Over the past three years the average U.S. adult has nearly doubled their daily use of the Internet as the average U.S. adult spent 2.1 hours per day online in 2006, compared to 3.8 hours in 2008, an 81% increase over three years. As a result, the Internet now represents 32.5% of the typical "media day" for all U.S. adults when compared to daily exposure to newspaper, radio, TV and outdoor advertising. Even those who are considered heavy newspaper readers spend about as much time online today as the typical U.S. adult. Heavy newspaper readers, those who spend more than an hour per day reading, currently spend 3.7 hours per day online. In 2006 the Internet represented only 18.4% of a heavy newspaper reader's "media day," but today it represents 28.4%, according to a new report by Media Audit.

The report further reveals that seven daily newspapers have achieved a net unduplicated reach of 80% or more when the past 30-day website visitor figure is combined with the past month print readership figure. Among these newspapers are the:

* New Orleans Times Picayune with a total unduplicated reach of 85.8%
* San Antonio Express-News (80.6%)
* Post-Standard in Syracuse (84%)
* Buffalo News (83.3%)
* Democrat & Chronicle in Rochester (80.9%)
* Peoria Journal Star (80.4%)
* Omaha World Herald (82.2%)

In addition, a new ranking reveals that among the more than 100 daily newspapers measured in the U.S. across 88 markets, New Orleans' nola.com is the top daily newspaper website based on the percent of adults within a metro area who have visited a daily newspaper website in the past 30 days. Nola.com reaches 50.4% of the more than 800,000 adults who live in the New Orleans metro area. The figure represents 422,354 unique monthly visitors. The website audience, when combined with the Times Picayune's monthly print readership figures, represents 85.8% total unduplicated reach among adults 18+ in New Orleans for the Advance Publications, Inc. owned newspaper.

San Antonio Express News' mysa.com tied nola.com with a 50.4% rating, however, the unduplicated reach for the website audience and print readership was 80.6% compared to the Picayune's 85.8%. Washingtonpost.com ranked third.

Rounding out the top ten daily newspaper websites is Ann Arbor News' mlive.com, followed by the Atlanta Journal Constitution's ajc.com, The Post-Standard's syracuse.com, Indianapolis Star's indystar.com, Birmingham News' al.com, Virginian-Pilot's hamptonroads.com/pilotonline.com, and Reno Gazette-Journal's rgj.com.

Daily newspapers were the first to embrace a multi-platform distribution strategy amidst a period when consumers were spending more and more time with the Internet. And as a result, newspapers followed the way of the consumer. By doing so, they have broadened their reach to include younger consumers. And these consumers are buying new cars and driving sales for retailers who represent a significant portion of the newspaper industry's revenue.