How much does a 10% drop matter in ad rates?
any pros here?
Well, in general, the amount an agency pays for a spot is predicated on a guarantee of a certain audience level. Failure to achieve that rating triggers a situation where the seller must make up for the shortcoming in some way - either refunding some of the price paid or by providing for the airing of additional spots gratis - A.K.A. "make-goods".
The longer lasting effect is that the estimate for future audience goes down. Technically, that would mean that the entity buying airtime has more leverage in cost negotiations and the seller has to justify a higher cost (like taxes, the rates never go down year-to-year). To counter all of that, the network negotiating a fee to air future award telecasts - ANY award telecasts - will bargain harder.
Big Picture - Large advertisers - The GM's, P&G's, Airlines, Banks, Credit Card companies of this world have more and more reasons to put less of their ad dollars into Award shows. Makes it harder on the networks and all of this effects the Network's bottom line.