Media Sales Today

A Wall Street Journal report this week predicts national spending on cable advertising will end the year up 12%. While questions remain about the stability of the economy overall, analysts still expect overall growth in the U.S. ad market to be 2% for the year.

Forrester Research is reporting that spending on interactive marketing will increase bit by bit from now until 2016. In 2016, they predict it will encompass 35% of all advertising – which equals almost $80 billion.

While many media types are seeing a slowing in their advertising sales recovery, online advertising continues to grow. While retail continues to lead in online ad spending, automotive is poised to move into the number two position over the next two years.

In December 2010, nearly 95 percent of advertising sales managers projected increased ad revenue in 2011, but a new study shows 76 percent now anticipate increases, and with much lower overall expectations. According to the mid-year update of the AdMall 2011 Local Advertising Sales Forecast, just 1.5 percent of these ad managers anticipated a decline in sales coming into the year, now 16.1 percent project lower numbers.

New data shows automotive ad spending will hit $22.6 billion this year, up 7.2 percent from 2010. That spending should result in increased sales as consumer purchase intent is strong.

More good news on the ad revenue front: If advertisers and marketers do what they say they will, advertising spending should continue to grow this year – and not just in digital and mobile. Just released survey results from Advertiser Perceptions show advertisers and marketers are more optimistic about increasing their ad spending than at any time during the past four years.

Well, I’ll start with the positives – people ARE absorbing the news, even more than before. It’s just the medium that people are using to get their news that’s changed. Yup, you guessed it – more people get their news online. Big shocker.