-By Katy Bachman

Taking advantage of a soft ad market, Nexstar launched Monday (Oct. 12) a campaign promoting the advantages of advertising on local TV stations. The campaign, “101 Reasons TV Advertising Works,” is airing across the company’s 63 TV stations in 33 markets.

To target advertisers, :10 to :20 spots are customized for the specific market and station.

TV stations have taken huge hits this year, posting double-digit revenue declines. At the halfway point, spot TV was down 26.3 percent, according to a Television Bureau of Advertising analysis of TNS Media Intelligence data.

So what better time to promote the medium?

“With the challenging economic climate affecting local businesses, it is important for broadcasters to aggressively advocate for the benefits of local television as the advertising platform and medium that consistently delivers the best results. Studies show that television is the most effective method for businesses to connect with local customers. So we are going to use our medium to promote the benefits of our medium,” said Perry Sook, president and CEO of Nexstar.

The spots are also posted on the TV group’s Web site.