1 P UBLIC A FFAIRS N EWS & I NFORMATION S OURCES 2005 Washington Leadership Study.

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PUBLIC AFFAIRS NEWS & INFORMATION SOURCES

2005 Washington Leadership Study

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QSA Research is a full-service research and consulting firm based in Alexandria, Virginia serving business, government and non-profit organizations.

Overview

An independent study on the use of major daily newspapers, Capitol Hill publications, the Internet, and television news as sources for news and information about public policy

Conducted “blind” so that respondents did not know the study sponsor

Based on interviews with 455 federal government leaders in both the Legislative and Executive Branches

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Executive Office of the

President

Leadership at Executive

Departments and Agencies

Includes:

Senior Officials – Above highest ranking civil

service

- Presidential and Schedule C appointees

- Senior Executive Service

- Military: Highest ranking uniformed

officer in office

Respondents include:

- Cabinet secretaries and deputies

- Directors, commissioners, chiefs of staff

Does NOT include:

Junior staff members, Administrative

personnel, interns etc... Executive

Support StaffAdministrative Support Staff

Executive Office of the

President

Exec

utiv

e Br

anch

(254

Inte

rvie

ws)

Study Participants

Executive Branch

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United States Congress

Leadership at Legislative Offices and Committees

Legislative Support Staff

Administrative Support Staff

Legi

slat

ive

Bra

nch

(201

Inte

rvie

ws)

Study Participants

Legislative BranchIncludes:

Types of respondents

- Congressional staff

- Key aides speaking for Members of

Congress

- Committee Staff Directors

Top aides/staff

- Press Secretaries

- Chiefs of Staff

- Legislative Directors/Assistants

Does NOT include:

Junior Staff Members

Administrative Personnel

Interns etc...

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Measurement Objectives

Most important media information source

Readership of print media

–Major daily newspapers

–Limited-circulation Capitol Hill publications

–Other publications read professionally

Use of the Internet

Viewing of TV news

Responses to paid public policy messages

Which is your single most important source

of public affairs news and information?

Media Sources


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Most Important News Source

Q. Which is your single most important source of public affairs news and information?

48% named newspapers their

single most important source for

public affairs news and

information

That is 2 1/2 times as many as

named the Internet

It is nearly 4 times as many as

named Hill publications and 6

times as many as named

television

5%

8%

13%

19%

48%

3%

4%

Among All Washington Leaders

Other Publications

Radio

E-mail Newsletters

Television

Hill Publications

The Internet

Newspapers

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Most Important News Source

Q. Which is your single most important source of public affairs news and information?

Newspapers dominate in both

the Executive and Legislative

Branches (48%)

One quarter of Legislative

Branch leaders—but just 4% of

Executive Branch leaders—

consider Hill publications as their

single most important source of

public affairs news and

information

4%

4%

25%

15%

4%

6%

6%

12%

4%

21%

48%48%

2%

2%

By Branch of Government

Other Publications

Radio

E-mail Newsletters

Television

Hill Publications

The Internet

Newspapers

Executive Branch Legislative Branch

What daily newspapers do you read regularly (3 out

of 4 issues) when you are in Washington?

Newspapers


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Almost 9 out of 10 leaders read

at least three out of four issues

of the Washington Post

About one-third read the New

York Times and one fifth read

the Wall Street Journal on a

regular basis

Q. What daily newspapers do you read regularly when you are in Washington?*

*Note/ Regular readership is defined as reading at least three out of four issues

8%

17%

20%

32%

88%

1%

2%


The Examiner

Express

USA Today

Washington Times

Wall Street Journal

New York Times

The Washington Post

Regular Newspaper Readership*

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Regular Newspaper Readership*

The Washington Post is the

only major newspaper that

reaches almost nine in ten

leaders in both branches of

government

It is the only newspaper to

reach at least half of Legislative

Branch leaders and at least one

fourth of Executive Branch

leaders

23%

46%

86%

10%

14%

18%

22%

89%

5%

22%

USA Today

Washington Times

Wall Street Journal

New York Times

The Washington Post

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Among All Washington Leaders who read The Washington Post: By Issue Involvement


