How thick is the standard paper used by newspaper industry for sections such as front page of New York Times?

Standard newsprint paper used for sections such as the front page of The New York Times or any other newspaper, typically has a thickness measured in terms of basis weight. Basis weight refers to the weight of a ream (500 sheets) of a specific paper size, usually expressed in pounds (lbs).

Newspaper publishers, including The New York Times, prefer lightweight newsprint paper for daily printing. The thickness of the standard paper they use falls within the range of 20 to 26 pounds (lbs) per ream. This range corresponds to approximately 45 to 58 grams per square meter (gsm) in metric units.

The lightweight nature of newspaper paper, combined with its porosity and opacity, allows for efficient printing and distribution. It contributes to the easy handling and folding of newspapers while maintaining good ink absorption and print quality.