Ad Spending Strong in First Half
By Staff -- graphic arts online, 10/1/2003
NEW YORK CITY—The U.S. advertising market exhibited strong growth in the first half of 2003, with ad expenditures reaching $61.6 billion, an increase of 6.8% compared to the first half of 2002, according to TNS Media Intelligence/CMR, a firm that tracks advertising expenditures.
TNS Media Intelligence/CMR reports that print advertising posted a strong gain of 8.6% to reach $25.8 billion in the first half of the year, compared to the same period last year. At the same time, ad spending in the broadcasting sector increased 4.7% to $31.3 billion.
The firm's findings revealed that 15 out of 16 measured media categories experienced growth, with six—including local newspapers, consumer magazines, cable TV, Internet, syndication, and Spanish-language TV—showing double-digit percentage gains compared to the first half of 2002.
"These first-half results are further evidence that the ad recovery is well underway and that 2003 will be a very healthy year for the advertising marketplace," reports Steven Fredericks, president and chief executive of TNS Media Intelligence/CMR.
He says automotive, packaged goods, and entertainment advertisers led spending in the first half of 2003.
| Category | First Half 2002 | First Half 2003 | % Change |
| Newspapers (local) | $9,623.0 | $10,715.4 | 11.4% |
| Consumer magazines | $7,770.2 | $8,589.9 | 10.5% |
| B-to-B magazines | $4,263.5 | $4,339.5 | 1.8% |
| National newspapers | $1,413.5 | $1,428.0 | 1.0% |
| Sunday magazines | $615.5 | $661.5 | 7.5% |
| Local magazines | $148.6 | $154.5 | 3.9% |
| Total for print | $23,834.2 | $25,888.8 | 8.6% |
