A telephone survey of 1,487 adults in 91 nonmetropolitan areas of Tennessee was conducted to determine the nonmetropolitan newspaper audience, the exposure and effectiveness of nonmetro newspaper advertising, and the complementary relationship of advertising media, particularly newspapers and television, in nonmetropolitan markets. The results showed that the newspaper was an important communications medium to nonmetro audiences. The nonmetro newspaper market was shown to be extensive and of high socioeconomic quality. Advertising exposure was high, and advertising content was widely read and persuasively effective. In addition, nonmetro readers were shown to use the advertising in various media, particularly television and newspapers, deliberately and purposively by capitalizing on their complementary qualitites. (FL)