TNS Sees Cable Ad Spending Up 6%

Total U.S. ad spending will increase 4.9% in 2006 to $150.3 billion, TNS Media Intelligence predicted Tuesday.

The research firm revised its original forecast in January of a 5.4% jump.

TNS expects that cable-TV and broadcast-network ad spending will both increase 6% this year, while Internet spending will see a 13% jump in spending from media buyers.

“Although our revised forecast is downward, total advertising spending is still on track to achieve respectable, moderate gains during 2006. Performance will be sharply delineated along sector lines with Internet, Spanish-language media and most forms of television registering above-average growth rates while radio and print media lag behind,” TNS CEO Steven Fredericks said in a prepared statement.

TNS said it expects spending on Spanish-language media to increase 12.9%, while spot TV will post an 8.9% gain. Syndication TV will rise just 2.6%, while radio will post a 2.1% increase.