Who reads daily newspapers in the USA and in Germany! Despite a steady decl
ine of newspaper reading, the sociodemographic determinants of newspaper re
adership have been surprisingly stable in both countries since the mid-1970
s. A long-term comparative analysis of audience data suggests that newspape
rs serve different cultural functions: in the USA, they seem to be more and
more an instrument of social distinction; in Germany they also maintain a
function of social integration.