Ad spending on network television totaled $16.2 billion for the first three quarters of 2005, down 1.9 percent from the same time period last year, TNS Media Intelligence reported Wednesday.

Spending on cable TV was up 12. 2 percent to $11.5 billion; syndication spending was up 6.2 percent to $3 billion; and spot TV was down 8.7 percent to $11.2 billion, according to TNS.