Radio fares better than TV and print in ad downturn

Radio is doing better than television, newspapers and magazines on the global advertising market, according to a new report from research company Nielsen.

While the worldwide ad expenditure across television, newspapers, magazines and radio dropped 7.2 percent in the first quarter of 2009, radio lost just 2.5 percent. In North America radio ad sales fell 8.2 percent, but this was offset by a slight 0.1 percent loss in Europe and a 1.4 percent increase in the Asia Pacific region.

Magazines was the traditional medium that fared the worst, with a decline of 17.4 percent, while newspapers were down 9.1 percent. Television advertising fell 4.7 percent.