GNM readers surveys, July 2007

Transcription

1 GNM readers surveys, July Three separate readers surveys were conducted online for The, The and using Confirmit software. Two different recruitment methods were used for readers of the / and users. and readers were invited to participate in the survey via with a link to the questionnaire. users were recruited via a pop-up that was hosted across. The methodology employed means that the profile of respondents reflects core users, rather than a sample that is totally representative of all users. Overall the profile of respondents participating in the sustainability research was broadly similar to the actual profile of readers of the and from the national readership survey (NRS) and from Forrester research for users. However, some differences were apparent for age, gender and region. For example respondents participating in the survey were more male in profile than the average user. We have also tried to align the regional profile of users with to the known profile of core site users, this has resulted in an up-weighting of users based in the UK compared to sustainability research conducted in the past. Sample size Fieldwork dates Response rates th - 25th July 6th - 25th July 9th July - 1st August 18% 13% 8% The The Male 59% 55% 75% Female 41% 45% 25% The The Under 24 2% 1% 7% 25 to 34 12% 13% 32% 35 to 44 22% 28%

2 45 to 54 27% 25% 17% 55 to 64 27% 25% 11% 65 to 74 9% 4% 75+ 3% 2% 1% Readership and length of readership was consistent over time for the, although readers are slightly older this year compared to previous years of sustainability research. The sample for was even more loyal and enthusiastic about their paper than in previous years. Readers have grown older over time and consequently 43% have been reading for longer than 20 years. 66% read 4 out of 4 issues of The. Do you think that we have a responsibility to refuse to carry any of the following types of advertising? Music with offensive lyrics and advertising using sexual imagery were the types of advertising GNM consumers were most likely to think we should refuse to carry. Readers of the and objected to all types advertising more strongly than respondents except for political and religious advertising. However, fewer respondents objected to political advertising in than in previous years. The proportion of both and respondents stating that we should refuse to carry advertising for gambling' has increased over time, perhaps in light of press coverage concerning super-casinos or online gambling. The percentage of readers stating that GNM should refuse to carry advertising for music with offensive lyrics has increased yet those stating political advertising should not be carried has decreased. 7 57% 58% 47% 44% 45% 43% 33% 34% 41% 37% 38% 36% 36% 29% GU 23% 18% 14% 13% 13% 11% 11% 8% 7% 6% 22% 22% Music with offensive lyrics Adverts using sexual imagery Gambling Religious Adverts for high emission cars Adverts for oil companies Adverts for budget airlines Political Other I would not object to any Do you believe that our content adequately reflects society in terms of the following?

3 & (Merged data n=1901) The majority thought that GNM newspapers did reflect society in terms of diversity coverage, although disability and regionality proved to be the most contentious areas. Lack of representation in terms of disability was because readers simply did not know how representative our coverage is. However, for regionality there was a definite belief that our coverage is not representative. 45% stating that the or were representative in terms of disability was however a considerable improvement on levels % 5% 17% 19% 15% 21% 8 6% 37% 7 12% 12% 21% 39% 85% 77% 19% Don't know No Yes 69% 67% 64% 45% Gender Sexual orientation Ethnicity Religion & belief Age Disability Regionality Responses from the survey followed a similar pattern to those of newspaper readers although levels of don t know were considerably higher, suggesting that their relationship with the brand was not as strong as that of newspaper readers % 25% 25% 27% 28% 31% 8 5% 48% 7 7% 11% 12% 16% 28% 15% Don't know No Yes 76% 68% 64% 61% 56% 41% 37% Gender Sexual orientation Ethnicity Religion & belief Age Regionality Disability Newspaper specific questions

