Worldwide paid-for and free dailies grew in numbers from 2001 to 2005, with a 13.15 percent and 136.25 percent of five-year growth, according to World Press Trends 2006, SFN's New Print Products reported.

In Africa, the paid-for daily newspapers increased from 266 titles in 2001 to 308 in 2005, with the five-year growth of 16 percent. The number of free dailies, however, remained the same from2001 to 2005, with only one title in the continent.

In North American, paid-for dailies dropped while free dailies boosted from 25 to 69, with an increase rate of nearly 180 percent. In South America, both paid-for and free dailies rose with about 20 and 25 percent growth from 2001 to 2005.

In Asia, free dailies grew much stronger than paid-for, with an overwhelming increase of 400 percent compared to 20 percent.

In Europe the situation was similar. Paid-for dailies only grew with 14 percent, while free titles were up over 120 percent, according to World Press Trend 2006.

Australasia, however, was the only region with declines in both paid-for and free dailies. Paid-for titles slip only three percent, while free dailies were down moretha 30 percent, according to the report, New Print Products, released by SFN and the World Association of Newspapers.