Internet Ad Spending To Overtake Radio Revs

US Internet ad spending is on the verge of passing radio advertising for the first time this year. According to a report on Forbes.com, radio ad spending in the US is expected to increase 1.5% in 2007, to $20.4 billion, behind online ad spending of $21.7 billion. Internet ad spending is up 22% from 2006. This is according to a report by eMarketer analyst Ben Macklin.

In his report, Macklin points to a bright side, that over the next few years radio station web sites and online audio advertising "will be the principal drivers for radio advertising growth."

And, Macklin continues, "There are many synergies between radio and the Internet and, for the most part, they complement rather than compete with each other. Advertisers should not abandon radio in favor of the web but combine the two media to take advantage of the unique attributes of each."

(I just had to post this because the department I was in while in radio was telling upper management that this was real — alas, to no avail. gw)