A new report by SNL Kagan predicts local television ad revenue will grow 5% to 7% in 2010, and says that number may end up higher if the automotive and political categories fare well.

So far this year, automotive advertising has been up, showing what Kagan (via MediaBuyerPlanner.com) calls “significant signs of life.” The recent Supreme Court decision on political advertising gives corporations and unions the ability to advertise around issues and candidates. Since television tends to be where a lot of political ad dollars go, local stations – especially in battleground states – may get a big windfall.

Looking long-term, Kagan predicts that overall TV ad dollars will be $3 billion less in 2013 than it was in 2006. But let’s be honest, things have changed, and no one necessarily expects things to return to pre-recession levels. The way to look at these numbers is to focus on the good news that 2013 revenue is predicted to be $21.7 billion versus $19 billion in 2009.