4 The majority of and readers felt that the ethnic profile of editorial staff accurately reflects multi cultural society. A sizeable proportion of readers from each paper were unable to comment on the composition of writers and how they represented society. Do you feel that multi-cultural society is adequately represented in the composition of / writers? Yes 66% 61% No 11% 13% Don't know 23% 27% Readers of both the and felt it to be very important that the polybags used to wrap newspapers at the weekend were biodegradable or made of recycled material. Many retailers insist on multi-section newspapers being supplied in 'polybags' at the weekend. In light of this, how important is it to you that these 'polybags' are made of recycled material or are biodegradable? & Very important 7 72% 71% Quite important 21% 21% Neither important nor unimportant 6% 4% 5% Not important 2% 1% 2% Not at all important 1% 1% 1% Over time both and readers are more likely to recycle their newspapers when they have finished with them. When you have finished with your copy of The, which of the following are you most likely to do with it? Recycle it 95% 92% 95% 93% 89% Put it in the bin 2% 4% 4% 6% Use it for compost 1% 1% 1% 1% The Recycle it 95% 94% 93% 86% 85% Put it in the bin 1% 4% 7% 12% 15% Use it for compost 1% 1% 1% 2% How would you rate our coverage on the following sustainability issues? % Excellent / Good on a 5 point scale Both the and scored highly in terms of coverage on sustainability, with the attaining slightly more positive ratings. Levels of Good or Excellent were significantly stronger for the newspapers than for.

5 and readers showed a distinct awareness of where coverage on sustainability issues was better than other areas, whereas for respondents coverage ratings tended to remain consistent across all issues % 75% 81% 74% 71% 63% 66% 36% 45% 59% 41% 55% 36% 52% 48% 49% 44% 34% 34% The The unlimited Social justice Climate change Biodiversity & conservation Intl. development Intl. trade Role of business in society Sustainable travel Which, if any, of the following would you like to see more coverage on? readers were most likely to want to see more coverage on Sustainable travel options whereas for and respondents, Social justice was the most popular issue for more coverage. respondents were least likely to want more coverage on sustainability issues. However, they did show a greater desire for more international development coverage than readers of the newspapers. Comments mentioned at Other were extremely diverse ranging from sustainability in science and technology to ethical consumption. Verbatim from took a more global slant than the newspapers.

6 46% 46% 43% 52% 39% 29% 34% 34% 24% 33% 28% 32% 29% 29% 25% 27% 27% 31% 22% 21% 21% The The 13% 11% 11% 15% 14% Sustainable Social justice travel options Biodiversity and conservation The role of business in society Climate change International development International trade Other None of these We are interested in the extent to which the // 's coverage has influenced your behaviour in relation to the following. Using a scale between 1 and 3 where 3 means GNM has had a strong influence, 2 some influence and 1 no influence. Energy saving, recycling, purchasing green alternatives or purchasing fair-trade products were the behaviours that were most likely to have influenced. In each case the newspapers were more likely to have influenced behaviour than. Paying to carbon offset CO2 emissions was action that all titles had had the least influence on. When looking at data over time (2004-) it would appear that has increased its influence on respondent behaviour with regards to energy saving, recycling or reusing materials and purchasing green alternatives. We can see builds of +19%, +15% and + respectively for each of these actions. Additionally, there is a trend of increased influence amongst readers for energy saving coverage in the (+12%). However, data for the and shows a trend of declining influence of the newspapers over time on consuming organic foods, ethical investments, carbon offsetting and supporting an environmental charity. This is likely to be due to the relative wear-in of coverage in these areas. % stating strong or some influence,

7 8 7 74% 73% 71% 7 67% 68% 68% 69% 58% 53% 56% 55% 44% 38% 39% 32% 31% 34% 32% 33% 33% 33% 31% 29% 26% 27% 22% 21% The The Energy saving Recycling/reusing Purchasing 'green' alternatives Purchasing fair-trade Consuming organic food Reducing car journeys Ethical investments Reducing flights Using alternative energy sources Supporting an env. charity Paying to offset CO2 Do you think GNM could be doing more to encourage readers to reduce their impact on the environment? 62% of both and readers felt that their newspapers could be doing more to help readers reduce their impact on the environment. Although this represents a majority, the proportion stating that we could do more has declined slightly in the last year, -9% for the and and -4% for. Overall users were less likely to think that could do more to help readers reduce their impact. Do you think that GNM could be doing more to encourage readers to reduce their impact on the environment? & & Yes 62% 71% 56% No 38% 29% 44% How do you think we could do more to encourage readers to reduce their impact on the environment? A Reader More emphasis on responsible/ethical travel, provide more articles to make people THINK about what they are doing (less gadgets, less fashion, less of the vacuous consumer nonsense that fills up the saturday magazine) and a bit more questioning of the whole ethos of consumer/capitalist culture. Just don't turn into the Indie An Reader Lead by example, openly suggest the paper is recycled as part of the Title / on corner of every page. Promote UK holidays, rather than aspirational world travel (I appreciate this is already happening). Give Lucy Siegle's column more prominence and better artwork to attract readers. It looks like an afterthought squeezed in between Mariella and Monty Don (or your new gardener).

