• The U.S. advertising and media industry slashed 18,700 jobs in Dec. ’08, bringing job losses in this recession to 65,100, 3.9% since Dec. ’07.
• The ad industry employed 1.59 million people as of December.
• Internet-media companies and web-search portals added a dismal 800 jobs, bringing employment to 82,200.
• Media companies eliminated 41,000 U.S. jobs, 4.6% from the time the recession began.
• Advertising/marketing-services firms cut 24,100 jobs, or 3.1%.
• Among advertising/marketing-services companies, ad agencies last year cut 6,000 jobs, or 3.2% of staff, and graphic-design firms eliminated 7,400 jobs, or 9.9%.

There were bright spots: Marketing-consulting employment rose by 2,200 … I feel blessed ;-)