The media sector will continue to prosper in 2011, spurred by factors such as the potential of an early general election and resilient consumer spending, a research house says.

Nielsen Media Research said advertising expenditure (adex) for the first quarter of this year surged 13 per cent year-on-year to RM1.83 billion with spending on three core divisions -- newspapers, television and radio channels.

'The stellar Q111 numbers reinforce our conviction that adex growth may hit multiples of two times to three times of our 2011 GDP growth forecast of 5.8 per cent in view of the impending polls and improving consumer sentiments,' it said.

It maintained an overweight call on the sector thematic factors as the impending general election would be the key catalyst this year.

Newspapers remained the most popular advertising medium at 53.6 per cent adex share, OSK said in a research note today. -- Bernama