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Monthly unique visitors to newspaper Web sites averaged 62.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2007, setting a record according to a new report by Nielsen Online for the Newspaper Association of America (NAA).

Average monthly unique audience figures for newspaper Web sites grew by more than 3.6, an increase of more than six percent over 2006 numbers. Unique visitors in the fourth quarter represented a nine percent increase over the same period a year ago (57.6 million).

Moving into the holiday season, newspaper Web sites saw a record in October 2007. More than 63.2 million readers visited newspaper Web sites that month, more than any month on record. That was an eight percent increase from the same period a year ago.

"Newspapers continue to successfully transform themselves into multimedia companies, offering unparalleled content that reaches an audience growing in both size and sophistication," said NAA President and CEO John F. Sturm.

"Newspapers' expanding print and digital portfolio offers value to advertisers by providing a targeted, comprehensive menu of choices for today's discriminating consumer. As our industry's transition accelerates, it is clear consumers recognize newspapers as their trusted source of information in an increasingly digital environment."

For the year's fourth quarter, 39 percent of all active Web users visited newspaper Web sites, with visits averaging 44 minutes a month. Visitors generated over three billion page impressions on average, a 7.3 percent increase over the same period a year a go.