New York, NY (August 11, 2003)—Total magazine advertising revenue for the month of July increased 7.9% compared to July of last year, closing at $1,168,246,826 according to Publishers Information Bureau (PIB). Ad pages for July totaled 14,696.2, down 0.2% from last year. Year-to-date, advertising revenue closed at $9,757,304,920, an increase of 9.6%, and ad pages were 123,877.5, up 1.6% from last year. July 2003 vs. 2002 Seven of the 12 major advertising categories experienced growth in ad revenue over July 2002, while six categories recorded ad page growth. Automotive, Apparel & Accessories, Drugs & Remedies, Home Furnishings & Supplies, Retail and Toiletries & Cosmetics posted both revenue and page gains in July 2003. Financial, Insurance & Real Estate and Public Transportation, Hotels & Resorts recorded the biggest declines in revenues and pages. (Twelve categories are the most significant contributors to PIB revenue, comprising more than 85% of total advertising spending.) January – July 2003 vs. 2002 Nine of the 12 major advertising categories sustained dollar gains for the year-to-date comparison, while six categories saw growth in ad pages. Ad page and revenue increases were seen in Apparel & Accessories, Automotive, Drugs & Remedies, Home Furnishings & Supplies, Retail and Toiletries & Cosmetics. Direct Response; Financial, Insurance & Real Estate; and Public Transportation, Hotels & Resorts experienced declines in both dollars and pages, year-to-date. "We are pleased that year-to-date, magazine revenue and pages have registered growth," remarked Ellen Oppenheim, Executive Vice President/Chief Marketing Officer, MPA. "Automotive is still our largest and most vital category, with 15 straight months of increased spending in magazines. Strength in the Apparel & Accessories category reflects spending across various segments, ranging from sneakers and sportswear to luxury accessories and bridal. Similar breadth is seen in Retail, with a significant contribution by home improvement, department store and mass merchandiser advertisers."