Total ad spending fell slightly in the first half of 2007, down 0.3% to $72.6 billion from the same time last year, reports TNS Media Intelligence.

“For the first time since 2001, media advertising expenditures have declined for two consecutive quarters,” says Steven Fredericks, TNS MI CEO, in a statement.  “The results reflect weakness across a range of industries and advertisers.”

The biggest loser was newspaper advertising, losing a full percentage point in share, to 17.8% of the whole.  Local television ads were next, slipping 0.6%, yet 10.8% of the total.  Not surprisingly, Web advertising jumped to 7.6% of the ad share from 6.4% in 2006.  Magazine advertising also grew to 20% from 19.1%.

But, “given the uncertainties about near-term economic growth and consumer spending, we expect core ad spending will continue to face challenges,” the report says.

What is most interesting for our industry, however, is that direct response advertising increased 11.3% in early 2007 - more than any other of the top ten advertising categories.  I think we’re seeing the evidence of that with the growing number of attorneys advertisng on television.