Aug. 27 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. newspaper publishers lost 29 percent of their print and online advertising revenue in the second quarter, a steeper decline than the previous period, Newspaper Association of America data show.

Ad revenue fell to $6.82 billion from $9.6 billion a year earlier, according to figures released on the Arlington, Virginia-based trade group’s Web site today. Ad sales dropped 28 percent in the first quarter to $6.62 billion.

“This data represents a rearview mirror perspective on what we all know was a terrible stretch of bad road,” John Sturm, NAA chief executive officer, said in a statement.

The persistent drought in advertising has forced publishers to cut jobs, wages and sections, and boost newsstand prices to preserve cash. Ad sales make up more than half of revenue for publishers including New York Times Co. and Gannett Co.

Industrywide print ad revenue fell 30 percent to $6.16 billion in the second quarter and online-only advertising plunged 16 percent to $653.1 million, NAA data show.

Job recruitment ad sales declined 66 percent, the most among classified categories, followed by the 46 percent drop in real estate ads and 43 percent for automotive ads, according to the data. Publishers narrowed the declines in every category except real estate, compared with the first quarter.

To contact the reporter on this story: Greg Bensinger in New York at gbensinger1@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: August 27, 2009 17:35 EDT