hina will surpass the US as the single biggest contributor to global advertising growth - for the first time - at the end of 2006, according to Group M, WPP Group's media unit. Predictions also say that print, despite innovation in some markets, will continue to diminish as a source of media-spending growth globally. The internet, which in recent years has grown at a breakneck pace will largely remain the preserve of the West.

The above predictions were made at a weeklong media conference organized by investment bank Credit Suisse. Other predictions included the following. Global media-spending growth rates would remain essentially flat in 2007. In 2006, media spending will be up 5.3 per cent from 2005 at $395 billion. In 2007, another increase was predicted, but not at the same rate, since media spending would jump 5 per cent over this year to reach $414 billion.... more