in 2023 barter only represented 1.71% of the total advertising market revenue. This figure was still as high as 2.79% in 2019. The continuous decrease in the overall market share of these barter-type revenues can be evaluated as a positive phenomenon: it is the result of the continuous natural restructuring of the television advertising market, a process that points towards predictability.
It is a significant achievement that the television advertising market was still able to continue to grow in 2023 by 8.59%, taking into account the fact that according to the Hungarian Central Statistical Office, in 2023, consumer prices were up by 17.6% on average compared to the previous year.
Distribution Revenues
For the first time this year, on behalf of MEME, PwC Hungary assessed and estimated distribution revenues in the Hungarian television media market segment, the basis of which was partly determined by evaluation of factual data provided by MEME's membership and in part determined via the estimation methodology prepared by PwC and experts.
The estimation determined distribution revenues totaling HUF 66 billion in 2022 and HUF 72.1 billion in 2023. These figures show an annual increase of 9.2%. Distribution revenues accounted for a total of 47% of all revenues realized by market players of the Hungarian television sector.
To summarize the above, we can conclude that commercial categories remain the real driving force behind the Hungarian television advertising market, both spot, and non-spot categories.
The television media segment continues to have a profoundly positive effect on the performance of other media sectors, it remains stable and crisis-resistant, but at the same time it adequately serves the ever evolving needs of advertisers and consumers alike with a wide variety of flexible and modern advertising solutions.
About the survey
Advertising market survey
The data collection focused on the following main television advertising revenue categories: spot, non-spot, barter, community facility advertisements (CFAs). In accordance with previous years, the report also includes the revenues related to state "TCRs".
A total of 76 TV channels participated in the data collection.
To determine the size of the Hungarian television advertising market, data was provided by television companies and MEME members or sales houses based on their engagements.
The survey does not contain expert estimates, only factual data.
The data was analyzed and compiled by PwC Hungary.
Distribution market survey
For the first time this year, on behalf of MEME, PwC Hungary assessed and estimated the distribution revenues in the Hungarian market, the basis of which was partly determined by the data provided by MEME's membership and partly via the estimation methodology prepared by PwC and experts.
