Posted on 11/10/2005 7:16:58 AM PST by sonsofliberty2000
PRSA/Harris Interactive survey compares views of consumers, execs and congressional staffers
NEW YORK and ROCHESTER, N.Y., Nov. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- When it comes to Americans' reliance upon news, what's "new and hot" is not the choice for many consumers, business executives and Washington insiders, according to the findings of a groundbreaking survey developed jointly by Harris Interactive(R) and the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Foundation. The national survey, titled Executive, Congressional and Consumer Attitudes Toward Media, Marketing and the Public Relations Profession, compares attitudes and opinions about media, marketing and public relations among American adult consumers, Fortune 1000 executives, and congressional staffers. And while there were marked differences among the three groups, one of the survey's major findings was that substantial majorities of each group are interested in the news and they tend to trust traditional news sources most. Contrary to oft-repeated assessments that Americans are losing interest in the news, the survey found that majorities of all three groups polled say they use news, pay attention to it, want to keep up with it, and have a distinct set of news sources they depend on.
* At least seven in 10 general consumers (71%), congressional staffers (77%) and executives (87%) agree that they have a defined set of news sources that they trust to provide them with fair and balanced coverage and that they largely ignore other sources.
* Majorities (53% to 71%) of the three groups surveyed say they like to keep up with the news, but it's just one of the many ways they spend their leisure time. However, some (15% to 43%) say they are "news junkies," asserting that keeping up with the news is a favorite leisure time activity.
* Sixty-five percent of general consumers, 75 percent of executives and 80 percent of congressional staffers actively look for news and information that challenges their political opinions and social beliefs.
* Minorities (21% to 42%) of each of the groups surveyed rely heavily on independent sources like Internet chat rooms, blogs or other alternative media to get news and information.
Most Trusted: Tried and True Traditional Media Despite some talk of a media landscape dominated by blogs and Internet chat rooms, the survey finds that the most trusted news sources are the tried and true -- public TV and radio programming, national newspapers and commercial broadcast news.
* Sixty-one percent of general consumers, along with 70 percent of congressional staffers and 75 percent of executives, trust news shows on public television or National Public Radio.
* More than half (56%) of general consumers and more than three-quarters of both executives and congressional staffers (78% each) say they trust national newspapers like The New York Times, The Washington Post or The Wall Street Journal.
* Majorities (53% to 62%) of the three groups surveyed say they trust commercial broadcast news, including network television, cable and commercial radio networks.
However, trusting news sources doesn't necessarily imply blind loyalty or a lack of skepticism as minorities of general consumers (43%), congressional staffers (33%) and executives (28%) agree that most of the news they see is accurate and unbiased. There are a number of news sources that garner somewhat lower trust among respondents, including advocacy groups (18% to 44% of the three groups surveyed say they completely or somewhat trust this source), pollsters (37% to 51%) and elected or appointed government officials (31% to 53%). Interestingly, only about half (53%) of congressional staffers say they completely or somewhat trust public officials. The least-trusted information sources among the 11 included in the survey are entertainers or celebrities who support particular causes (8% to 30% of the three groups surveyed say they completely or somewhat trust them), liberal (18% to 31%) and conservative (29% to 35%) talk radio hosts, and people who work in the advertising industry (20% to 25%). "All of this is important information for professionals who daily are challenged about which channels and sources they should use to reach consumers and business/political decision-makers," said Judith T. Phair, president and CEO of the Public Relations Society of America. "It's easy to read the headlines in trade and business press about all of the hot 'new' media channels and start to believe that the traditional press is passe, but this survey confirms that despite some new entrants, Americans still use news, seek news and place their trust in the traditional sources."
TABLE 1 ATTITUDES TOWARD MEDIA "To what extent do you personally agree or disagree with the following statements?" Base: All Respondents
Agree Strongly Somewhat Disagree Somewhat Strongly (Net) Agree Agree (Net) Disagree Disagree You have a defined set of news sources that you trust to provide you with fair and balanced coverage, other sources you largely ignore.
Total U.S. Adults 18+ (n=1,015) % 71 28 43 25 16 9 Total Executives (n=150) % 87 58 29 13 9 5 Total Congressional (n=150) % 77 49 28 23 16 7
You actively look for news and information that challenges your political opinions and social beliefs.
