FMCG cuts hit TV ads: India's broadcast advertising falls 10% in 2025

India's TV ad market saw a 10 per cent drop in 2025 as FMCG firms cut spending amid weak demand; broadcasters like Zee and Sony reported lower ad revenue but expect recovery ahead

Don't want to miss the best from Business Standard?

Television advertising in India is going through a slowdown, with ad volumes falling by 10 per cent in the first nine months of 2025 compared to the same period last year, The Economic Times reported citing data from TAM AdEx.

 

The slowdown has hit television broadcasters hard, with most major networks reporting lower ad revenues. Zee Entertainment saw its advertising income fall 11 per cent to ₹3,591 crore in FY25, while Sony Pictures Networks India’s ad revenue dropped 9 per cent to ₹2,606 crore. Sun TV Network reported a 4 per cent decline to ₹1,440 crore from advertising and slot sales.

 

Executives said the fall reflects a changing viewing pattern as more audiences move to on-demand digital platforms, the news report said.   

FMCG, household products still dominate

 

Despite the pullback in spending, FMCG companies and household brands continued to dominate television advertising. Between January and September, the food and beverages category accounted for 21 per cent of total ad volume, followed by personal care, hygiene, services, household goods and retail. Together, the top ten sectors contributed 88 per cent of all TV advertising, the news report said.

Top advertisers and channel trends

 

According to the report, Hindustan Unilever remained the largest TV advertiser, followed by Reckitt Benckiser India and Godrej Consumer Products. The top 10 advertisers together made up 42 per cent of the total ad volume. While the categories of advertisers stayed largely unchanged, there was a shift in how ad placements were made. 

 

General entertainment channels (GECs) and news channels led with 57 per cent of total ad volume, though news, movie and music channels saw slight declines.

Signs of recovery ahead

 

The news report quoted broadcasters as saying that they remain cautiously optimistic that the slump is easing. Zee Entertainment CEO Punit Goenka said during the company’s second-quarter results that they are emerging from a weak phase where ad yields and inventory consumption had both dropped. The company is now focused on improving both areas to return to growth, he said.

 

JioStar CEO Entertainment Kevin Vaz said that digital ad revenues were showing strong momentum even as TV ads remained under pressure.