Advertising spending for the first half of 2008 declined by 1.4% compared to the same period last year, Nielsen Monitor-Plus reported Thursday.
Despite a continued softening of the economy, several media showed healthy growth in advertising for the first half.  Advertising on Cable TV (+8.1%), Syndication TV (+7.2%), and National Sunday Supplements (+7.2%) saw the largest growth, according to Nielsen.  Spot Radio fared worst among the 19 media categories analyzed by Nielsen (-10.1%). 
Although overall Internet ad spending, when including paid search and online video advertising, was up by 11% during the first half of …

Advertising spending in Malaysia reached RM2.9 billion during the first half of this year — up 22% over the same period last year, according to Nielsen.
Terrestrial TV (+37%), point-of-sale (+33%), radio (+22%), and newspapers (+16%) saw the largest growth. 
Overall, newspapers and terrestrial TV accounted for the bulk of ad spending during the first half of the year.  Newspapers cornered 56% of all advertising — or RM1.6 billion, while terrestrial TV claimed 33% (RM948 million), Nielsen reported. 
Telecommunications brands Celcom (RM94.9 million), Digi (RM51 million), and Maxis (RM44.7 million) were the top …