Once again, the Online Publishers Association has delivered on providing the industry with research that is likely to be used to every “The Web Should be Part of Your Media Plan” presentation from here to eternity (or at least until the next research study comes out).

Sorry to end the week on a depressing note, but every time I dare to think the online ad industry is beginning to show signs of maturity, something happens to prove me wrong, Yesterday, the Audit Bureau of Circulations folded in its interactive unit, ABCi.

No surprisingly, most of the world was talking about AOL’s financial woes yesterday, with brief mentions of Expedia adding a $5 charge per airline ticket sold through its site. What I found a lot more interesting was the announcement from RealNetworks Inc. and cable movie channels group Starz Encore, who promised to launch an Internet movie-on-demand service in the spring.

Everyone is talking about it, so I suppose I’m expected to. Here goes.

I don’t know why I tend to favor eMarketer over all other forecasters, but I do know that when they say things are going to get better for the online advertising market, I believe them. Maybe it’s because they don’t sugarcoat anything and actually take the time to analyze every bit of data out there. Take yesterday, for example: their just-released Interactive Marketing: Stats, Strategies and Trends report says that after two straight years of decreasing sales, US online advertising will begin recovering next year, but the recovery will be SLOW.

The country has spent the last few days eating and shopping, and that’s good news for e-tailers and the web in general.