Total U.S. Adults 18 + (n=1,015) % 65 25 40 33 21 12 Total Executives (n=150) % 75 40 35 25 15 10 Total Congressional (n=150) % 80 34 46 20 14 6
You believe that most of the news you see is accurate and unbiased.
Total U.S. Adults 18+ (n=1,015) % 43 10 33 56 28 28 Total Executives (n=150) % 28 4 24 72 41 31 Total Congressional (n=150) % 33 3 31 66 40 26
You rely heavily on independent sources like Internet chat rooms, blogs or other alternative media to get news and information.
Total U.S. Adults 18+ (n=1,015) % 42 16 26 54 24 30 Total Executives (n=150) % 21 3 17 79 28 51 Total Congressional (n=150) % 30 9 21 70 27 43
TABLE 2 NEWS INTEREST "Which of these statements best describes you personally?"
Base: All Respondents
% You like to keep up with the news, but it's just one of many ways that you spend your leisure time
Total U.S. Adults 18+ (n=1,015) 66 Total Executives (n=150) 71 Total Congressional (n=150) 53
You are a news junky - it's a favorite leisure time activity
Total U.S. Adults 18+ (n=1,015) 15 Total Executives (n=150) 23 Total Congressional (n=150) 43
You are not really interested in the news - there are other ways that you prefer to spend your leisure time
Total U.S. Adults 18+ (n=1,015) 15 Total Executives (n=150) 5 Total Congressional (n=150) 4
None of these
Total U.S. Adults 18+ (n=1,015) 4 Total Executives (n=150) 1 Total Congressional (n=150) -
TABLE 3 TRUST IN NEWS SOURCES "How much do you trust the following types of information sources to provide accurate and unbiased news and information?"
Base: All Respondents
Trust Trust Trust Distrust Distrust Distrust Depends (Net) Completely Somewhat (Net) Somewhat Completely on the source News shows on public television or National Public Radio
Total U.S. Adults 18+ (n=1,015) % 61 10 51 18 14 4 20 Total Executives (n=150) % 75 11 64 16 14 2 9 Total Congressional (n=150) % 70 18 52 17 13 3 13
National newspapers like The New York Times, The Washington Post or The Wall Street Journal
Total U.S. Adults 18+ (n=1,015) % 56 13 43 21 15 7 15 Total Executives (n=150) % 78 16 62 11 9 1 11 Total Congressional (n=150) % 78 22 56 10 9 1 11
Commercial broadcast news including network television, cable and commercial radio networks
Total U.S. Adults 18+ (n=1,015) % 53 4 49 26 20 6 21 Total Executives (n=150) % 59 2 57 31 29 2 10 Total Congressional (n=150) % 62 5 57 21 19 1 17
Advocacy groups like the NRA, AARP, and the ACLU
Total U.S. Adults 18+ (n=1,015) % 44 8 36 33 19 14 18 Total Executives (n=150) % 18 1 17 61 43 19 21 Total Congressional (n=150) % 39 - 39 35 31 4 27
Elected or appointed government officials
Total U.S. Adults 18+ (n=1,015) % 38 2 36 36 26 10 25 Total Executives (n=150) % 31 1 30 47 40 7 22 Total Congressional (n=150) % 53 2 51 19 17 1 27
Public opinion pollsters
Total U.S. Adults 18+ (n=1,015) % 37 4 33 38 27 11 22 Total Executives (n=150) % 45 1 43 35 29 6 19 Total Congressional (n=150) % 51 2 49 24 21 3 25
People who work in the public relations industry
Total U.S. Adults 18+ (n=1,015) % 37 3 33 40 27 13 21 Total Executives (n=150) % 29 2 27 45 38 7 25 Total Congressional (n=150) % 29 1 27 49 41 8 22
Conservative talk radio hosts
Total U.S. Adults 18+ (n=1,015) % 35 4 31 39 21 18 22 Total Executives (n=150) % 29 1 28 57 33 23 14 Total Congressional (n=150) % 34 1 33 51 27 23 15
Liberal talk radio hosts
Total U.S. Adults 18+ (n=1,015) % 31 2 29 42 22 20 22 Total Executives (n=150) % 18 - 18 67 41 26 15 Total Congressional (n=150) % 31 1 30 51 31 20 16
Entertainers or celebrities who support particular causes or issues
Total U.S. Adults 18+ (n=1,015) % 30 2 28 45 22 24 22 Total Executives (n=150) % 8 1 7 77 39 38 15 Total Congressional (n=150) % 13 - 13 71 33 39 15
People who work in the advertising industry
Total U.S. Adults 18+ (n=1,015) % 25 2 23 54 33 22 20 Total Executives (n=150) % 24 - 24 60 49 11 15 Total Congressional (n=150) % 20 - 20 62 49 13 17
Methodology
General Public Harris Interactive conducted the telephone survey, jointly developed with the PRSA Foundation, between June 7 and 12, 2005 among a nationwide cross section of 1,015 U.S. adults ages 18 and over. Figures for age, sex, race, education, number of adults, number of voice/telephone lines in the household, region and size of place were weighted where necessary to align them with their actual proportions in the population. In theory, with a probability sample of this size, one can say with 95 percent certainty that the results for the overall sample have a sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points of what they would be if the entire U.S. adult population had been polled with complete accuracy.
