2001 B2B mag ad spending to fall for first time in decade, report says.

Growth in spending on b2b magazines will decline in 2001 for the first time in a decade, according to Vaeronis, Suhler & Associates' (New York) 15th annual Communications Industry Forecast. The report said the downturn in ad spending is due to a slowing economy, conservative budgeting by advertisers and less dot-com and technology ad spending.

The report forecasts a rebound in 2002 with a 6.6% growth increase to $9.7 billion over 2001's $9.1 billion, which was a 7.1% drop from 2000. VS&A projects ad spending on b2b magazines to reach $11 billion by the end of 2005. Trade shows and exhibitions, which grew at an annual rate of 6.7% from 1995-2000, is expected to increase 6.2% per year from 2000 to 2005, reaching $8.8 billion in 2001 and $11.3 billion in 2005.

The report projects that ad spending in the healthcare category will drop 35% in 2001 but will rebound sharply in 2002. Ad spending in the construction sector will be flat for 2001 with higher spending forecast through 2005. "After a rough 2001," VS&A said that ad spending for the technology sector will rebound in 2002 and grow between 3-5% through 2005. Overall, ad spending on b2b business communications grew 4.9% to $18.2 billion in 2000.

Combined spending on professional, educational and training media reached $38.7 billion in 2000, propelled by increased expenditures in each of the sector's four main categories, professional, El/Hi, college, and outsourced corporate training. VS&A said that spending will rise 6.1% to $41 billion in 2001 and will reach $53.8 billion by the end of 2005.

Projected total spending on business information services will reach $65.7 billion by 2005 from $47.5 billion in 2000. Economic and financial information services, the largest area of the sector, will grow 5.7% during the 2000-2005 period to $17 billion.