Regular Readership of The Washington Post*


86%

87%

89%

89%

86%

84%

91% The Washington Post is a

primary source for news and

information for leaders in all

areas of government policy

Health Care

Energy

Defense

Environment

Foreign Affairs

Communications

Financial Services

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38% of Washington leaders

read the Washington Post

exclusively

More than half (56%) of all

Washington leaders read more

than one daily newspaper




Exclusive and Multi-Paper Readership

38%

56%

5%

Exclusive Regular Readership of The Washington Post

Exclusive Regular Readership of The Washington Post

Multi-Newspaper Readership

Multi-Newspaper Readership

Exclusive Regular Readership of other Daily Newspapers

None (1%)

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When the 56% of all

Washington leaders who read

more than one daily newspaper

on a regular basis were asked

which newspaper they read

when they “have time to read

just one,” 67% (representing

38% of all leaders) named the

Washington Post

Q. When you are in Washington and have time to read just one newspaper, which one do you read?

*Note/ “Busy Day” Exclusive readers are defined as readers who turn to one particular newspaper when they only have time to read one.

Among All Washington Leaders who read more

than one newspaper on a regular basis (56%)

"Busy Day" Exclusive Readership*

Washington Post - 67%

New York Times 9%

Wall Street Journal 6%

Washington Times 6%USA Today 1%

Other 11%

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Q. When you are in Washington and have time to read just one newspaper, which one do you read?

Exclusive and "Busy Day" Exclusive Readership Combined

Factoring in 38% exclusive

regular readers and the 38%

“busy day” exclusive Post

readers, 76% of all leaders are

exclusively reading The

Washington Post on a “busy

day”

Washington Post 38% 38% 76%

New York Times 1% 5% 6%

Wall Street Journal 2% 3% 5%

Washington Times 2% 3% 5%

USA Today 0% 1% 1%

ExclusiveBusy Day Exclusive


Busy Day Combined

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88%

96%

87%

82%

*Note/ Percent who read each newspaper regularly.

Percentage of Regular Readers* of Other Major Newspapers Who Also Read the Post

The Washington Post reaches

the vast majority of readers of

other major daily newspapers

In fact, all but 4% of New York

Times readers are also regular

readers of The Washington

PostWashington Times (17%)

Wall Street Journal (20%)

USA Today (8%)

New York Times (32%)



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Q. When you are in Washington on a Sunday, which Sunday newspaper do you read?


Regular Sunday Newspaper Readership*

More than 4 out of 5 Executive

Branch leaders read the

Sunday Washington Post when

they are in Washington on a

Sunday

68% of Legislative Branch

leaders are regular readers of

the Sunday Washington Post

33%

68%

5%

19%

82%

1%

6%

0%

The Examiner

Washington Times

New York Times

The Washington Post

What magazines or Capitol Hill publications do you

read regularly* when you are in Washington?


Magazines etc.


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Roll Call (48%) and the Hill

(42%) lead all Capitol Hill

Publications, but neither

reaches as many as half of all

Washington leaders

24%

24%

42%

48%

16%

7%

88%


CQ Monitor

National Journal

Congressional Quarterly

Congress Daily

The Hill

Roll Call

The Washington Post

Limited Circulation (25,000 - 50,000)


Regular Readership of Hill Publications*

Q. What Capitol Hill publications do you read regularly when you are in Washington?*

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Regular Readership of Hill Publications* The two leading Capitol Hill

Publications—Roll Call and

The Hill—do an effective job of

reaching Legislative Branch

leaders, but reach very few

Executive Branch leaders40%

47%

75%

83%

3%

5%

11%

4%

13%

16%

89%86%

13%

28%


CQ Monitor

National Journal

Congressional Quarterly

Congress Daily

The Hill

Roll Call

The Washington Post


Q. What Capitol Hill publications do you read regularly when you are in Washington?*


21

5%

6%

6%

8%

11%

11%

12%

88%

5%

5%

10%

Readership of non-newspaper

publications by Washington

leaders is highly fragmented,

with even the top publication

reaching only 12% of all leaders

Q. What other professional publications – if any – do you read that are relevant to your work?”

Among All Washington Leaders Other Publications Read Professionally*

*By 5% or more

Economist

Jane's Defense Review

Navy Times

U.S. News and World Report

Early Bird

Defense News

Time

Newsweek

Government Executive

Federal Times

The Washington Post

22

7%

9%

11%

11%

21%

88%

7%

5%

19% No publications—other than top

newspapers and Capitol Hill

publications—are read by more

than 21% of all leaders


By Branch of Government: Legislative Other Publications Read Professionally*

*By 5% or more

New Republic

Economist

Atlantic Monthly

National Review

U.S. News and World Report

Weekly Standard

Time

Newsweek

The Washington Post

23

6%

9%

9%

11%

18%

88%

6%

6%

17% Executive Branch leaders are

focused on government sources

Federal Times (18%) and

Government Executive (17%)

