Sun Media general manager Ross Brown says it comes as no surprise that online advertising is experiencing phenomenal growth while traditional mediums such as newspapers are suffering an advertising decline.

The Advertising Standards Authority's 2010 advertising revenue figures show the standout performer last year, in terms of advertising growth, was online media.

Sun Media general manager Ross Brown says devices like the iPad are allowing Bay of Plenty residents to easily access SunLive's instant news anywhere.

About $257 million was pumped into online advertising in New Zealand last year.

That is an increase from almost no revenue eight years ago.

Newspaper advertising has fallen from a 40 per cent market share 10 years ago to less than 30 per cent in 2010.

In the US, online was the only medium that experienced advertising growth last year.

Online advertising in the UK has completely overtaken traditional mediums and now has the biggest market share with 20 per cent.

Ross Brown says Sun Media's Bay of Plenty online news service www.sunlive.co.nz is an exciting option for businesses in the region.

"We are giving businesses more to choose from. SunLive, combined with our print publications such as The Weekend Sun, Coast and Country and Waterline, is a great marketing tool."

Communication Agencies Association of New Zealand CEO, Dean Howie, says growth in online advertising is a global trend.

'A lot of people are getting their news online and you have to put the ad-spend where the eyeballs are," says Dean.

One of the things weve noticed is that every media company is putting a lot of resources into providing online platforms.

He says more advertisers will head online in the coming years, particularly with the growth of faster broadband and the development of portable devices such as the iPad.

With every new technology there's a new way to reach consumers.