*Ad spending takes another hit

For the second quarter in a row, total ad expenditures have fallen from the prior year’s period, according to a report from TNS Media Intelligence. That's the first time since 2001 that advertising spending has fallen for two straight quarters. Newspapers took a nasty hit, slipping almost 6 percent (that covers local, national and Spanish language). Meanwhile, Internet display advertising posted a 17.7 percent gain, although keep in mind that the actual online numbers are comparatively low. The biggest contractions in ad spending were in telecom and domestic automotive. (Ad Age)

*Everybody has troubles: Online ad growth should be up about 25 percent in the third quarter, according to Pacific Crest analyst Steve Weinstein, which sounds great if you happen to be in the newspaper business, but is below previous expectations of 30 percent. Weinstein says the slower growth reflects a maturing industry and potentially higher seasonality. “We do not think it reflects a problem with or lack of commitment to online advertising and marketing,” he says. (Tech Trader)