The Internet continues its charge toward challenging traditional media as an advertising channel, according to figures released by the U.S. Interactive Advertising Bureau and PricewaterhouseCoopers. The report shows that Internet advertising revenues in the U.S. were up 37% in the first six months of 2006 compared to the same period in 2005, for a total of US$7.9 billion. More than $4 billion of that spending occurred in the second quarter, representing a 5.5% increase over Q1 and a 36% bump from the second quarter of 2005. The first-half and second-quarter numbers are both records for online advertising, and part of a trend that has seen spending in the category increase for seven straight quarters. The report also found that online ad spending is still largely concentrated on search, classifieds and banners-three categories that make up 81% of the total ad spend.
