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Independents in the 2006 political blogs reader survey

Surveys overview page
1. Age?
    Response
Percent
Response
Total
<14
0.01% 1
14-21
1.14% 78
21-30
13.50% 925
31-40
23.16% 1587
41-50
27.22% 1865
51-60
24.30% 1665
61-70
8.55% 586
71+
2.12% 145
Total Respondents 6852
(skipped this question) 0
2. Sex
    Response
Percent
Response
Total
Male
74.11% 5078
Female
25.89% 1774
Total Respondents 6852
(skipped this question) 0
3. Annual family income:
    Response
Percent
Response
Total
0-$10,000
2.15% 142
$10-$20,000
3.65% 241
$20-30,000
6.21% 410
$30-$45,000
10.88% 718
$45-$60,000
14.91% 984
$60-$90,000
22.55% 1488
$90-$120,000
17.70% 1168
$120-$150,000
8.86% 585
$150-$200,000
6.95% 459
$200-$300,000
3.64% 240
$300-$500,000
1.53% 101
>$500,000
0.97% 64
Total Respondents 6600
(skipped this question) 252
4. Household size:
    Response
Percent
Response
Total
1
24.55% 1653
2
38.83% 2615
3
15.19% 1023
4
14.27% 961
5
4.97% 335
6
1.31% 88
7
0.43% 29
8+
0.45% 30
Total Respondents 6734
(skipped this question) 118
5. Job title:
    Response
Percent
Response
Total
Accountant/auditor
1.08% 74
Admin Assistant
1.75% 120
Analyst
2.16% 148
Artist/musician/entertainer
2.74% 188
Architect
0.45% 31
Associate
0.64% 44
Broker/trader/adviser
0.60% 41
CEO/Chairman/President
1.77% 121
CFO,COO,CTO,CIO
0.51% 35
Clergy
0.23% 16
Clerical worker
0.88% 60
Computer professional
9.62% 659
Consultant
3.62% 248
Director
1.94% 133
Doctor
1.20% 82
Educator
6.06% 415
Engineer
5.08% 348
Entrepreneur
2.31% 158
Government official
1.23% 84
Health care worker (other than Dr.)
1.69% 116
Homemaker
2.23% 153
Lawyer/Judge
3.60% 247
Manager
4.39% 301
Military officer
0.35% 24
Partner/principal/owner
1.58% 108
Researcher
2.12% 145
Sales
2.31% 158
Skilled labor
1.88% 129
Scientist
2.64% 181
Service provider
1.08% 74
Student
4.31% 295
Supervisor
0.79% 54
Technician
2.36% 162
Vice President
0.92% 63
Writer/editor
4.96% 340
Retired
8.93% 612
Other (please specify)
