Observed Signal · May 20, 2026 · Market Data Release · Source: DWDL · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Negative
Gross Ad Market Down Slightly in April; Print Collapses
Nielsen published gross advertising figures for April showing total gross ad revenues of €2.75 billion, a 1.0% decline versus April 2025. The report reveals divergent performance across media: the print sector fell sharply (-10.2%), with newspapers down 11.8%. TV marketers recorded a modest decline (-1.2%) while radio was nearly flat (-0.2%). Digital (excluding Social, Search and YouTube) grew strongly (+9.1%), and outdoor advertising led gains with +9.5%. Cinema rose 2.7% but accounted for only about €9 million in gross revenues. Nielsen also listed Goldvertise Media separately for the first time: Goldvertise posted roughly €10 million in gross ad revenues in April, up 31.2% year-on-year. The article cites individual TV sales houses’ April performances: Seven.One Media -3.6%, Ad Alliance -1.6%, and El Cartel Brothers +5.9%.
Nielsen's month-level gross advertising figures provide timely market signals across channels (print collapse, digital and OOH growth) that influence media planning, revenue forecasts and publisher/sales strategies.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Total gross advertising revenues in April: €2.75 billion (Nielsen).
- April 2026 vs April 2025: overall market down 1.0%.
- Print sector fell 10.2% year-on-year; newspapers down 11.8%.
- Online (excluding Social, Search and YouTube) grew 9.1%; Out-of-Home grew 9.5%.
- Goldvertise Media reported ~€10 million in April gross revenues, +31.2% year-on-year.
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TV Up in May; Radio and Newspapers Decline
Nielsen’s latest gross advertising figures show the total German ad market reached €3.03 billion in May 2026, a 2.8% increase year‑on‑year, driven mainly by TV. Television ad revenues rose 4.5% to €1.39 billion, making TV the strongest performer and narrowing its year‑to‑date loss to 0.2% versus 2025. Newspapers and radio suffered: newspapers fell 7.8% in May and are down 3.2% year‑to‑date, while radio dropped 6.1% in May and is down 3.5% year‑to‑date. Outdoor and online publishers grew in May by 7.5% and 12.8% respectively. Cinema revenue, though small at €12.5 million in May, surged about 140% compared with May 2025. Among TV sales houses, Ad Alliance posted +9.3% in May while Seven.One Media recorded −2.2%. Nielsen figures are based on list prices and exclude discounts and barter.
TV Sales Houses Under Heavy Pressure in July
Nielsen reported total gross advertising revenues of €2.42 billion across all media in July 2026, down 1.2% year-on-year. The decline was driven mainly by a 7.3% drop in TV gross ad revenues. Major commercial broadcaster groups were hit hardest: ProSiebenSat.1 / Seven.One Media fell 11.6% and RTL / Ad Alliance declined 6.6%. Public broadcasters were mixed (ARD Media +6.9%, ZDF Werbefernsehen -3.8%). The smaller sales house El Cartel Brothers recorded roughly €139 million in gross revenues, down 3.0% year-on-year. Other channels showed stronger growth: online (excluding Social, Search and YouTube) +13.6%, outdoor +4.2%, and cinema +14.0% (though cinema remains small in absolute terms). Nielsen figures are based on list prices and do not account for discounts or barter.
German Gross Ad Spend in May: TV Up, Print Collapses
Germany's gross advertising expenditures in May 2026 totaled €3.03 billion (gross), according to data cited from Nielsen and reported by Horizont. Linear TV spot volume rose noticeably in May, driven in part by early World Cup-related campaign activity, while demand for print advertising weakened sharply. The article, written by Marco Saal and published on 2026-06-17, frames the month as a rebound for TV and a continued deterioration for the print market, shifting the media mix toward broadcast video formats.
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