Digital media will be the key contributor to sales and profits for over 100 media companies in Asia over the next three years, according to Media Partners Asia's Vivek Couto at the Asia Media Summit Monday.

Sales and profits are expected to increase seven percent and 17 percent, respectively. The sectors with the most growth will be online and out-of-home, according to Hollywood Reporter.

“The higher cost of video-content acquisition and product innovation will be balanced by advertising growth and business from games and other services,” Couto said.

Growth in broadcast and print media, pay TV and broadband distribution will be flat due to the rising cost of content and increasing competition.

However, in emerging Asia, profit growth will boost 30 percent in 2008 and 19 percent in 2009 and 2010, thanks to media companies in China and India. Advertising growth in this area is expected to reach 10 percent next year. These figures exclude Japan and Australia, according to Hollywood Reporter.

Moreover, the drivers to the growth of search and branded online advertising, transactional revenue and subscription revenue include online advertising and e-commerce, the transition to digital pay TV and the rise of broadband, Couto added.