Todd Epp is working on a business plan for a new regional news service, Northern Plains News. I'm helping him, just a little, so I'm happy to promote a little market research Epp is doing. Epp wants to know how you get your news and whom you trust.
The survey itself is pretty simple: three simple, non-traceable demographic questions (unless you live in Junius or Redig), then questions about which South Dakota newspapers, TV stations, and radio stations you trust for news. (Epp does not survey blogs, because we all know that if it's on the Internet, it must be true.)
If you have a couple minutes over lunch, give the survey a click, and help Todd Epp figure out how to fit his new news venture into the South Dakota mediasphere.
That is a poorly designed survey. I doubt anybody considers any media source 100% timely, accurate and fair nor 100% untimely, 100% inaccurate, and 100% unfair.
I don't really see how that survey can provide any useful data.
I agree DW. I read all, listen to all, and then sort through all of them to maybe get the right answer. Not as easy as it sounds but it makes the survey worthless.
The Blindman
That PP is included in Epp's digest ruins it as trustworthy. Thought you and Todd split the sheets over whether defamation is journalism, Cory.
I am finding myself drawn more and more to Al Jazeera English for my news. As far as local stuff goes, I read the papers you have listed on your site Cory. They tell the true story of the pulse of our small towns.
If you saw it on TV, it is probably wrong or a lie; most of our newspapers are beholden to the BIG healthcare facists because of advertising revenue and radio...well, radio is a dying media lying in an alley somewhere coughing up blood.
I get most of my news on the 'net. One can develop trusted sources over time that give you the information you need instead of what they think you need to know. "TV is for people who don't have broadband so they can find out what the rest of us knew last week."
I have been saying for decades what western South Dakota and Rapid City needs is a damn good newspaper. Good luck with the project.
A note about the survey, there was no allowance for "none of the above" in rating the news sources. I typed it in where I could.
Thank God for the internet, where I can go to get diverse news and opinions in an instant.
Dear Commenters:
I appreciate the feedback on the design of the survey. I will take these comments into account in additional parts of the survey that I plan to do in the future if I get sufficient interest from this survey. As to running Pat Power's column on Northern Plains News, please note that I also run one by Cory each week--same as Pat. As to Cory and Todd, we may not agree (or have agreed) on everything but I consider him a friend and an outstanding blogger. PP and I are also friends and I appreciate his work as well. My new venture is primarily a news venture with some commentary and other features. I would also like to hear your story ideas, particularly stories you think are under covered. You can contact me at editor(at)nplainsnews.com . I would like your feedback. Thanks.
Best regards,
Todd Epp
Todd, If the Monkey opinion system or whatever it is called allows ranking items, perhaps it would be a good idea to have questions like,
1. Rate your local news sources
A. Commercial TV-- Very reliable, reliable, OK, slightly unreliable, unreliable.
B.Public TV
C. State-wide newspapers you read.
D. Local newspaper
E. Local or favorite commercial Radio Station
F. Public Radio
Same for timeliness, relevancy, etc.
I frankly doubt your first poll will provide a measure of interest. Might as well immediately get to a better poll.
I'm a supporter. Took the survey. I was going to visit your blog, but discovered it's invitation only. I used to read it regularly in the pre-restricted days. Sigh.
Best of luck with the Northern Plains News.