Vienna, Va. – Newspaper advertising expenditures for the third quarter of 2004 totaled $11.3 billion, a 3.8 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 4.3 percent spending increase to $4.0 billion. National ad spending increased 3.9 percent to $2.0 billion and retail spending rose 3.5 percent to $5.3 billion. Within the classified category in the third quarter, recruitment advertising jumped with a 15.9 percent increase to $1.1 billion. Real estate ad spending continued to be strong, increasing 6.8 percent to $1.1 billion. Automotive slipped 5.6 percent to $1.2 billion. All other classifieds were up 2.1 percent to $699 million. “Newspaper ad spending in the third quarter continued the positive trend we’ve seen throughout the year, demonstrating advertisers’ confidence in newspapers as an effective medium for reaching job seekers, home buyers and other prospective customers,” said NAA President and CEO John F. Sturm. “The nearly 16 percent gain in recruitment advertising, and the 7 percent increase in the real estate classified category are particularly encouraging signs of broad economic strength that bode well for the ongoing recovery of newspaper advertising.” For the first nine months of the year, total ad spending in newspapers increased 3.8 percent to $33.0 billion. Classified lead the way with a 5.1 percent gain to $11.5 billion. National ad spending rose 3.7 percent to $5.9 billion and retailers lifted their ad spending in newspapers 2.9 percent to $15.6 billion. In classified for the first nine months, recruitment ad spending rose 13.4 percent to $3.2 billion, and real estate increased 6.4 percent to $2.9 billion. Automotive classified dropped 2.1 percent to $3.5 billion and all other classified rose 4.1 percent to $1.9 billion. “As we expected, overall newspaper ad spending continues to grow at a rate of around four percent,” said NAA Vice President of Business Analysis and Research Jim Conaghan. “Looking behind the numbers, the significant growth in newspaper recruitment and real estate advertising demonstrates the continued appeal of print for the classified ad category.”