10.00% 685
Total Respondents 6852
(skipped this question) 0
6. Your education:
    Response
Percent
Response
Total
High school graduate
3.42% 233
Some college
20.29% 1383
College graduate
39.86% 2717
Post-graduate degree
36.44% 2484
Total Respondents 6817
(skipped this question) 35
7. Industry:
    Response
Percent
Response
Total
Accounting
1.00% 65
Agriculture
0.69% 45
Architecture, Design
1.27% 83
Arts, Entertainment
5.76% 376
Computers, Software, Tech
11.61% 758
Construction
2.67% 174
Consulting
2.82% 184
Education
13.69% 894
Engineering
3.81% 249
Finance, Banking, Brokerage
4.06% 265
Government, Diplomacy
4.01% 262
Health care
6.66% 435
Homemaker
1.13% 74
Import, Export, Trade
0.49% 32
Information Management/Library
1.53% 100
Insurance
1.24% 81
Legal
5.30% 346
Manufacturing
3.83% 250
MarCom, Advertising, PR
1.61% 105
Media
4.17% 272
Military
1.38% 90
Non-profit/Associations
2.40% 157
Pharmaceuticals
1.06% 69
Politics
0.52% 34
Real-estate
1.19% 78
Recruiting/HR
0.28% 18
Religious
0.38% 25
Retired
3.31% 216
R&D
1.93% 126
Retail
2.63% 172
Social Services
1.06% 69
Telecommunications
2.47% 161
Transport
1.87% 122
Travel, Hospitality
1.38% 90
Wholesale
0.80% 52
Total Respondents 6529
(skipped this question) 323
8. Politically, you are:
    Response
Percent
Response
Total
Apolitical
0.00% 0
Democrat
0.00% 0
Republican
0.00% 0
Libertarian
0.00% 0
Independent
100.00% 6852
Green
0.00% 0
Total Respondents 6852
(skipped this question) 0
9. In the last 6 months, how much money have you spent online in each of the following categories?
Spending range
  0 $1-$100 $100-$199 $200-$499 $500-$999 $1000-$1499 $1500-$2499 $2500-$4999 $5000+ Response
Total
Contributed to a cause/campaign 35% (2189) 31% (1920) 13% (820) 12% (718) 5% (312) 2% (100) 1% (47) 1% (40) 0% (27) 6173
Clothes 36% (2172) 19% (1179) 15% (899) 17% (1027) 8% (482) 3% (180) 1% (72) 0% (30) 0% (10) 6051
Software 38% (2309) 30% (1787) 15% (875) 10% (616) 4% (251) 2% (103) 0% (27) 0% (23) 0% (16) 6007
Music 33% (1989) 43% (2597) 14% (879) 7% (435) 2% (124) 0% (26) 0% (12) 0% (4) 0% (3) 6069
Books 14% (911) 35% (2209) 23% (1449) 20% (1265) 6% (403) 2% (100) 1% (36) 0% (11) 0% (7) 6391
Plane tickets 39% (2405) 1% (51) 2% (133) 12% (737) 19% (1178) 11% (688) 8% (495) 5% (291) 3% (161) 6139
Computer 48% (2867) 10% (578) 7% (439) 8% (478) 8% (467) 8% (452) 6% (366) 4% (217) 1% (86) 5950
Consumer electronics 42% (2506) 14% (870) 12% (694) 16% (939) 10% (578) 4% (233) 2% (109) 1% (69) 0% (30) 6028
Subscription to a publication 47% (2808) 40% (2396) 9% (515) 3% (194) 1% (32) 0% (10) 0% (1) 0% (1) 0% (2) 5959
Total Respondents 6671
(skipped this question) 181
10. Which of the following have you done in the last twelve months:
    Response
Percent
Response
Total
Written or called any politician at the state, local, or national level
73.68% 4488
Attended a political rally, speech, or organized protest of any kind
32.03% 1951
Attended a public meeting on town or school affairs
35.36% 2154
Held or run for political office
0.92% 56
Served on a committee for some local organization
22.75% 1386
Served as an officer for some club or organization
19.54% 1190
Written a letter to the Editor of a newspaper or magazine or called a live radio or TV show to express an opinion
46.91% 2857
Signed a petition
76.51% 4660
Worked for a political party
9.78% 596
Made a speech
10.59% 645
Written an article for a magazine or newspaper
14.69% 895
Been an active member of any group that tries to influence public policy or government
26.91% 1639
Total Respondents 6091
(skipped this question) 761
11. In an average week, how many friends and colleagues do you e-mail, IM or talk with about political news or opinions? (Please exclude web postings.)
