Ad Spending

Third Quarter Ad Spending Drops

Newspaper advertising expenditures for the third quarter of 2001 totaled $10.6 billion, a decrease of 10.3 percent from the same period last year, according to preliminary estimates from the Newspaper Association of America (NAA). By comparison, total newspaper advertising in the third quarter last year was up 4.3 percent.

Retail advertising in the third quarter fell 3.8 percent to $4.9 billion. National advertising was down 10.8 percent to $1.7 billion, and classified advertising slid 17.1 percent to nearly $4 billion.

Total advertising in newspapers for the first nine months was $32 billion, down 7.8 percent from the same period last year.

"This is about what we expected after recent, tragic events dealt another blow to an already slumping economy," said NAA President and CEO John F. Sturm. "Newspapers have proven their importance to both readers and advertisers during recent months, and the industry has positioned itself for recovery as the country returns to business and the economy picks up steam."

Within the classified category in the third quarter, real estate continued to show strength, gaining 18.8 percent to $929 million. Automotive declined 5.5 percent to $1.1 billion, recruitment sank 39.1 percent to $1.3 billion and all other classifieds were down 10 percent to $623 million.