Internet ad spend up 8.5 percent in first quarter

Internet advertising grew at an 8.5 percent clip in the first quarter compared to a year ago, according to TNS Media Intelligence. Display advertising fell off of 2007's double digit growth, but relative to other categories Internet ads held up well.

TNS' scorecard shows television media purchases were up 1.7 percent in the first quarter, but newspaper advertising fell 5.2 percent and radio media fell 4.5 percent.

Among the high-level data:

• TV Media up 1.7 percent;
• Magazine ads up 0.8 percent, but B2B advertising was down 3.2 percent;
• Newspapers fell 5.2 percent;
• Internet was up 8.5 percent;
• Radio down 4.5 percent;
• Outdoor was up 2.5 percent.

Meanwhile, the top 10 advertising data showed some divergent plans among the top telecom companies. AT&T's ad spend in the first quarter fell 14.6 percent to $468 million. Verizon's increased 10.4 percent to $531 million.