Web spending to grow 10.7% a year

Internet advertising and access spending by U.S. consumers will rise each year by double digits on average through 2011, fueled by high-speed connections and social networking and entertainment sites, according to a forecast.

PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Global Entertainment and Media Outlook expects combined spending on Web advertising and fees paid by U.S. consumers to Internet providers to reach $78.4 billion by 2011, up from $47.2 billion in 2006, a 10.7% average annual growth rate.

The U.S. has the world’s largest online ad market, projected to grow to $35.4 billion by 2011. But China will overtake the U.S. to become the world’s largest Internet territory in terms of users by 2009, the report said.

Consumer fees for access are expected to grow at a 7.1% annual rate on average to $43 billion by 2011.