ABSTRACT
In the study of the press-an ever-shifting and elusive terrain-no subject proves more difficult to pin down than the reader. By the 1970s, the influence of social history had led scholars to search, wherever possible, for the circulation figures and the social identities of subscribers.1
Although such evidence continues to increase, it has remained quite skimpy. Furthermore, as many scholars have pointed out, the number and social class of subscribers do not answer the most important questions about how the audience approached the materials presented.2 Exploring periodical readership requires connecting the available statistical configuration of the periodical audience to evidence about the relationship between readers and the press. A range of potential rolesfrom that of contributor to passive follower-remained conceivable and require examination. Understanding the reader’s stance will allow a more general contribution to the broader literature on this subject.
