Advertising stunk in the first quarter

Advertising is deader than the dead parrot from the famous Monty Python sketch.

First quarter estimates released by The Nielsen Co. showed spending declined 12 percent to $12.9 billion, lead by double-digit declines in magazines, radio, outdoor and newspapers. Cable TV dropped 2.7 percent while network TV fell 4.8 percent and Internet display ads were off 3.4 percent. Though search was not measured by Nielsen in its report, it is not immune from the overall economy.