Nearly a third of all Internet users visit newspaper websites

Both the overall number and percentage of Internet users visiting newspaper websites hit all-time highs in September 2005, according to a report by Nielsen//NetRatings for the Newspaper Association of America. The data, which takes into account home and work Internet usage, shows that over 47.3 million people visited newspaper websites in September, the most in any month since NAA began tracking online usage in January 2004. That represents almost a third (31.9 percent) of all Internet users, and is up 15.8 percent from 40.9 million for the same period last year.

Since launching its new website in September 2005, www.thedanielislandnews.com has seen a steady growth in Internet usage of its site, more than doubling the number of visits per month from May to September 2005. That steady usage continues to climb.

"Newspapers are continuing to attract readers whether they’re reading the traditional printed newspaper, a newspaper website, a free daily paper or another newspaper niche product," said NAA President and CEO John F. Sturm. "Not only is the overall audience growing for newspaper websites, but NAA studies have shown that they are often the leading local news sites in their markets. It’s clear that newspapers’ longstanding position of trust as part of the communities they serve has only strengthened, not weakened, in the Internet era."

For 2005’s third quarter, the monthly unique audience averaged over 41.5 million, or 27.7 percent of all Web users. The time Internet users spend on newspaper sites also continues to rise as users’ visits averaged more than 38 minutes during the quarter.

The Daniel Island News website saw a similar growth of unique visitors. Additionally, visitors to www.thedanielislandnews.com stay and move around the site, with the number of hits jumping from just over 10,000 in May to well over 100,000 in September and the number of hits continued to rise each month through the remainder of 2005.

Ad spending online continued its double-digit growth in the third quarter of 2005, increasing by 26.7 percent from the same period a year ago to $518.9 million. Similarly, interest and advertising commitment to www.thedanielislandnews.com continues at a steady pace.