• by Joe Mandese  @mp_joemandese, October 19, 2005

Like their consumer magazine counterparts, ad pages in the business press are eroding. B-to-B ad pages fell 1.0 percent in August versus August 2004--the second consecutive month of ad pages declines, according to estimates released by the Business Information Network, a service of American Business Media. Ad pages declined 4.8 percent in July.

The downturn is symbolic of the slowdown impacting much of the rest of the media marketplace, including consumer magazines, local radio, and TV stations--although online, outdoor, and national TV outlets remain strong.

On a year-to-date basis, B-to-B pages are actually up 1.7 percent.

Gordon Hughes, president-CEO of the ABM, noted that print is only one component of the business media revenues.

"It is also important to remember print is only part of the overall health of the business media portfolio," stated Hughes. "The e-centric and rich data platforms, along with trade shows and events, are also trending upward."

While the ABM does not yet break out digital media sales, it has begun reporting trade show activity, and second-quarter estimates indicate that trade show revenues have risen 2.1 percent during the second quarter of 2005 versus the first quarter of 2004, despite relatively flat attendance. Trade show revenues for the first half rose 3.6 percent.