Why do people read newspapers? How is community possible in an urban setting? Answers to both these questions have been attempted in the theorizing of urban sociologist and in journalist accounts of the role of local newspapers. Newspapers are said to foster a sense of community. The existence of local community ties, on the other hand, is said to foster newspaper circulation and readership. By focusing on the community/communication relationship, this book raises questions and analyzes the nature of these relationships and how they work.