Discount airline web sites are receiving increasing visits from US Internet users, and travel research is less inclined to be initiated from a search engine than it was a year ago, according to a new study by Hitwise. Bill Tancer, Vice President of Research at Hitwise, said "The data indicates that consumers are becoming more sophisticated in their online travel shopping. Having gained familiarity with the top online travel agencies, hotel sites, and airline sites, they are less likely to initiate travel research and purchasing from a search engine."

Newspaper advertising expenditures for the third quarter of 2004 totaled $11.3 billion, a 3.8 percent increase over the same period a year earlier, according to preliminary estimates from the Newspaper Association of America. Classified advertising led the way with a 4.3 percent spending increase to $4.0 billion. National ad spending increased 3.9 percent to $2.0 billion and retail spending rose 3.5 percent to $5.3 billion.

A deep look at toys and games online with top sites, advertisers, user demographics and ad sizes and delivery styles.

In the more than 80 metropolitan markets surveyed regularly by The Media Audit, the 50 plus age group is increasing in numbers, increasing in affluence, increasingly better educated and spending more time shopping online. The 80 plus metro markets surveyed have a combined adult population of more than 130 million and 47.4 million are age 50 plus. "The (50+) group has grown," says Bob Jordan, president of International Demographics, "from 35.6 percent of the adults in our metro markets in 2000 to 36.4 percent in 2003. Although that rate of growth is not significant, it is steady and will continue."

A new study conducted for the American Advertising Federation (AAF) reveals that More than three-quarters of advertising leaders now believe that digital video recorders (DVR), which allow viewers to skip ads, will have a significant effect on the landscape of TV advertising, with continued growth of non-traditional ad formats.

The November Consumer Intentions Study by BIGresearch, finds that, after peaking for the year in the months leading up to the election, worry about political and national security issues has lowered three points in November to 24.6%, and those who say they are very confident/confident in the chances for a strong economy in the next 6 months rose slightly in November to 45.4%.

A detailed look at current events and global news sites with demographics, ad styles, sizes and technologies.

Last week's Brief on the Holidays was the "whys" of expectations. Here's the latest "whats" from the current comScore Networks release of its forecast of online consumer spending for the 2004 holiday season. comScore reports that consumer spending on non-travel goods at U.S. Web sites will exceed $15 billion during the November through December holiday season, representing growth of approximately 23% to 26% over the 2003 season.

According to a Xerox Corporation researcher, when it comes to conveying meaning, how a document looks can be as critical as the words it carries, says new research investigating document "intents" and the impact of cross-media design as a document moves between paper and digital displays.

A new report from ZenithOptimedia calculates that print, broadcast, cinema, out-of-home and Internet advertising expenditure make up 0.99% of economic output in 57 countries around the globe, and projects that ratio to remain stable in 2005 and 2006.