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The Raleigh-Durham-Fayetteville market moved up one spot to No. 25 among the nation's biggest television markets, Nielsen reports in its annual ranking.
Fueled by the ongoing population boom, this region expanded 2.1 percent to 1.13 million TV households, putting it just ahead of Baltimore, Indianapolis and San Diego.
The latest ranking puts the region into a new realm. Some national advertisers only buy ads in the top 25 markets. As more start buying ads here, it could boost revenue for local stations but also drive up prices for local advertisers.
"The more demand there is, the higher price that inventory potentially becomes," said Donna Mercer, chief operating officer at Howard, Merrell & Partners, a Raleigh ad agency. "Suddenly, the Raleigh-Durham market is going to come up on more advertisers' radar."
Market size is of key interest to all advertisers, who often place campaigns in local media based on the number of TV households.
Local stations, which had been hit hard by the economic downturn, have seen some rebound recently. Political ads tied to the November elections also are providing a temporary boost.
In the latest ranking, Charlotte moved up a notch to No. 23, passing Pittsburgh, Nielsen reported. Among major TV markets, Raleigh was sixth in growth while Charlotte was 10th.
Nielsen's Raleigh market covers more than 20 counties surrounding the Triangle, stretching north to the Virginia border and south to Fayetteville.
Assistant Business Editor Alan M. Wolf joined the N&O in 1999 covering the business of health care. He became an editor in 2001, and helps oversee the paper's daily business coverage and Sunday Work&Money section. He lives in Clayton with his wife and two children. Reach him at 919-829-4572 or