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NAA: Online Newspaper Audience Sets Records in Q2

More than 59 million people (37.3 percent of all active internet users) visited newspaper websites on during the second quarter of 2007 - a record number and a 7.7 percent increase over the same period a year ago, according to custom analysis provided by Nielsen/NetRatings for the Newspaper Association of America, MarketingCharts reports.

Newspaper website visitors generated nearly 2.7 billion pageviews per month throughout the quarter, compared with slightly more than 2.5 billion during the same period last year, according to the research.

The second-quarter figures are the highest for any quarter since NAA began tracking these numbers in 2004.

May was a record-breaking month for the industry: More than 60 million people visited newspaper websites that month, more than any month on record - and a 6.7 percent increase from the same period a year ago, NAA said.

In addition to the numbers, users continue to increase the amount of time they spend on newspaper websites. Users spent a combined 7.2 billion minutes browsing newspaper websites in the second quarter during nearly 1.4 billion total visits, according to Nielsen.

The average time per person spent at newspaper websites was 40 minutes, 44 seconds in the second quarter; that’s up from 39 minutes, 29 seconds last year.

“Engagement is an important factor that reflects the value of online news products, and the amount of time users spend enjoying a newspaper’s digital content further establishes these sites as premier online destinations for a demanding and sophisticated audience,” said NAA President and CEO John F. Sturm.

“As the industry continues to expand its digital portfolio, readers are visiting newspaper websites in record numbers for in-depth news and information as well as hyper-local information,” said Sturm. “These sites continue to adapt to evolving consumer demands, frequently allowing user comments on articles and offering thought-provoking blogs to complement the journalistic excellence that makes newspapers a community’s most trusted resource.”

More Nielsen/NetRatings newspaper website data is available from the NAA: