General Social Survey: Few Read Daily Paper Every Day

For over 30 years, the General Social Survey is sent out to about 3,000 adults in the U.S. in order to asses trends, behaviors, and attitudes of Americans. With 450 questions, the survey covers a diverse set of issues, ranging from belief in the afterlife (steady at 72%) and trusting others (35% said that generally people can be trusted), to gun permits (80% favor a law requiring a police permit before being able to buy a gun) and legalization of marijuana (32% think it should be legal). Though it shouldn’t come as any surprise, the survey also indicated that fewer and fewer Americans are reading a daily newspaper every day. This year, only about 32% of respondents indicated that they read a newspaper every day, down from 40% in 2004, 50% in 1989, and 70% in 1972.