According to a new report issued by The Media Audit, 43.8 million U.S. adults have read an alternative newspaper or visited its Web site in the past 30 days.

The study, covering 117 alternative papers across 88 markets in the country, reveals an average readership of 374,296 adults in 2007 compared to 362,938 in 2006, with a three percent increase. In addition, the average unique monthly Web site visitors totaled 113,469 in 2007, up seven percent from 106,139 in 2006, Media Post reported.

“One of the benefits for alternative newsweeklies is the opportunity to reach outside the city where papers are not as readily available. There are a lot of people who come into the city from the suburbs for entertainment and these alternative newspaper websites are positioned as one of the best choices for restaurant, live music, and concert recommendations," said Bob Jordan, President of International Demographics, according to Media Post.

Madison Wisconsin's Isthmus topped as the highest reaching U.S. alternative newsweekly in 2007, with 37.4 percent reach of all adults in Madison, up from 34.6 percent a year earlier.

Total reach is based on the past four issues of readership of the newspaper combined with past 30 day Web site visitors.

A complete list of highest reaching alternative newspapers in the United States can be found in the article post on Media Post.