are the most popular

publications among this group


By Branch of Government: Executive Other Publications Read Professionally*

*By 6% or more

Defense Week

Armed Forces Magazine

Jane’s Defense Review

Navy Times

Early Bird

Defense News

Government Executive

Federal Times

The Washington Post

Do you use the Internet as a source of news and

information about public policy?

The Internet


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86% of all Washington leaders

regularly use the Internet as a

source for news and information

about public policy

washingtonpost.com is the

leading Internet site for news

and information about public

policy

Q. What Website do you use regularly as a source for news and information about public policy?

All Washington Leaders Who Use the Internet (86%) Websites Used for News and Policy Information*

*By 5% or more

7%

9%

10%

10%

11%

12%

23%

28%

37%

6%

5%

11%

Drudge Report

Google.com

nationaljournal.com

cnn.com

washingtonpost.com

wallstreetjournal.com

CQ.com

MSNBC.com

newyorktimes.com

Yahoo.com

Foxnews.com

Early Bird

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15%

15%

15%

21%

33%

52%

10%

8%

27% 91% of all Legislative leaders



about public policy

More than half regularly use

washingtonpost.com, which

leads the closest runner-up by

19 percentage points

Legislative Leaders Who Use the Internet (91%) Websites Used By Legislative Branch Leaders for News and Policy Information*

*By 8% or more

Google

MSNBC.com

wallstreetjournal.com

Drudge Report

CQ.com

nationaljournal.com

cnn.com

newyorktimes.com

washingtonpost.com

Q. What Website do you use regularly as a source for news and information about public policy?

27

8%

10%

14%

14%

24%

29%

7%

7%

15%

82% of all Executive leaders



about public policy

CNN.com (29%) leads

washingtonpost.com (24%) by 5

percentage points

Q. Do you use the Internet as a source of news and information about public policy?

Executive Branch Leaders Who Use the Internet (82%)

Websites Used By Executive Branch Leaders for News and Policy Information*

*By 7% or more

Govexec.com

Foxnews.com

Yahoo.com

Earlybird.com

Google

MSNBC.com

washingtonpost.com

cnn.com

newyorktimes.com

Viewing of the evening news on national networks,

local stations and morning news shows

Television


29

2%

8%

10%

16%

23%

30%

36%

2%

1%

23%

36% of all Washington leaders are

not regular viewers of the evening

news on any broadcast or cable

network

Three in 10 leaders view news on

CNN and almost one-quarter view

news on Fox News at sometime

during the evening

Among the regularly scheduled news

programs, NBC is the most popular

Regular Viewing of the Evening News on National Cable or Broadcast Networks*

MSNBC

BBC

CBS

PBS

ABC

Fox News

CNN

NBC


Does Not View

C-Span

Q. On what national cable or broadcast networks do you regularly watch evening news programs when you are in Washington?*

*Note/ Regular viewership is defined as viewing at least three out of four shows

30

1%

5%

7%

12%

24%

30%

42%

2%

11%

12%

19%

29%

22%

30%

31%

1%

2%

16%

0%

2%

Fewer Legislative than

Executive Branch leaders view

regularly scheduled news

programs on NBC, ABC, CBS

and PBS

Regular Viewing of the Evening News on National Cable or Broadcast Networks

MSNBC

BBC

CBS

PBS

ABC

Fox News

CNN

NBC

Does Not View

C-Span



Q. On what national cable or broadcast networks do you regularly watch evening news programs when you are in Washington?*


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Regular Viewing of the Evening News on Local Stations 3 out of 5 Washington leaders

are not regular viewers of local

evening broadcast news

programming8%

14%

21%

61%

3%

7%


News Channel 8

WUSA: Channel 9 (CBS)

WTTG: Channel 5 (FOX)

WJLA: Channel 7 (ABC)

WRC: Channel 4 (NBC)