8 A User frequent use of top ten tips kind of lists. Also, articles explaining the pros & cons of landfill vs incinerating, explore the national & international inconsistencies in e.g. recycling rates. Why do some boroughs recycle plastic, e.g. & some do not? Name & shame or praise the companies / counties / countries that are doing well or badly on various measures & highlight the impact direct consumer action has / has had on this & suggest next steps / campaigns. How important to you is it that GNM as an organisation has a strategy to ensure that sustainability issues are addressed throughout its editorial, commercial and operational departments? GNM s new sustainability strategy introduced this year was considered highly important by all consumers. The introduction of a strategy was more important to readers of the newspapers than users with nearly half of them stating it was very important. The new strategy will also fulfil lead by example criteria in relation to how GNM can impact on reader / user sustainable behaviour. and data combined (Base: 1901) % 2% 9% 5% 3% 15% 7 39% Not important at all Not important Neither important nor unimportant Quite important Very important 49% 37% & Are you aware that The / has a readers' editor to deal with editorial complaints? 61% of and readers were aware of the readers editor. 82% of this group felt that the presence of a reader s editor made the newspaper(s) more responsive to their views. Considerably fewer respondents were aware of the helpdesk available to them on the website (31%). Although the majority (69%) of those aware of it felt that the website was responsive to their views. Do you believe that our coverage has prompted you to play a more active role in society in any of the following ways?

9 The majority of respondents felt that GNM coverage had prompted them to play a more active role in society, with respondents being the most active. The most likely activity respondents were prompted to participate in was talking to friends or colleagues, followed by boycotting products or brands. and readers were more likely to be influenced by what they read than users. The exception being blogging whereby respondents were considerably more active. There was little discernable difference in actions taken over time % 65% 59% 57% 41% 41% 37% 33% 29% 28% 24% 21% 21% 21% 23% 17% 17% 15% 15% 16% 13% 13% 14% 13% 11% 11% 11% 9% 8% 7% 3% 2% 3% Talked to friends Boycotted products Signed a petition Raised money for charity Written to a politician Campaigned on an issue Been on a demonstration Contacted a journalist Participated in a blog Volunteered for a charity Other GNM hasn't prompted me The The To what extent do you agree with the following statements about The // Respondents demonstrated a particularly strong association with The // for trustworthy news coverage, presents a range of perspectives and brings information to the public domain. or readers, particularly for brings information to the public domain and give a voice to under-represented groups in society. Levels of agreement remained relatively stable over time for all GNM brands. % stating strongly / slightly agree

10 9 84% 8 78% 79% 79% 76% 72% 7 68% 64% 61% 48% 49% 53% 52% 45% The The News coverage is trustworthy Presents a range of perspectives from a range of writers Brings information into the public domain Gives a voice to underrepresented groups News coverage is unbiased Which of the following most closely describes your view of The //? The vast majority of readers agreed that The // both reaffirms and challenges their view.

