Earlier quoted context omitted.
This applied only to broadsheets (New York Times), and not to newspapers that used tabloid layout (Chicago Sun-Times). The reason "above the fold" was valuable real estate was because whatever was there would be visible in newspaper vending machines, newspaper racks, and the stacks at kiosks. Newspapers that printed on tabloid-sized paper didn't have that problem, since they were not folded horizontally. Tabloid news…
GP point maintains. At least in my country, I never saw ads above the folder, but the main headlines.
I wasn't refuting the GP. I was adding more information.