Submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Communication Science at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2011. / This study aims to provide clarity in respect of the readers and advertisers preference between mainstream and community newspapers. As a result of the unprecedented success of community newspaper, mainstream newspapers have found themselves a new rival in the face of technological developments such as the Internet. Central to both these genres of newspapers stand the readers and advertisers'. These readers form an integral part of the existence of the newspapers and a key component in advertising. For advertisers, the community newspapers provided the perfect reach as they were aimed at a specific audience. Mainstream newspapers have been placed under duress with the proliferation of community newspapers as circulation expanded dramatically. This study provides an insight into readers' preferences using the Uses and Gratifications theory as a departure point. The results of this study will also show that in spite of both readers' and advertisers' preference, the mainstream newspaper will not be made obsolete, instead it will have to continue to reinvent itself to keep abreast of the changes in the environment.