The Paper and the Pew: How Religion Shapes Media Choice

This work builds on Bernard Berelson’s 1949 ＂Uses and Gratifications＂ landmark study for Columbia University, which analyzed a crosssection of men and women living in New York who did not receive the newspaper during a New York Times strike. Respondents were asked for the reasons he or she bought a newspaper and what gratification associated with the paper was unavailable to them during the strike. A typical newspaper reader emerged that cited respite, entertainment, information, socialization, and public affairs knowledge as the most typical reasons they sought out a newspaper.

Professor German uses the Berelson study as a base to survey Mormon, Jewish, and Methodist communities in the New York suburbs to see if critical differences existed among faiths. Her aim is to segment the contemporary newspaper market (circa 2003) by minority versus majority faiths to be analyzed. Professor German’s study has produced conclusive results among these faiths in terms of media usage and reasons for the usage that are significant in the fields of religion, sociology, and media studies.

Myna German is Chair of the Mass Communications Department at Delaware State University.