Outdoor media has posted 8.6% growth to confirm its status as one of the industry’s few growth sectors.

Members of the Outdoor Media Association (OMA) reported combined sales of $132.3 million for the third quarter of the calendar year compared to $121.8 million the year before.

Roadside billboards generated 33.1% of the revenue, transport 15.5% and retail 15%. The remaining 36.4% came from other roadside advertising such as bus shelters and street furniture.

Revenue for the first nine months of 2013 grew 5.6% year-on-year to $381 million.

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The fastest growing outdoor sector is digital signage, whose share of revenue grew from 7.5% at the end of 2012 to 10.8% at the end of Q3.

OMA chief executive Charmaine Moldrich said advertisers ranked outdoor media as “the number one broadcaster in today’s fragmented media market”.

“We are the one traditional media channel still able to reach mass audiences and we do that very cost efficiently,” said Moldrich.

“We are in an exceptionally good position with technology, as it makes our media channel stronger and shifts out-of-home from being a passive glance medium to a more active channel with the adoption of QR codes, NFC and other digital advancements.”

The association represents about 90% of the industry, according to the OMA.

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