Web Giants Rule 'Democratized' Medium

ECONOMICS 101: WEB GIANTS RULE 'DEMOCRATIZED' MEDIUM
[SOURCE: AdAge, AUTHOR: Abbey Klaassen]
When it comes to online-advertising riches, the short tail is getting shorter. A recent number crunch from consultancy group Marketspace indicates the 10 biggest Internet players nabbed a whopping 99% of gross online-ad revenue last year. If that's not enough to startle, consider: That's up from 95% in 2005. The growth is notable by any standard in any business, but particularly surprising in a medium whose potential for fragmentation, at least audience-wise, is seemingly limitless. It means the majority of the sites on the web are left fighting over the remaining 1% of online ad revenue. Of course, that's gross online ad revenue. On a net ad-revenue basis, Marketspace estimates the Big Four of online sales -- Google, Yahoo, AOL and MSN -- nab about 57% of total online ad outlays and the Big 10 about 70%. EMarketer estimates the Big Four will pull in about 66% in 2007.
http://adage.com/digital/article?article_id=115986