• The New York Times, Tuesday, December 5, 2006 11 AM

The ad forecast season is well underway. Yesterday, a flood of forecasts came across our desks from industry analysts and research and consulting firms. Their numbers and prognostications vary, but all point to one glaring fact: 2007 should be a poor year for traditional media.

We don't worry about that here, because the online forecast continues to be rosy. Indeed, in a big way, the Internet will help carry the ad industry's overall growth next year to be between 2% and 5%, according to an average compiled by the New York Times. While this is a lower number than the projected 3% to 6% this year, 2006 was a World Cup, Olympics and election year--all bumped up advertising.

The forecasters peg the percentage gain in Web growth in the high-double digits for next year, while TV, radio and newspapers will either see slowing growth or flat year-to-year ad revenue and, most likely, on-going audience declines. Zenith Optimedia expects Internet ad spending to grow 29% from 2006.

Read the whole story at The New York Times »