In June 2024, an individual who had served as VP/GM of WSIL-TV in the Cape Girardeau, Mo.-Paducah, Ky.-Carbondale, Ill. market joined the ABC affiliate serving Indianapolis owned by The E.W. Scripps Co. With sales experience that includes key roles at KUSI-TV in San Diego and KSDK-TV in St. Louis, Charlie Grisham has become one of the nation’s most outspoken advocates for local television consumption and advertising.
Now he has a message for skittish local businesses: ‘Big Tech’ is investing hundreds of millions of dollars in advertising, so they should follow their lead because local TV works.
Grisham has taken this message and developed an entire marketing campaign focused on this singular message: If the “GAFAN” group of companies such as Amazon and Apple are putting money into television advertising, that’s a bold and powerful statement as to the power of TV.
On LinkedIn earlier this week, Grisham shared the following statistics:
- Amazon invested more than $550 million on television ads in 2024 alone
- Apple placed some $333 million in TV ads
- Meta’s investment in television advertising totaled $120 million in 2024
“They are the same tech giants who dominate digital advertising,” Grisham notes.
So why then are they using TV? “Because they know TV works.”
As Grisham sees it, television advertising is the “not-so-secret weapon” of “Big Tech” companies.
“When Amazon shows up on TV, they’re buying trust, not just reach,” he says. “TV remains the most trusted media platform — earning 56% more consumer trust than digital. And, the average TV session is 47 minutes of focused attention. Here in Indianapolis, WRTV delivers that same powerful impact for local brands. They can benefit from a trusted local news platform reaching engaged Central Indiana viewers, and a premium environment alongside national brands.”
Thus, Grisham says local brands can benefit from digital plus TV integration, which can amplify one’s entire marketing strategy.
While “Big Tech” budgets are enormous, Grisham stresses that local brands simply need the right strategy and partner to invest in over-the-air television campaigns. And, in a move that sets WRTV apart from many of its peers, Grisham has created a website tied to the station expressly for advertising opportunities.
At www.advertiseonwrtv.com, potential advertisers can learn how to grow their business “by connecting them with their most valuable customers through custom data-driven advertising.” This is done under one simple mantra: We’re Growth Experts. We Get It.
“WRTV’s expert marketing team combines television and digital products to help advertisers achieve their goals,” it says. “By leveraging cutting-edge technologies, we ensure your message reaches the right audience effectively.” The station’s multi-platform delivery and accessibility is also played up, while a Connected TV opportunity through Scripps Ads+ is also noted. Is OTT in the advertiser’s mix? Scripps Octane OTT “provides reach, targeting and measurement through direct placements,” WRTV’s advertiser website notes.
Then, there is the consumer WRTV website, and how Scripps Hyperlocal Targeting is allowing advertisers to reach local customers “with pinpoint precision.” This opens up a brand’s marketing mix to both location and audience targeting in the broadcast television ecosystem.
With a team of 15 under the direction of Grisham and Senior Director of Sales Tony Hoffman, WRTV is taking an aggressive push to drive revenue at a station that has been a ratings laggard against TEGNA’s WTHR-13 and Nexstar Media Group’s WTTV-4 and WXIN-59. With station managers being asked more and more to drive revenue, Grisham’s efforts perhaps best illustrate the fight all of broadcast TV has ahead — and how to win the battle of the budgets.
Two days after his LinkedIn post, a Jackson, Miss., media professional noted how in his market local media is competing against Smart TV apps and that’s a challenge.
Grisham’s reply? “Local wins because they have TRUST.”
With that gusto and confidence, WRTV just may be on the right road for future-proofing its revenue avenue.
