THE internet will overtake national newspapers in the battle for advertising spending in Britain by the end of the year, according to GroupM, which accounts for about 30 per cent of global media buying.

The organisation says in a report to be published this month that the internet will account for 13.3 per cent of the £12.2 billion ($A30 billion) British advertising market this year, overtaking national newspapers with a share of 13.2 per cent.

The figure for web advertising could be even bigger, because the report excludes the estimated £1 billion a year spent on “affiliate advertising”, which largely comprises advertisements on smaller websites.

The speed at which advertisers have shifted expenditure to the web has surprised many. Six years ago the web was an upstart medium that controlled only 1 per cent of the British advertising market, despite being lavished with media and investor attention.

The closely related factors of growth in broadband usage and declining newspaper circulation appear to have justified the hype.

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