12/6/10 - Ad reports released Monday by major media forecasters project an increase in global and U.S. ad spending. According to ZenithOptimedia's "Advertising Expenditure Forecasts—December 2010," global ad spending will increase 4.9% this year and grow at an annual rate between 4.6% and 5.2% over the next three years.

In the U.S., ad spending will increase by 2.2% this year, and will be up by a projected 2.4% next year, according to ZenithOptimedia.

"Although recovery has begun, the economy has still not returned to its pre-recession level, and neither has advertising spending," the report said. "However, most of the large financial, retail and automotive spenders have returned to the marketplace."

In the U.S., the media categories seeing the highest ad spending growth this year include Internet (13.5%), television (7.4%) and outdoor (3.0%).

Categories with the largest declines this year are newspapers (down 10.0%), b2b magazines (down 6.0%) and radio (down 2.6%).

In a separate report, 2011 Advertising Forecast," MagnaGlobal projects that global ad spending will be up 6.9% this year and up 5.4% next year.

In the U.S., ad spending will increase 3.9% this year and up a projected 2.4% next year, according to MagnaGlobal.