Yep. Newspapers are laid out in columns because that's simply easier for people to read.
Since you're into dead tree editions, here's a fun fact you may not know: The fibers in newsprint are aligned vertically so that you can easily tear out an article vertically along its column. Tearing horizontally cleanly is significantly more difficult.
Paper in books is also aligned the same way, to resist better to humidity.
Humidity enlarges the fibres, but doesn't get them longer.
In a humid environment a book grows wider but not taller.
If the paper is oriented the other way, the paper would grow taller and the spine of the book, which is stitched and glued, would force the paper to warp and became ondulated.
Since you're into dead tree editions, here's a fun fact you may not know: The fibers in newsprint are aligned vertically so that you can easily tear out an article vertically along its column. Tearing horizontally cleanly is significantly more difficult.
Source: Worked for two major newspaper companies.