ADVERTISING expenditure rose by 9.5 per cent in the first quarter of this year to £63.2 million, with newspapers accounting for half of the market share.
Figures from Advertising Statistics Ireland show advertising expenditure in the national press rose to £31.8 million from January to March. This is a 9 per cent increase on the same period last year.
Advertising expenditure in television rose by 6 per cent to £18 million, a £1 million increase on last year. But television's overall share of advertising investment fell 1 per cent to 29 per cent.
Radio, excluding most local stations, was up by 5 per cent, maintaining its share of one tenth of total advertising expenditure and earning £6 million.
Outdoor advertising rose by 48 per cent to £3.7 million - a £1.2 million increase which boosted its market share to 6 per cent from 4 per cent.
Magazines increased advertising revenue by 7 per cent to £3.2 million and maintained a 5 per cent stake in overall advertising investment.
Cinema advertising earnings rose by 25 per cent to £500,000, although the sector's market share remained at 1 per cent.
According to Advertising Statistics Ireland, a strong economy is the foundation for the significant growth in media budgets. The figures are based on rate card values and do not allow for discounting.