EQUTE — The numbers are out for 2008, and there is one big surprise among the anemic advertising dollars, internet advertising grew (which most people know already) but it has actually outpaced all other sources of ads for the first time ever.

According to Reuters reporters, the UK “report confirms the torrid time suffered by commercial media groups of late, such as free-to-air broadcasters, newspapers and radio, which rely on advertising and are now looking for alternative revenue streams.”

According to the biannual report from the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB), spending on the internet grew to 1.7B pounds, accounting for 23.5 percent of all spending.

Reuters distilled the interesting numbers:

According to the report, the Internet accounted for 23.5 percent of all spend, compared with 18.7 percent in the first half of 2008. Television accounted for 21.9 percent, press display for 18.5 percent and direct mail for 11.5 percent.

The shake-up in market share followed a 16.1 percent fall in television spend, and a more than 20 percent fall in press display, outdoor advertising and directories. Spend on press classified fell 37 percent.

It’s interesting to see historic numbers like this, but one wonders what will happen after the world economy bounces back? Will internet ads retain their status, or will advertisers return to traditional media?

The report also raises the question of when American advertising will move toward the web and away from notoriously expensive and easy to ignore mediums like radio and TV.