Radio advertising expenditure in the Philippines remained flat in the first half of this year, while combined ad spend on TV, radio print rose by 5 percent.

The figures are a part of the latest study by Kantar Media, published by local media.

Radio ad spend was down by 0.8 percent to $690,000 (PHP 30.3 million), making up 17.2 percent of the total spend.

Local cleaning products manufacturer, ACS Manufacturing was the leading radio advertiser, having doubled its spending to $60,000 (PHP 2.45 million).

Confectionery business Columbia International Food Products upped its expenditure by 675 percent year-on-year and that of beer brand San Miguel almost tripled.

Overall spending across all mediums reached $4.02 million (PHP 175.6million) in the first six months compared to $3.84 million (PHP 167.9 million)in the same period a year earlier.

Noting that radio remains an important advertising medium, Kantar Media GM Gabril Buluran said earlier this year: “It has retained its effectiveness and potential.  It just has to protect what is already theirs so they won’t be encroached upon by existing or emerging media.”