11 % 18% 18% 23% 12% 14% 8 5% 6% 5% 7% 7% 5% 7 It enables me to form my own opinion 65% 66% 62% 66% 69% 71% It gives an alternative viewpoint It reaffirms & challenges my views It reaffirms the views I already have 14% 9% 14% 6% 11% 8% Do you believe it is important for GNM to be open with readers in the way it makes editorial decisions and operates as a business? An overwhelming majority of readers felt that openness and transparency in decision making from GNM was important. This proportion has increased marginally over the last year across all brands. Is it important for GNM to be open in the way it makes decisions and operates as a business? Guardia n Guardia n Observe r Observe r Guardia n Unlimite d Guardia n Unlimite d Yes 96% 94% 97% 93% 92% 89% No 4% 6% 3% 7% 8% 11% Are you aware that GNM has the following practices in place to increase its openness and accountability? The majority of and respondents were aware of corrections and clarifications printed in the paper. Although awareness of the reader s editor s column has increased significantly in the last year for both and the majority of readers still remain unaware of it. Are you aware that GNM has the following practices in place? Gdn Gdn Obs Obs GU GU Corrections & clarifications 81% 83% 8 72% n/a n/a

12 Readers' editor's column 47% 37% 44% 27% 24% n/a Editor's blog 27% n/a n/a 28% 22% Social audit 16% 13% 15% 17% 23% None of these 14% 12% 16% 21% 57% How important do you feel it is that The has the following practices in place? The social audit and corrections and clarifications are still considered to be the most important practices for both the and. The importance of these practices has not changed over time for either publication. For respondents, aware of these practices, importance of the Social audit (Sustainability report) and the editor s blog has increased considerably between and. The How important do you feel it is that The has the following practices in place? all aware of social audit all aware of corrections all aware of readers editors column all aware of GU editors blog Base: Aware of practices n=186 n=766 n=342 n=281 1 Not important at all 1% 1% 1% 2 3% 3% 4% 11% 3 15% 14% 21% 34% 4 34% 35% 49% 41% 5 Highly important 48% 47% 25% 13% % Highly important / Important 82% 82% 74% 54% The How important do you feel it is that The has the following practices in place? all aware of social audit all aware of corrections all aware of readers editor column Base: Aware of practices n=107 n=646 n=358 1 Not important at all 2% 1% 2 2% 3% 3% 3 12% 12% 4 35% 32% 44% 5 Highly important 53% 32% 4 or 5 out of 5 85% 85% 76%

13 How important is it that has the following practices in place? all aware of social audit all aware of social audit all aware of GU editors blog all aware of GU editors blog all aware of readers editor column Base: Aware of practices n=381 n=259 n=625 n=246 n=530 1 Not important at all 1% 2% 7% 2% 1% 2 2% 6% 3% 5% 3% 3 12% 14% 16% 28% 13% 4 41% 54% 43% 5 Highly important 44% 48% 26% 23% 33% Highly important / important 85% 78% 8 66% 83% Given the wide variety of news sources available, do you think that newspapers are still relevant in today's society? Overall, our readers still felt that newspapers were relevant in today s society. 99% of readers thought newspapers were still relevant, 95% of readers thought Sunday newspapers were still relevant and most surprisingly 95% of users still thought newspapers to be relevant. The vast majority of respondents from the and research also still saw themselves reading newspapers in five years time (98% and 94% respectively). 14% of respondents currently only read the news online, while 82% of them still saw themselves reading newspapers in the near future. Are you aware that The // is owned by a trust whose mission is to ensure its continued existence as a quality newspaper, free from party affiliation, remaining faithful to liberal tradition? Awareness of the being owned by the Scott Trust has increased considerably since However, the majority of users remain unaware of GNM s ownership structure. At least 9 of respondents felt that the trust s mission was reflected in our content.

14 7 64% 66% 56% 52% 43% 36% 43% Summary Overall results indicate that sustainability is an extremely important issue for our readers and we are considered to be addressing social, ethical and environmental issues well in terms of coverage and education. However, the majority of respondents believed that we could still be doing more. The implementation of the sustainability strategy and raising awareness of it could help to redress this balance. Despite this, our newspapers and website have had a significant influence on the ethical behaviour of many readers. A high proportion stated that the // had helped them take a more active role in society, although the most likely means of doing so was by talking to friends or colleagues. It was strongly believed that the values and principles of the Scott trust were being upheld across all brands. Yet there is room to raise awareness of s relationship to the trust. Responses were generally weaker for across the board, which indicates that users do not have as strong a relationship with as readers of the and do with their newspapers.