To gain a perspective on the kinds of people who find newspapers and television to be high or low in credibility, a two-phase study combined demographic and other characteristics, media behavior, and attitudes toward the media. The first phase involved a series of focused group discussions, while the second was a national, representative sampling of adults aged 18 and older living in the United States. The quantitative phase of the project had two parts. First, telephone interviews, lasting 20 minutes on the average, were completed with adults. Then, during the second part, respondents were asked to complete a questionnaire mailed to them at home. Findings identified two groups of people as being especially critical of newspapers. One was a segment of the population with relatively higher education and income than other people surveyed, greater knowledge of news coverage, and greater propensity to act when angered by media content. They were disportionately Republican and conservative. The second group was a segment of the population with relatively low education and income, less knowledge of media, and less likelihood of taking action when provoked by media content. This group was particularly likely to be confused by newspaper policies on separation of fact and opinion and to have serious problems with media credibility. Detailed data analysis is provided in six appended tables. (HOD)