Here's an interesting report on Poynter.org from the World Newspaper Congress and World Editors Forum in Vienna, Austria, and a survey of 69 countries:

The annual survey shows that newspapers reach 2.3 billion people daily, while the Internet reaches 1.9 billion.

...

Newspaper circulation is rising in Asia and Latin America, but dropping in Europe and most steeply in North America, the survey found. Newspaper revenue was down worldwide, except in Asia where it was up year to year.

The full story is here: Worldwide, newspapers reach more people than the Internet, WAN-IFRA survey shows | Poynter.

Foremski's Take: A commenter on the post, identified as Reykjavik, wrote:

Newspapers reach 1 out of 3 people worldwide of all ages each day? I'm calling BS on that number.

It does sound tough to believe. However, newspapers perform many vital functions, I have no trouble believing that they have a stellar reach -- one that transcends literacy.

After all, newspapers have wonderful absorbent qualities -- there's clearly a bottoms up approach to the news that keeps newspapers relevant and useful to many.

N. American newspapers might consider a little bit of re-engineering of the paper and format. There's always a need for reading matter in US bathrooms -- a two for one sales pitch might help save our newspapers. And there would be no digital competition.