Media preference and believability among rural respondents for news and advertising information

This study measured the believability of mass media and identified the mass medium of preference for news and advertising information among 492 rural or nonmetropolitan respondents in Texas. A large majority of respondents sa id they received most of their daily news and information from television, followed by newspapers, radio, and magazines, however, the highest percenta ge of respondents said they received most of their daily advertising inform ation from newspapers followed by television and radio. There were differen ces in media preferences for advertising and news information based on resp ondents' demographic variables. Television was the most believable mass med ium for news, while newspapers were perceived as the most believable medium for advertising information. Media believability differed among respondent s in relation to age and education.