Some interesting numbers (and more layoffs)

Some interesting numbers out this week.

From the Seeking Alpha blog, the latest Web numbers touted by the Newspaper Association of America -- newspaper Web sites' average unique audience up to 64.4 million for second quarter, 12% over last year. Sounds good, right? Except that the numbers also show almost no increase in the visits per person (8.08 vs 7.82) or aggregate time spent on site (40 minutes each quarter - or barely the time that used to be spent on one good day with the paper). Yes, the argument can be made that if we can figure how to better monetize targeted ads (instead of the ROP banners), that audience should be more valuable. Key word there -- should.

Meanwhile, a new report (PDF) from Integrated Media Measurement holds no joy for TV folks, either. It says up to 20 percent of TV viewing is online, and of that, half of those see online TV as a replacement for broadcast/cable. (Media Post story.) Over at AR&D, however, Terry Heaton does caution that while the report is important, you should take a good look at the methods used.

And another number no one will be happy about - the latest in the drumbeat of "paper cuts." The publisher of the Newark Star-Ledger told nonunion employees today that 200 of them have to go and that if the paper can't reach agreement with its drivers' and mailers' unions, the paper, New Jersey's largest, will be sold. Sad that the news comes on the heels of the S-L's start of its Webcast, another sign of changing attitudes in the newsroom.