U.S. newspaper advertising revenue last year plunged 27 percent to its lowest level since 1986. The figures released Wednesday reflect the devastating toll of the recession and a media shift that's driving more marketing dollars to the Internet.

Newspaper publishers' ad revenue totaled $27.6 billion in 2009, down from $37.8 billion in 2008, according to the Newspaper Association of America. It's the industry's lowest ad volume since 1986, when sales totaled $27 billion, unadjusted for inflation.

Ad revenue in the final three months of 2009 fell 24 percent to $7.7 billion. However, that was the lowest quarterly percentage decline of 2009, raising hopes that the worst of the slump is over.

Newspapers' annual ad revenue has now fallen by nearly $22 billion, or 44 percent, since 2006.