This is the first year-over-year comparison where spending rose instead of declined, since the first quarter in 2001. CMR estimates that total ad spending for the first quarter in 2002 came in at $23.5 billion, compared to $23.4 billion for the same time frame in 2001. The bright spots for the first quarter in 2002 were Spanish language network TV (21.2 percent), network radio (13.9 percent) and newspapers (9.2 percent). In addition, ad revenues for network TV (6.6 percent) and spot TV (2.5 percent) increased with the help of early spending in 2002, on Super Bowl XXXVI and the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. Surprisingly, cable TV experienced the most significant decline in ad revenues, dropping 13.7 percent. Syndicated TV followed closely: down 12.5 percent to $709 million. Ad revenues for Internet, magazines and national newspapers all slipped, declining by 12.4 percent, 9.6 percent and 8.5 percent respectively.

"With 2001 behind us, ad spending is steadily coming out of its slumber, already showing some signs of recovery for the year,” said David Peeler, president and CEO of CMR. “With the Upfront season in full swing and an overall positive first quarter standing, we expect to see modest increases in spending by the third quarter.”

Figures are based on CMR’s Stradegy multimedia ad expenditure database.

Ad Spending by Media: FIRST QUARTER 2002 vs. 2001

Figures based in thousands

Top Ten Ad Spenders Across All Media*: First Quarter 2002 vs. 2001

Figures based in thousands

Top advertisers for the first quarter included General Motors, spending $609 million, up 9.7 percent compared to the same time period last year; P&G spending nearly $480 million, an increase of 12.3 percent; and AOL Time Warner Inc., spending more than $406 million, a rise of almost 4 percent. Other leading advertisers continued to trim ad budgets for the first portion of the year. However, Philip Morris and DaimlerChrysler decreased their ad spending by 18.9 percent and 23.6 percent, respectively.

About CMR
TNS Media Intelligence/CMR, offers strategic advertising and marketing communications information to advertising agencies, advertisers, broadcasters and publishers. The company's tracking technologies collect occurrence and expenditure data, as well as the creative executions of over one million brands across 15 media. CMR is headquartered in New York City and maintains sales locations in major markets throughout the United States.

Within the TNS organization, CMR stands as a key member of TNS Media Intelligence. This group, dedicated to worldwide media analysis, provides advertising expenditure tracking, evaluation and consultative services for broadcast, Internet and print media, in addition to news monitoring capabilities. TNS Media Intelligence is the market leader in the U.S. and France, with significant operations in Europe and Asia. For further information, visit http://www.cmr.com.

Through its international network of 230 offices in more than 50 countries, Taylor Nelson Sofres provides market information services in over 80 countries to national and multi-national organizations. It is ranked as the fourth largest market information group in the world. Further information on Taylor Nelson Sofres is available from the corporate Web site: http://www.tnsofres.com.

Editor’s Note: Top 10 Industry Categories for first Quarter 2002 available upon request.