    Response
Percent
Response
Total
1-5
49.12% 3312
5-10
30.35% 2046
11-20
11.85% 799
21-30
3.72% 251
31-40
1.28% 86
41-50
1.14% 77
51-60
0.64% 43
61-70
0.10% 7
71-80
0.22% 15
81-100
0.36% 24
101-150
0.36% 24
151-200
0.13% 9
200+
0.73% 49
Total Respondents 6742
(skipped this question) 110
12. What newspapers do you read at least once a week?
  Print Online Respondents
Total
The New York Times 18% (744) 90% (3624) 4025
USA Today 29% (305) 73% (752) 1036
The Washington Times 5% (48) 96% (878) 915
The Boston Globe 14% (151) 89% (950) 1064
The Wall Street Journal 34% (559) 73% (1182) 1627
The Financial Times 15% (101) 87% (574) 661
The Guardian 4% (66) 97% (1742) 1788
The Washington Post 7% (230) 96% (3308) 3448
The Hill 2% (10) 98% (431) 439
The Los Angeles Times 9% (164) 93% (1726) 1860
The Philadelphia Inquirer 22% (66) 85% (255) 301
The Christian Science Monitor 4% (46) 96% (1002) 1041
Roll Call 3% (10) 97% (345) 354
National Journal 2% (5) 98% (234) 238
The Jerusalem Post 4% (12) 97% (311) 321
Total Respondents 5377
(skipped this question) 1475
13. Magazines you read regularly:
  Print Online Respondents
Total
The Advocate 58% (121) 46% (95) 207
American Rifleman 92% (153) 10% (16) 167
The American Prospect 22% (93) 81% (346) 425
Atlantic Monthly 76% (635) 31% (255) 832
Barrons 64% (91) 38% (55) 143
Business 2.0 70% (95) 32% (44) 136
Business Week 59% (220) 44% (162) 371
Christianity Today 35% (27) 74% (58) 78
Depatures 63% (5) 50% (4) 8
The Economist 63% (700) 45% (496) 1113
Editor & Publisher 4% (28) 96% (672) 697
Esquire 80% (127) 21% (33) 159
Forbes 55% (173) 47% (150) 316
Foreign Policy 39% (114) 63% (185) 294
Fortune 64% (105) 37% (60) 164
Guidepost 93% (27) 7% (2) 29
Harpers 73% (556) 33% (253) 765
Harvard Business Review 61% (57) 40% (37) 93
Inc. 70% (30) 30% (13) 43
The Jerusalem report 32% (12) 71% (27) 38
Money 73% (148) 27% (56) 204
Mother Jones 46% (359) 58% (452) 780
National Geographic 83% (829) 20% (199) 1003
The Nation 43% (460) 65% (686) 1062
National Review 19% (130) 88% (599) 682
New York 61% (68) 41% (46) 111
The New Yorker 69% (926) 36% (481) 1342
The New York Review of Books 54% (252) 50% (232) 463
The New Republic 24% (105) 81% (350) 431
New Scientist 34% (104) 70% (217) 308
Newsweek 63% (756) 41% (489) 1192
NRA Rifleman 83% (87) 17% (18) 105
Onion 15% (225) 89% (1351) 1518
Popular Science 71% (247) 33% (115) 350
Reason Magazine 23% (53) 82% (189) 230
Rolling Stone 66% (310) 37% (174) 468
Scientific American 68% (454) 37% (247) 664
The Smithsonian 85% (378) 17% (74) 447
Salon 4% (55) 96% (1314) 1366
Slate 3% (42) 97% (1227) 1268
Smart Money 66% (67) 36% (37) 102
Soldier of Fortune 74% (25) 29% (10) 34
Time 58% (521) 46% (409) 891
The Week 92% (121) 10% (13) 132
Time 56% (184) 46% (151) 326
US News & World Reports 60% (275) 43% (197) 462
Utne Reader 70% (189) 32% (86) 270
Vanity Fair 74% (386) 27% (142) 519
The Washington Monthly 13% (70) 90% (470) 523
Weekly Standard 16% (78) 88% (432) 489
Wired 50% (415) 57% (470) 826
Total Respondents 5270
(skipped this question) 1582
14. Please rate how well the following media provide you with news and opinion:
Usefulness
  NA Worthless Somewhat useful Useful Extremely useful Response
Total
Word of mouth 14% (772) 18% (1006) 50% (2811) 14% (816) 4% (223) 5628
Television 5% (290) 40% (2494) 44% (2765) 11% (664) 1% (87) 6300
Radio 10% (627) 16% (1002) 33% (2016) 29% (1741) 12% (718) 6104
Newspapers (print) 13% (781) 16% (948) 42% (2564) 23% (1413) 5% (330) 6036
Newspapers (online) 5% (297) 4% (252) 40% (2427) 39% (2375) 13% (786) 6137
Magazines (print) 16% (896) 10% (568) 40% (2301) 27% (1581) 7% (414) 5760
Magazines (online) 17% (937) 5% (278) 40% (2221) 31% (1698) 7% (395) 5529
Blogs 0% (32) 1% (50) 12% (814) 34% (2207) 52% (3429) 6532
Forums 40% (2022) 13% (649) 25% (1279) 14% (726) 8% (398) 5074
% of total media consumption
  0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 Response
Total
Word of mouth 37% (1575) 52% (2220) 7% (319) 2% (79) 1% (35) 1% (27) 0% (3) 0% (9) 0% (6) 0% (4) 0% (3) 4280
Television 28% (1483) 45% (2430) 17% (921) 6% (342) 2% (87) 1% (69) 0% (21) 0% (14) 0% (7) 0% (8) 0% (1) 5383
Radio 22% (1123) 39% (1973) 20% (1022) 10% (506) 4% (224) 3% (130) 1% (49) 1% (34) 1% (28) 0% (14) 0% (11) 5114
Newspapers (print) 27% (1305) 47% (2281) 16% (796) 6% (301) 2% (88) 2% (78) 0% (21) 0% (13) 0% (9) 0% (6) 0% (0) 4898
Newspapers (online) 8% (416) 45% (2399) 26% (1407) 11% (616) 4% (223) 3% (161) 1% (63) 1% (32) 1% (29) 0% (19) 0% (2) 5367
Magazines (print) 27% (1225) 51% (2333) 15% (671) 4% (192) 1% (47) 1% (42) 0% (17) 0% (12) 0% (7) 0% (5) 0% (0) 4551
Magazines (online) 22% (962) 56% (2438) 15% (671) 4% (162) 1% (59) 1% (24) 0% (18) 0% (12) 0% (7) 0% (6) 0% (1) 4360
Blogs 1% (74) 13% (786) 22% (1319) 22% (1306) 14% (877) 12% (741) 6% (357) 4% (253) 3% (197) 2% (102) 1% (52) 6064
Forums 52% (1769) 30% (1042) 8% (290) 4% (132) 2% (57) 1% (49) 1% (29) 1% (23) 0% (14) 1% (20) 0% (7) 3432
