Internet ad revenue falls 5 pct in first quarter, first year-over-year decline since 2002

Internet ad revenue falls 5 pct in first quarter

PHILADELPHIA — Internet advertising revenue is down 5 percent.

The decline in the first quarter of 2009 represents the first year-over-year decline in seven years as the recession takes its toll even on the hardiest of ad sectors.

The Interactive Advertising Bureau is estimating revenue of $5.5 billion for the quarter. That’s based on a study it commissioned PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP to conduct quarterly.

IAB Chief Executive Randall Rothenberg says growth should resume as the U.S. economic climate improves. He notes that interactive media continues to gain market share as companies want to better measure the effectiveness of their ads.