Research firm International Data Corp (IDC) expects that online advertising revenue in Asia-Pacific will rise by a compound growth rate of about 40% in the next five years, according to research firm International Data Corp (IDC), and that money spent on internet advertising will reach US$1.62 billion by 2007, up from $304.3 million last year.

IDC internet and eBusiness research manager Nathan Midler said the jump would be led by search advertisements and online classified advertising, with a growth rate of more than 60 per cent. "Savvy Asian media organisations are already investing in internet technologies to integrate internet advertising with their business operations," he said.