Newspaper ad revenue decline slows

http://www.btobonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100528/MEDIABUSINESS/100529891/1078/newsletter011

Overall newspaper advertising revenue declined to $5.98 billion in the first quarter, a drop of 9.70% from the year-earlier period, according to Newspaper Association of America figures. It marked the industry’s best overall quarterly performance since the third quarter of 2007, which was also a decline.

Online ad revenue posted a 4.90% gain to $730.42 million. It was the first quarterly gain since the first quarter of 2008.

Overall print revenue fell to $5.25 billion, a decline of 11.42%. Classified ad revenue fell to $1.25 billion, a decline of 14.37%.