Does Not View

Q. On what broadcast networks do you regularly watch local evening news programs when you are in Washington?*


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Regular Viewing of the Evening News on Local Stations Three quarters of Legislative

leaders are not regular viewers

of local evening broadcast news

programming7%

7%

14%

76%

4%

10%

8%

19%

27%

48%

2%

3%

News Channel 8

WUSA: Channel 9 (CBS)

WTTG: Channel 5 (FOX)

WJLA: Channel 7 (ABC)

WRC: Channel 4 (NBC)

Does Not View


Q. On what broadcast networks do you regularly watch local evening news programs when you are in Washington?*



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2%

4%

7%

8%

66%

2%

2%

13%

Two thirds of all Washington

leaders are not regular viewers

of cable or broadcast television

morning shows

Regular Viewing of TV Morning Shows

Early Show (CBS)

MSNBC

C-Span

Good Morning America (ABC)

CNN

Fox Weekday (FOX)

Today Show (NBC)

Does Not View


Q. On what national cable or broadcast networks do you regularly watch TV morning news programs when you are in Washington?*


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3%

7%

12%

10%

56%

1%

2%

1%

2%

3%

6%

11%

73%

1%

2%

17% Regular viewership of TV

morning shows is significantly

more in the Legislative Branch

(44%) than in the Executive

Branch (27%)

By Branch of Government Regular Viewing of TV Morning Shows

*By 2% or more

Early Show (CBS)

MSNBC

C-Span

Good Morning America (ABC)

CNN

Fox Weekday (FOX)

Today Show (NBC)

Does Not View

Q. On what national cable or broadcast networks do you regularly watch TV morning news programs when you are in Washington?*


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20%

24%

25%

26%

34%

43%

46%

65%

70%

12%

7%

28%

70% of leaders say they have

taken action in response to a

paid public policy message in

the print or online version of a

newspaper

Q. Have you taken any action during the past year or so in response to a paid public policy message in the print or online version of a newspaper?

Responses to Paid Public Policy Messages


Called a phone number in the ad

Called a meeting to discuss

Made the issue a higher priority

Used in decision-making process

Clipped or saved the message

Wrote a letter, memo or e-mail

Used to support own position

Sent a copy to someone

Looked at a website in the ad

Looked for more information

Discussed issue with colleagues

Took Any of These Actions

Conclusions


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Conclusions

Newspapers remain by far the most

important news source – Nearly half said newspapers are their

single most important news source

– More than twice as many as any other

medium

88% read The Washington Post

regularly– Nearly three times as many as read any

other major daily newspaper

– The Post is the only newspaper to reach

more than 22% of the Executive Branch

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Conclusions The Internet is the second most

important news source– Used by more than 8 in 10 leaders

– Nearly one in five say it is their single most

important news source

Overall, washingtonpost.com leads all

other news sites by a wide margin– In the Legislative Branch, it is ahead of the

top second tier site by a margin of nearly 20

percentage points.

– In the Executive Branch, CNN.com leads

washingtonpost.com, which is number two,

but CNN leads by just 5 percentage points.

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Conclusions

Capitol Hill publications are the third

most important news source– 13% say they are their single most

important news source

– But Hill publications do not reach the

Executive Branch

Roll Call and The Hill are the top Hill

publications, but regular readership of

both lags behind The Post

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Conclusions

Readership of other publications is

highly fragmented.– Legislative leaders read more general

interest publications

– Executive Branch leaders read more

specialized publications

– None (except Newsweek at 21%) are read

by more than one in five of either

Legislative or Executive Branch leaders

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Conclusions

Television news shows have limited

audiences– 66% do not watch TV morning shows

– 61% do not watch the local evening news

– 36% do not watch the evening news on

cable or broadcast networks

• 30% watch CNN at some time during the

evening

• 23% watch FOX News at some time during

the evening

• 23% watch the evening news on NBC

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Conclusions

Paid public policy messages in newspapers (print or online) help set the agenda for the decision-making process

Seven in ten took action as a result of seeing a public policy message:– Nearly two-thirds discussed issue with

colleagues

– Nearly half looked for more information

– More than four in ten looked at a listed website

– More than one-third sent a copy to someone

– Nearly three in ten supported their position

– Nearly one-quarter used in the decision-making

– One-quarter clipped or saved the message

1 P UBLIC A FFAIRS N EWS & I NFORMATION S OURCES 2005 Washington Leadership Study.

Documents

washington post slide

executive branch leaders

important news source

president executive

executive branches

television news

executive departments

federal government leaders