Total Respondents 6749
(skipped this question) 103
15. Do you have your own blog?
    Response
Percent
Response
Total
Yes
17.08% 1170
No
82.92% 5682
Total Respondents 6852
(skipped this question) 0
16. Why do you blog?
    Response
Percent
Response
Total
To influence public opinion.
30.47% 351
To let off steam.
49.31% 568
For money.
2.95% 34
For fame.
3.91% 45
To meet new people.
13.19% 152
To formulate new ideas.
44.88% 517
To stay in touch with old friends.
25.43% 293
To keep track of my thoughts.
53.99% 622
I'm not sure, but I love it.
19.97% 230
To smite my enemies.
12.93% 149
To praise my friends.
7.20% 83
Other (please specify)
20.31% 234
Total Respondents 1152
(skipped this question) 5700
17. When did you start blogging?
    Response
Percent
Response
Total
1998
2.42% 28
1999
1.47% 17
2000
3.89% 45
2001
4.67% 54
2002
7.44% 86
2003
13.41% 155
2004
25.35% 293
2005
33.74% 390
2006
7.61% 88
Total Respondents 1156
(skipped this question) 5696
18. How many blogs do you read daily?
    Response
Percent
Response
Total
1
3.92% 255
2
7.29% 474
3
11.44% 744
4
9.74% 633
5
17.59% 1144
6
8.38% 545
7
3.88% 252
8
4.51% 293
9
1.08% 70
10
10.83% 704
11-15
13.15% 855
16-25
5.63% 366
26-50
1.81% 118
51-100
0.48% 31
101-200
0.18% 12
200+
0.09% 6
Total Respondents 6502
(skipped this question) 350
19. Do you leave comments in other people's blogs?
    Response
Percent
Response
Total
Yes
53.19% 3408
No
46.81% 2999
Total Respondents 6407
(skipped this question) 445
20. In an average week, roughly how many hours do you spend reading blogs?
    Response
Percent
Response
Total
0
0.22% 14
1
1.81% 118
2
5.14% 334
3
5.41% 352
4
5.60% 364
5
9.90% 644
6
4.95% 322
7
6.89% 448
8
5.72% 372
9
1.49% 97
10
18.41% 1197
11
0.51% 33
12
5.29% 344
13
0.48% 31
14
5.57% 362
15
6.37% 414
16
1.18% 77
17
0.35% 23
18
1.35% 88
19-24
8.38% 545
24-30
2.81% 183
30-36
0.72% 47
36+
1.43% 93
Total Respondents 6502
(skipped this question) 350
21. You read blogs for:
    Response
Percent
Response
Total
Faster news
62.96% 4069
Latest trends
25.75% 1664
Transparent biases
42.10% 2721
Better perspective
78.40% 5067
More personality
35.87% 2318
More honesty
66.81% 4318
News I can't find elsewhere
83.77% 5414
Links
52.93% 3421
Humor
53.92% 3485
Other (please specify)
10.17% 657
Total Respondents 6463
(skipped this question) 389
22. List up to ten of your favorite blogs (to make this data parsable and useful for bloggers, please put each blog name on a new row and provide at least the first full word of blog's name):
23. Referring blog:
24. You read blogs via RSS:
    Response
Percent
Response
Total
Never
70.82% 4143
Occasionally
18.63% 1090
Often
6.80% 398
Always
4.19% 245
Total Respondents 5850
(skipped this question) 1002
25. You listen to how many podcasts each week:
    Response
Percent
Response
Total
Never
75.63% 4771
1
9.24% 583
2
5.87% 370
3
2.76% 174
4
1.35% 85
5
2.14% 135
6
0.51% 32
7
0.30% 19
8
0.19% 12
9
0.06% 4
10
0.71% 45
11-15
0.62% 39
16-25
0.25% 16
>25
0.36% 23
Total Respondents 6308
(skipped this question) 544