科技英语新闻：U.S. Internet ad revenues hit record high in Q1

SAN FRANCISCO, May 26 (Xinhua) -- Internet advertising revenues in the United States surged to 7.3 billion U.S. dollars in the first quarter of 2011, the highest first-quarter revenue level on record for the industry, said a new report released on Thursday.

The numbers also represented a 23-percent increase over the same period a year earlier, the Interactive Advertising Bureau ( IAB) and PricewaterhouseCoopers said in the report.

"The consistent and considerable year-over-year growth we're seeing demonstrates that digital media is an increasingly popular destination for ad dollars, and for good reason," Randall Rothenberg, chief executive officer of the IAB, said in a statement.

"As Americans spend more time online for information and entertainment purposes, digital advertising and marketing has emerged as one of the most effective tools businesses have to attract and retain customers," he added.

"These numbers indicate that the interactive advertising field hasn't simply bounced back since the recession; it's growing with dynamic energy," noted David Silverman, a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers.

IAB, a trade association for interactive marketing, comprised more than 500 media and technology companies who are responsible for selling 86 percent of online advertising in the United States.