A new survey measuring media usage finds that Americans, or at least the 1,000 surveyed, are increasingly getting their news online and from radio and that television is deemed the most credible source of news.
The survey, commissioned by ARAnet, which owns online advertising networks and “places” articles for clients in print and online publications, also included a fascinating little tidbit in the print news arena. According to the survey, daily newspaper use is down to 19.4 percent from 23.5 percent last year. Interesting, but not shocking. Meanwhile, the consumption of free shopper newspapers (as differentiated from weekly community papers) is up to 2.9 percent from 2.2 percent last year. Okay. Still not shocking; in these troubled economic times, we could all use a good cat food coupon, buy-one-get-one-half-off deals on condensed milk, solid offers on collectible figurines and comprehensive listings of used cars.
What is truly eyebrow raising is that in measuring the most trusted sources of news, the survey found that daily papers’ credibility stayed the same at 6.3 percent while readers’ trust in the penny-saver actually rose. Has it gotten that bad that people trust ad copy and the fine print on a coupon more than reported news these days?
I’ve e-mailed the folks behind the survey to clarify exactly how they defined “free shopper newspaper.” Maybe it’s something more substantial than I’m imagining. Hope so. Meanwhile, there’s a great deal on lemonade mix in today’s Clip ‘N Save.
First of all, you are misstating the "credibility" measure as a percent when it ia actually a score of 1 to 10. The newspaper's credibility is an average 6.3 on a scale of 1 to 10. The "trust" of the "free shopper newspaper" is up 0.8 on the scale, which is actually no difference in a survey of 1000 people.
This is a junk survey, Ms. Fenwick. I suggest you review the recent Pew Survey "Press Accuracy Rating Hits Two Decade Low" which contains solid research and interesting findings more relevant to CJR readers instead. In that study, only 29% of the public think that the press can "get their facts straight", down from 55% in 1985, Only 33% and 41% of respondents get their national and local news, respectively, from newspapers, while 71% and 64% get their news from television.
Most interesting new revelation under 'Long-Term Views of Press Performance" heading: 70% think the press tries to cover up mistakes, up from 55% in 1985.
We are on to you!
Here's a link to the Pew survey: Press Accuracy Rating Hits Two Decade Low: Overview - Pew Research Center for the People & the Press. Try to stay away from those junk polls. That may well be part of the problem.
#1 Posted by James, CJR on Sat 26 Sep 2009 at 05:21 PM
Our local free weekly,
The Bristol Observer, was originally the local free "pennysaver" called "The StepSaver". As the Hartford Courant coverage of our town has declined, this paper has stepped up its local coverage and is now pretty decent.
#2 Posted by Tom, CJR on Sat 26 Sep 2009 at 05:31 PM
I work for one of these "free shopper newspaper" (I will not name it) and the comments left in the paper make me wonder which planet some of these people are on as every right-wing, teabagger, Glenn Beck, Limbaugh wet dream fantasy world anti-Obama piece of trash is echoed on the pages of the paper I work for. Heaven help us all!!!
#3 Posted by Bill, CJR on Sat 26 Sep 2009 at 06:37 PM
When I worked at the Queens Tribune, we were circulated free weekly, distributed mostly in bundles at stores, and with an editorial staff of three plus freelancers, a more or less professional journalistic enterprise doing real reporting in parts of the borough usually overlooked by the big dailies. I'd imagine that any of our readers taking that survey would have lumped us in with the penny savers, etc.
— Brian O'Connor
Personal Finance Editor/Detroit News
#4 Posted by Brian O'Connor, CJR on Mon 28 Sep 2009 at 04:56 PM