Vienna, Va. – Newspaper advertising expenditures for the second quarter of 2004 totaled $11.5 billion, a 4.1 percent increase over the same period a year earlier, according to preliminary estimates from the Newspaper Association of America. Classified advertising led the way with a 6.9 percent spending increase to $3.9 billion. National ad spending increased 2.8 percent to $2.1 billion and retail spending rose 2.6 percent to $5.5 billion. Within the classified category in the second quarter, recruitment advertising jumped with a 20.2 percent increase to $1.1 billion. Real estate ad spending continued to be strong, increasing 6.1 percent to 959 million. Automotive slipped 3 percent to $1.2 billion. All other classifieds were up 6.8 percent to $634 million. For the first half of the year, total ad spending in newspapers increased 3.8 percent to $21.7 billion. Classified lead the way with a 5.5 percent gain to $7.5 billion. National ad spending rose 3.6 percent to $4.0 billion and retailers lifted their ad spending in newspapers 2.6 percent to $10.3 billion. In classified for the first six month, recruitment ad spending rose 12.2 percent to $2.1 billion, and real estate increased 6.2 percent to $1.8 billion. Automotive classified dropped 0.3 percent to $2.3 billion and all other classified rose 5.3 percent to $1.2 billion. “These are solid growth numbers that demonstrate just how important newspapers are for advertisers looking to reach their targeted demographic locally or on a national level,” said NAA President and CEO John F. Sturm. “When the labor market shows signs of improvement, as it did in the spring, employers continue to rely on the strength of newspapers as the most effective recruiting mechanism in the media market.” “Although economic growth slowed somewhat in the spring, total advertising in newspapers grew a little faster than it had during the first three months of the year,” said NAA Vice President of Business Analysis and Research Jim Conaghan. “Taken together, first and second quarter advertising expenditures have given the industry some positive momentum that we hope will carry through the remainder of 2004.”