Advertising Market Overview - Television advertising volume in India fell 10% year-on-year in the first nine months of 2025, reflecting a broader slowdown in the advertising market due to FMCG companies cutting back on budgets owing to muted consumer demand [1][8] - Broadcaster revenues remained under pressure in 2024-25, with Zee Entertainment reporting an 11% drop in advertising income to ₹3,591 crore, Sony Pictures Networks India posting a 9% decline to ₹2,606 crore, and Sun TV Network's revenue falling 4% to ₹1,440 crore [1][9] Sector Performance - The food and beverages sector was the top advertiser category, contributing 21% of total ad volume, followed by personal care and hygiene, services, household products, and retail [3][9] - The top ten sectors accounted for 88% of total TV ad volume, indicating the continued dominance of consumer-centric categories [3] Advertising Strategies and Trends - Despite reduced spending, FMCG and household product categories continued to dominate TV ad volume, reinforcing television's role as a mass reach medium for large consumer brands [2][8] - General entertainment channels (GECs) and news channels attracted the most advertising, together accounting for 57% of total ad volume, with a slight shift in placement strategies observed [9] Future Outlook - Industry executives express cautious optimism that the worst of the slowdown is over, with efforts underway to improve advertising yields and inventory consumption [7][9] - JioStar CEO noted strong growth in digital ad sales, while TV entertainment sales face pressure due to FMCG budget cuts, but anticipates improvement in upcoming quarters with GST rate cuts [8][9]