Advertisement market of news channels is expected to grow by 13 per cent this year and cross Rs 1,800 crore mark with the next level of growth likely to be witnessed in regional and local markets, a study has claimed.

According to the study conducted by the Media Lab of Centre for Media Studies (CMS), the size of TV news advertisement market has increased 16 times in the last 10 years from Rs 100 crore in 2000 to Rs 1,600 crore last year.

"India has witnessed an explosive and unparalleled growth of news channels in the last decade. The number of TV channels has increased 48 times in nine years. Phenomenal growth of news channels has resulted in the expansion of viewership and advertisement market size," it said.

The study estimated that the TV news advertisement market is expected to grow by 13 per cent this year and cross Rs 1,800 crore, Prabhakar, the head of CMS Media Lab, said.

"This estimate is arrived at by collecting the projections from top advertisement agencies and news channels.
We took the average of conservative and liberal projections. Inflation and the economy recovering from recession are also considered in arriving at this estimate," he said.

The study said that the 2009 Lok Sabha elections came as a boon for news channels as political advertisements brought in a considerable amount of revenue for the channels.