Andy DehnartAmerican Idol 5 has broken a television record by selling a 30-second ad for $705,000, the most expensive 30-second commercial ever for “a regularly scheduled prime-time network series,” Adweek reports.
That’s the average price for an ad during the Wednesday elimination episode; the Tuesday performance ads are going for $660,000. Thus, “For the second year in a row, the Tuesday and Wednesday editions of American Idol are the most expensive shows on network TV,” Adweek reports.
In other reality TV shows, ads for The Apprentice: Martha Stewart are going for $310,000. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition ads are $355,000, which is twice what they were last year. Wife Swap is a cheap $105,000. And America’s Next Top Model ads are going for $118,000.
Survivor dropped its prices, but remains the most expensive CBS show at $350,000 per 30-second commercial. Since “The Apprentice also fell in the ratings last year, and the price dropped 13 percent to $350,000,” according to Adweek.
Overall, Adweek says this marks “the third in a row in which the most expensive network series is a reality show.” So yes, reality TV is totally dead.