According to eMarketer's new report, Digital Television 2003, eMarketer forecasts the number of US digital TV households to reach 56.5 million in 2005, up from 38.9 million at the end of 2002. This equates to a rise in digital TV penetration from 35.9% of households in 2002 to 50% in 2005.

According to a new report from Forrester Research, Inc., "US eCommerce Overview: 2003 To 2008," while offline retail sales continue to struggle, online retail will grow at a steady 19 percent year-over-year growth rate, from $95.7 billion in 2003 to $229.9 billion in 2008. Most significant, online retail sales will account for 10 percent of total US retail sales by 2008.

When consumers who have not made online purchases were asked what would persuade them to buy online content, 53 percent cited more secure payment options. Payment security was chosen over price or product-related responses by more than a 2-1 margin.

According to a just-released survey conducted for The New York Times Job Market, nearly half (49%) of job seekers surveyed in the metropolitan New York area say they have changed their methods of pursuing employment to include more creative tactics. The most popular creative job search tactic being used by job seekers is cold calling prospective employers (72%).

The Consumer Confidence Survey conducted for The Conference Board by NFO WorldGroup, declined in July. The Index now stands at 76.6 (1985=100), down from 83.5 in June. The Expectations Index fell to 86.4 from 96.4. The Present Situation Index declined to 61.9 from 64.2.

Total magazine advertising revenue for the month of June increased 8.5% compared to June of last year according to Publishers Information Bureau (PIB). Ad pages for June were down 3.2% from last year. Year-to-date, advertising revenue closed up 9.9%, and ad pages were up 1.8% from last year.

Emarketer reports that the Kelsey Group projects that digital directories' share of the North American Yellow Page market should jump from a mere 2.4% last year to 24% in 2008. The report notes that digital directories are not synonymous with online Yellow Pages, as digital directories include online Yellow Pages, but also encompass mobile yellow page directories, CD-ROM and local search functionality that replicates yellow page search.

Emarketer reports that Harris Interactive and Teenage Research Unlimited surveyed 2,618 people between the ages of 13 and 24 in June for Yahoo! and Carat and found that respondents spend twice as much time per week watching TV as reading books or magazines for pleasure.

Cable has 67% to 105% more users than DSL in the US, according to two recent surveys. Overall, broadband grew by .83% in June, with 36.7% of wired US users enjoying a high-speed connection, he reports

According to the latest findings from Jupiter Research, presented at the Jupiter/ClickZ Advertising Forum in New York City, explosive growth in paid search, increasing almost 50% to $1.6 billion in 2003, will power a modest recovery in online advertising. Jupiter Research released the industry's first independent paid search projections as part of its online advertising forecast that show online display ad sales continuing to shrink 6%, to just over $3 billion. Overall, online advertising will grow 10% this year, to $6.3 billion.