WebProNews

Online advertising was supposed to remain strong in a recession, and new figures don't contradict that idea.  The super-exciting increase in first-quarter spending, as measured by TNS Media Intelligence, was 8.5 percent compared to the last year.

Okay, so 8.5 percent isn't extraordinary, but online advertising was still the Incredible Hulk in a relative sense.  Spending on television media and magazine media grew by 1.7 and 0.8 percent, respectively.  Spending on newspaper media and radio media shrunk by 5.2 and 4.5 percent.

 TNS Media Intelligence Stats
(Photo Credit: Businesswire.com)

"Enduring concerns about economic conditions and consumer spending behavior continued to cast a pall over the advertising market during the first quarter," explained Jon Swallen, the senior vice president of research at TNS, in a statement.

He then continued, "After a hopeful start to the year, the pace of ad spending slowed perceptibly during March and early figures from the second quarter indicate little immediate or sustained improvement in the core ad economy."

So don't look for things to get much better in the near future, but at least know that online advertising remains one of the best sectors in which to spend money.  Hat tip to Nicholas Carlson.