Rodert and Helen Lynd Foreword IN the fall of 1937 the Rockefeller Foundation allocated a grant to Princeton University with the assignment of studying the role played by radio for different groups of listeners in the United States. An Office of Radio Research was set up with the author as director, Frank Stanton and Hadley Cantril as associate directors. A series of investigations covering a rather wide range of problems was undertaken. One group of studies which seemed of obvious importance related radio to other media of communication such as newspapers and books. In June 1939, when the first general progress report was due, these studies formed a natural unit for summary. The volume on Radio and the Printed Page, in its present form grew out of discussions of this first report. The field headquarters of the Princeton Radio Project have been in New York City, and as the work advanced it became clear to the directors that the research would be expedited if the Project were transferred to a university located in New York City, the center of radio activities. In the spring of 1940 the Office of Radio Research was therefore transferred to Columbia University. The entire series of studies to which the present book belongs was originally sponsored by the Federal Radio Education Committee. One feels quite reluctant to sign his own name as author of a book which is so much the product of the co-operative efforts of a group of associates. Thus nothing is more urgent than to give proper acknowledgment where it is due. The greatest indebtedness is to Professor Samuel Stouffer of the University of Chicago. Professor Stouffer analyzed the material pertaining to news in this book the first three sections of the fifth chapter and the first section of the sixth chapter are almost entirely his contribution. Many times as this work progressed Dr. Stouffers ideas proved helpful to other parts of the book as well. It is a pleasure to acknowledge how greatly his thinking has enriched the authors own ideas about social research. Only Dr. Stouffer9s over-modest insistence has prevented his name from appearing as coauthor of the present volume. Dr. Frank Stanton, Research Director of the Columbia Broadcasting System, has also been decisive for the progress of this piece of work. It was he who guided the author in his first orientation in the field of American broadcasting. Many an invaluable source of material was tapped, and many a research idea initiated through Dr. Stantons advice. There is scarcely a conclusion in this volume which has not profited somehow from Dr. Stantons co-operation. So many other people have helped in the various phases of the present text that only a few can be singled out for a special word of thanks. Mr. H. M. Beville of the National Broadcasting Company Professor Hadley Cantril of Princeton University Mrs. Mary Duncan Carter of the School of FOREWORD ix Library Science of the University of Southern California Dr. George Gallup of the American Institute of Public Opinion Professor Harold G. Lasswell Mr. Theodore Malcolm Dr. Leonard Power, Research Co-ordinator of the Federal Radio Education Committee Mr. S. Spivak of the Columbia Broadcasting System Professor H. B...