‘Survivor’ Finale on CBS Boosts Ad Rates

As millions of fans count down to the last episode of the CBS hit series “Survivor,” eager to see which castaway wins $1 million, companies are lining up to spend more than half that for each of the prime 30-second spots during the show’s finale. CBS’ hit has attracted more than 30 million viewers, boosting ratings at the network, while helping to drive up revenue at CBS parent Viacom Inc. CBS says some advertisements during Wednesday’s finale are going for as much as $600,000 for 30 seconds. An official at a media-buying company said the price was about double the going rate for an ad on ABC’s hit “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” game show. For Viacom, which acquired CBS earlier this year, the show helped to boost revenue by 13% on a pro-forma basis to $5.8 billion in its second quarter. It reported a loss for the period because of charges related to the acquisition.