US Newspaper Ad Recovery Continues In Q4 2002
US newspaper advertising expenditure grew by 4.4% to $12.8 billion in the fourth quarter of 2002, according to preliminary estimates from the Newspaper Association of America (NAA). This growth follows a turning point in Q3, when the industry posted the first positive figures in six consecutive quarters (see US Newspapers Emerge From Six Quarters Of Revenue Decline In Q3).
Within the classified category, real estate spending led the way with an increase of 6.9% to $1.1 billion. Automotive gained 5.7% to $1.7 billion, recruitment advertising dropped 9.1% to $1.2 billion and all other classifieds were up 7.6% to $784 million.
“The slowly improving economy helped boost our results in the fourth quarter,” said NAA vice president of Business Analysis and Research, Jim Conaghan. “As business activity and consumer confidence gradually accelerate during 2003, it will secure the foundation of the advertising recovery.”
Full year 2002 figures For the whole of 2002, total US newspaper adspend was $44.1 billion, down by just 0.5% on 2001. Within this, retail advertising expenditures edged up 1.5% to $21.0 billion, national rose 2.9% to $7.2 billion and classified dropped 4.4% to $15.9 billion.
| US Newspaper Advertising Expenditures | ||||
| Spend ($bn) | ||||
| Retail | National | Classified | Total | |
| Q1 2002 | 4.6 | 1.7 | 3.5 | 9.7 |
| Change | -0.8% | -3.5% | -13.6% | -6.2% |
| Q2 2002 | 5.2 | 1.8 | 3.8 | 10.9 |
| Change | -0.1% | -1.7% | -4.1% | -1.8% |
| Q3 2002 | 5.1 | 1.7 | 3.9 | 10.7 |
| Change | 2.7% | 5.2% | -2.9% | 1.0% |
| Q4 2002 | 6.1 | 1.9 | 4.8 | 12.8 |
| Change | 3.8% | 12.4% | 2.2% | 4.4% |
| FY 2002 | 21.0 | 7.2 | 15.9 | 44.1 |
| Change | 1.5% | 2.9% | -4.4% | -0.5% |
| Source: NAA, February 2003 | ||||
