To determine the elements that most influence newspaper subscribership, 400 adults were polled in a stratified proportional sample to assess their levels of news media use in childhood and the strength of certain sociopsychological needs, and to record life style and demographic characteristics. Factor analysis of needs questions suggested the presence of three needs types: surveillance, companionship, and stimulation. Multiple regression analysis of the factors demonstrated that being white, male, and younger were the best predictors of the surveillance need. Lower levels of media exposure in childhood were the strongest predictors of the companionship need; being white and female were also significant. The sole predictor of the stimulation need was a lower level of news media exposure in childhood. Regular readers of newspapers were found to be older, more involved with their community, better educated, and surveillant. Results suggest that to attract and hold subscribers, newspapers should focus on presenting local news in depth and should be less concerned about competition from television. Younger adults present a rich potential market because of their higher educational attainment and their stronger surveillance need, although their greater mobility and lower levels of community integration lessen the impact of this market. Numerous tables and a three-page bibliography conclude the paper. (Author/EL)