Newspaper advertising expenditures for the first quarter of 2002 totaled $9.7 billion, a decrease of 6.2% from the same period the year before, according to preliminary estimates from the Newspaper
Association of America. The latest figures show a gradual improvement in several categories and a less severe decline from the previous quarter, when spending fell 11.9%.
Retail advertising in the
first quarter slipped 0.8% to $4.6 billion, national advertising was down 3.5% to $1.7 billion, and classified advertising declined 13.6% to $3.5 billion.
"The ad community is slowly regaining its
footing as the economy continues to show gradual improvement," said NAA President and CEO John F. Sturm. "What hasn't changed is that newspapers remain a highly valued and trusted resource to readers,
and that will continue to make them an attractive vehicle for advertisers."
Within the classified category in the first quarter, automotive rose 4.7% to $1.1 billion. Real estate continued to
increase, gaining 2.8% to $766 million. All other classified ads were up 6.6% to $546 million. Recruitment advertising dropped 38.4% to $1.0 billion.
"We are seeing sequential improvement in all
our major advertising categories as the overall economy picks up," said NAA Vice President of Market and Business Analysis Jim Conaghan. "That is demonstrated by the fact that three of the four
classified categories are now positive."