CNBC.com

Third quarter advertising numbers are in and the good news is that online newspaper advertising grew 21 percent to $773 million according to the Newspaper Association of America. The bad news is that even that growth couldn't overwhelm the downward trend in the industry, overall ad revenue dropped 7.4% in the quarter.

The trend was compounded by the credit crunch, which dragged real estate ad spending down 24.4 percent.

But there is a factor that could benefit print advertising. The Writers Guild Strike. Yup, the fact that there may be little to no new content on TV will drive advertisers away from the tube, and to good old fashioned print and magazine. Advertisers follow the eyeballs.

A study by WPP Group's MindShare found that 25 percent of the polling sample would "most likely" turn to books, magazines, and newspapers if their favorite show wasn't on air. Meanwhile, 13 percent of the sample is keeping their TV habits the same, even if they're watching reruns. And another 12% of the sample will be useless to advertisers--they'll turn to DVDs in a content vacuum.

If the strike pulls your favorite programs off the air, what will you do? Keep watching reruns? turn to reality programming? look online to user generated or semi-professional content? or tune out all together? Email me and let me know!

Pre-Holiday Web Surfing
Tendency to eat too much over the holidays? Check out this funny list a self-promoting fitness author/ self-professed guru has posted.

And with everyone worried about potentially dangerous toys under the Christmas tree, this video, from the 'Campaign for America's Future' is pretty funny. But here's a warning: the video isn't just fun and games, it calls for the resignation of the top product safety official.

Questions?  Comments?