Your Message Here: $100K for "Cavemen"

We’ll close today with a little good news: Despite the shrinking number of viewers, networks are still able to get advertisers to cough up some premium rates to air their commercials.

The most expensive show, of course, remains “American Idol,” reaping $700K for 30-seconds of propagandizing. The article, however, suggests that “AI” will air on Mondays and Tuesdays this season. Which means that it’ll try to kill off ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars,” while avoiding the season’s two new hits (“Private Practice” and “Bionic Woman”) on Wednesday, when the results show used to appear. (This may be a mistake, and I’m already checking into it.)

Speaking of “Private Practice,” it’s the priciest new show for advertisers, at $255K. “PP’s” mothership, “Grey’s Anatomy,” is the second most-expensive show to peddle your wares in, costing $465K. Last week, “Grey’s Anatomy” placed second to “CSI,” which charges $290K to place your 30-second spot of a female robot discharging a keg of beer from her midsection. So "Grey's Anatomy" seems a rather costly bauble by comparison.

There are a few disparities: “House” would seem to be a veritable bargain – one of the highest-rated shows (particularly when following “AI,”) a spot there costs but $290K, while advertising in “Heroes,” “The Simpsons” and “24,” all lower-rated series, costs between $300K and $330K.

And “Cavemen?” Those willing to p!ss away a hundred large can plant any auto-insurance spot they want in its timeslot.

“Nashville,” already cancelled, was the cheapest show in which to advertise, at $60K. Of course, you get what you pay for.