CMR reports on ad spending

Final figures aren't in yet, but Taylor Nelson Sofres' CMR unit, the New York-based ad
tracker, said advertising expenditures for the first six months of 2002 will be
down less than half a percentage point (0.4 percent, to be exact) from the comparable
period in 2001.

Spending is still way down from 2000, however. First-half 2002 is about
6.1 percent below first-half 2000.

CMR estimated that second-quarter spending was off 1.1 percent from the same quarter
a year ago and off 8.1 percent from second-quarter 2000.

But good news awaits in the second half of the year, the company predicted:
Third-quarter spending will be up 5.1 percent from a year ago, and the fourth quarter
will be up 7.1 percent.

Full-year 2002 growth should stand at 2.5 percent, including a 4.5 percent increase for
broadcast network television.