AEJMC Newspaper Division Survey Results

Division members:

Below are the responses to the online survey of members we recently conducted.  As of June, we had 654 members in the division, of which 153 participated. That gave us a response rate of 23%.  However, 56% of the respondents had been members for six or more years, so the level of investment in the division by respondents was quite high.

There are some obvious eye-openers in the data.  Research and ethics are by far the issues of most interest to members.  You seem pleased with the level of communication, but support for a printed newsletter is dwindling. 

Only half the respondents see the Newspaper Division as their AEJMC "home" and 42% divide their loyalties with at least three other divisions or interest groups.

 

You are all trained researchers, so I will not pick apart this report.  Rather, I leave it to you to analyze.  If anyone wants to crunch the numbers, send an e-mail to me and I will give you the SPSS - compatible spreadsheet data.  It would be helpful to the division, I think, if a few dispassionate researchers analyzed the survey and sent to me findings we could share online before the convention.

The qualitative answers to Question 12 will come to you under separate cover.  As with the survey data, we could use the help of a good qualitative researcher to draw conclusions from the comments.

Clyde Bentley
Head, AEJMC Newspaper Division
BentleyCL@missouri.edu

July 7, 2003

1) How long have you been a member of the Newspaper Division?
1 year or less
  5 (3%)
2-5 years
  59 (38%)
6-9 years
  18 (11%)
10-20 years
  41 (26%)
More than 20 years
  30 (19%)

2) How many times have you attended an AEJMC convention?
Never
  7 (4%)
Once
  13 (8%)
2-5 times
  59 (38%)
6-10 times
  24 (15%)
More than 10 times
  50 (32%)

3) How many times have you presented a research paper at an AEJMC convention?
Never
  29 (18%)
Once
  21 (13%)
2-5 times
  52 (33%)
6-10 times
  24 (15%)
More than 10 times
  27 (17%)

4) How long did you work professionally in the newspaper industry?

Never
  11 (7%)
1 year or less
  4 (2%)
2-5 years
  41 (26%)
6-9 years
  31 (20%)
10-20 years
  46 (30%)
More than 20 years
  19 (12%)

5) Do you consider the Newspaper Division your primary "home" with AEJMC?
Yes
  78 (50%)
No
  75 (49%)

6) To how many other AEJMC divisions or interest groups in addition to the Newspaper Division do you belong?
None
  5 (3%)
1
  30 (19%)
2
  52 (33%)
3-5
  61 (39%)
6-10
  5 (3%)
More than 10
  0 (0%)

7) How well do these organizations serve your needs as a mass communications academic?
The AEJMC as a whole
Average Score: 3 / 4 
Not well at all 1 / 153 
Somewhat poorly 15 / 153 
Somewhat well 81 / 153 
Very well 56 / 153 
The Newspaper Division
Average Score: 3 / 4 
Not well at all 2 / 153 
Somewhat poorly 14 / 153 
Somewhat well 88 / 153 
Very well 49 / 153 
The Newspaper Industry
Average Score: 2 / 4 
Not well at all 13 / 151 
Somewhat poorly 53 / 151 
Somewhat well 68 / 151 
Very well 17 / 151 
My university
Average Score: 3 / 4 
Not well at all 6 / 151 
Somewhat poorly 32 / 151 
Somewhat well 62 / 151 
Very well 51 / 151 

8) How much priority should the Newspaper Division give to the following roles:
Facilitating research
Average Score: 3 / 4 
Almost no priority 0 / 153 
Little priority 1 / 153 
Some priority 48 / 153 
Very high priority 104 / 153 
Providing contacts with the industry
Average Score: 3 / 4 
Almost no priority 1 / 153 
Little priority 8 / 153 
Some priority 68 / 153 
Very high priority 76 / 153 
Providing social opportunities
Average Score: 2 / 4 
Almost no priority 14 / 153 
Little priority 65 / 153 
Some priority 66 / 153 
Very high priority 8 / 153 
Providing curriculum help
Average Score: 3 / 4
Almost no priority 3 / 153 
Little priority 20 / 153 
Some priority 61 / 153 
Very high priority 69 / 153 
Encouraging diversity
Average Score: 3 / 4 
Almost no priority 8 / 153 
Little priority 22 / 153 
Some priority 72 / 153 
Very high priority 51 / 153 
Teaching journalists to teach
Average Score: 3 / 4 
Almost no priority 8 / 153 
Little priority 22 / 153 
Some priority 72 / 153 
Very high priority 51 / 153 
Monitoring the newspaper profession
Average Score: 3 / 4 
Almost no priority 4 / 153 
Little priority 12 / 153 
Some priority 63 / 153 
Very high priority 74 / 153 
Facilitating the use of new technology
Average Score: 3 / 4 
Almost no priority 5 / 153 
Little priority 27 / 153 
Some priority 77 / 153 
Very high priority 44 / 153 
Providing ethical guidance
Average Score: 3 / 4 
Almost no priority 5 / 153 
Little priority 13 / 153 
Some priority 54 / 153 
Very high priority 81 / 153 

9) What about you? How well does the Newspaper Division now serve you in these factors?
Facilitating research
Average Score: 2 / 4 
Not well at all 15 / 148 
Somewhat poorly 33 / 148 
Somewhat well 76 / 148 
Very well 24 / 148 
Providing contacts with the industry
Average Score: 2 / 4 
Not well at all 21 / 146 
Somewhat poorly 49 / 146 
Somewhat well 67 / 146 
Very well 9 / 146 
Providing social opportunities
Average Score: 2 / 4 
Not well at all 18 / 148 
Somewhat poorly 62 / 148 
Somewhat well 61 / 148 
Very well 7 / 148 
Providing curriculum help
Average Score: 2 / 4 
Not well at all 18 / 148 
Somewhat poorly 62 / 148 
Somewhat well 61 / 148 
Very well 7 / 148 
Encouraging diversity
Average Score: 2 / 4 
Not well at all 27 / 142 
Somewhat poorly 53 / 142 
Somewhat well 55 / 142 
Very well 7 / 142 
Teaching journalists to teach
Average Score: 2 / 4 
Not well at all 26 / 145 
Somewhat poorly 58 / 145 
Somewhat well 57 / 145 
Very well 4 / 145 
Monitoring the newspaper profession
Average Score: 2 / 4 
Not well at all 16 / 146 
Somewhat poorly 64 / 146 
Somewhat well 57 / 146 
Very well 9 / 146 
Facilitating the use of new technology
Average Score: 2 / 4 
Not well at all 17 / 146 
Somewhat poorly 52 / 146 
Somewhat well 77 / 146 
Very well 0 / 146 
Providing ethical guidance
Average Score: 2 / 4 
Not well at all 17 / 143 
Somewhat poorly 49 / 143 
Somewhat well 72 / 143 
Very well 5 / 143 

10) The amount of communication to me from the Newspaper Division is:
Communication
Average Score: 3 / 4 
Inadequate for my needs 4 / 153 
Somewhat inadequate for my needs 15 / 153 
Somewhat adequate for my needs 63 / 153 
Adequate for my needs 71 / 153 

11) I must have a printed newsletter in addition to e-mail communication.
Newsletter
Average Score: 1 / 4 
Disagree 67 / 153 
Somewhat disagree 41 / 153 
Somewhat agree 31 / 153 
Agree   14 / 153 
 
 

12) What issues or topics should the Newspaper Division look at in the coming year? (Full text answers)
Please report any glitches in conversion
from raw survey results to Web page.
e-mail AEJnews@stepno.com
Bob Stepno