Executives Harris Interactive conducted this survey, jointly developed with the PRSA Foundation, using its Executive Omnibus(TM), a nationwide telephone survey of 150 leading executives in Fortune 1000 companies. The survey was conducted between June 10 and July 14, 2005. Executives from a broad range of industries, services, locales, and sizes of companies were interviewed. Data from this sample are not weighted and are representative only of the body of individuals surveyed. In theory, with a probability sample of this size, one can say with 95 percent certainty that the results for the overall sample have a sampling error of plus or minus 8 percentage points.
Congressional Staffers Harris Interactive conducted this survey, jointly developed with the PRSA Foundation, using its Congressional Omnibus(TM), a unique bipartisan survey hich provides an in-depth, scientific analysis of what Congress thinks. From among Hill offices, 150 senior staff members and aides were interviewed via telephone and stratified according to party, chamber, years in office, and title. The survey was conducted between June 7 and August 17, 2005. Data from this sample are not weighted and are representative only of the body of individuals surveyed. In theory, with a probability sample of this size, one can say with 95 percent certainty that the results for the overall sample have a sampling error of plus or minus 8 percentage points.
About the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Foundation Founded in 1990, the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Foundation supports the advancement of research, education, scholarship and professional development in the public relations profession ensuring quality life-long learning opportunities that will advance the profession and the professional.
About the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) The Public Relations Society of America (http://www.prsa.org), based in New York City, is the world's largest organization for public relations professionals. The Society has more than 28,000 professional and student members. PRSA is organized into 114 Chapters nationwide, 19 Professional Interest Sections along with Affinity Groups, which represent business and industry, counseling firms, independent practitioners, military, government, associations, hospitals, schools, professional services firms and nonprofit organizations. The Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) has 270 Chapters at colleges and universities throughout the United States.
About Harris Interactive(R) Harris Interactive Inc. (http://www.harrisinteractive.com), based in Rochester, New York, is the 13th largest and the fastest-growing market research firm in the world, most widely known for The Harris Poll(R) and for its pioneering leadership in the online market research industry. Long recognized by its clients for delivering insights that enable confident business decisions, the Company blends the science of innovative research with the art of strategic consulting to deliver knowledge that leads to measurable and enduring value. Harris Interactive serves clients worldwide through its United States, Europe (http://www.harrisinteractive.com/europe) and Asia offices, its wholly- owned subsidiary Novatris in Paris, France (http://www.novatris.com), and through an independent global network of affiliate market research companies. EOE M/F/D/V To become a member of the Harris Poll Online(SM) and be invited to participate in future online surveys, go to http://www.harrispollonline.com For more information about the survey please visit the online media kit at http://media.prsa.org/press_kit_index.cfm
Harris Interactive Contact: Nancy Wong 585-214-7316
PRSA Contact: Cedric Bess 212-460-1495
LOL, so true.
LOL! Thanks for the humor break.
"So why post the results online if the web isn't trusted?"
WINNING POST OF THE DAY!
The intent is to persuade advertisers that traditional media has a trusted audience and that carries over to trusting it's advertisers. And that is more important than falling circulation and viewer-ship numbers.
Awwwwww. Is this an article supposed to make the crumbling newspapers feel better?
This poll comes from a source I don't trust.
And math and logic classes are in decline in schools.
That is, if the population is not caring as much about news--which seems to be the case--then a slide in newspaper circulation and alphabet-network viewership could occur, even while they are the most trusted.
But I forget... facts just confuse things.
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