Internet ad spending grew 34% to hit a record high of $16.8 billion in 2006--with fourth-quarter spending the highest quarter to date, reported the Interactive Advertising Bureau Wednesday in its
estimate of the year's spending based on data collected by PricewaterhouseCoopers for the top 15 online ad sellers. In the traditionally strong fourth quarter, the IAB said, Internet advertising
totaled an estimated $4.8 billion--up 32% over the period for the previous year, and a 15% increase over the third quarter of 2006. The final year-end report is due for release in April. Other recent
forecasts, while bullish, have forecast a slowdown in advertising growth rates. -- Laurie Petersen
