Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Scoop's Reader Survey Results - Operation Chrysalis Update
Scoop Reader Survey Results - Operation Chrysalis Update #3
From Scoop Publisher Alastair Thompson
Dear Scoop Reader,
As part of Operation Chrysalis Scoop has been conducting a reader survey over the past three weeks. This update contains an initial report on the results of this survey.
The first 107 responses were included in this analysis. The responses came from people based all over NZ in a very broad range of industries. A significant majority of the respondents were professionals or retired professionals.
The survey participants were self-selecting and were prompted to do so either by advert on Scoop or email from Scoop. The sample is a mix of personal and professional users and while the answers cannot be seen as a representative of the view's of Scoop's audience as a whole - they provide us with a clear picture of what our engaged readers think of Scoop and of it's importance and role in the NZ News Media.
Thankyou to all those who participated in the survey.
Scoop Reader Survey - Initial Results
Of the sample 61% were personal users, 16% personal and work users and 23% exclusively work users of Scoop.
60% read Scoop daily, and 30% less than daily but once or more times a week.
Asked how they use Scoop, of the respondent sample :
95% said they read Scoop as a news source;
22% submitted press releases;
4% submitted editorial contributions to Scoop.
Asked how they would prefer to access Scoop (multiple answers were allowed) 95% said desktop computer, 21% email, 24% tablet, 24% smartphone, and 7% each printed out on paper or in .pdf format.
We then asked our readers a series of multiple choice questions:
Question: How concerned are you about having an online resource of independent news and information (like Scoop) available free for public use?
75% said they were "very concerned" and a further 15% "somewhat concerned" and 10% were "not too concerned" or "not bothered either way".
Do you think access to news should be a public right?
98% said yes, 81% of whom said "definitely" yes. 2 respondents said they didn't know.
How useful do you find Scoop as a news source?
19% said the "couldn't do without" Scoop and 54% that Scoop was "very useful". 14% said Scoop was "useful", 12% "occasionally helpful". None of the sample answered "not at all useful."
How reliable do you find Scoop as a news source?
76% of respondents found Scoop "very reliable" and a further 17% "somewhat reliable", 3 respondents said it was "modestly reliable" and one that it was "not at all" reliable.
How much unique New Zealand news does Scoop provides you with?
44% said Scoop provided "lots" of unique NZ content and 46% a "useful amount". 5% said "not very much" and 2% "hardly any".
Several additional questions offered respondents the opportunity to comment.
What do you like most about using Scoop?
The majority of people who responded to the survey said what they liked about Scoop was the content. 45% nominated the editorial comment with a strong focus on Gordon Campbell and Werewolf.
“Gordon Campbell!”
The coverage of arts and culture was also noted by some.
“It generates 'arts' positive news”
Valuing Scoop's editiorial content was a veuew more strongly held by personal users (58% of the sample) than professional users which made 42% of the sample.
26% of respondents said they highly valued the press release coverage with work users emphasising the quick upload of press releases and the comprehensive nature
“Apart from having my own media releases posted, my main use of Scoop is to find other organisations' media releases (it's surprising how many fail to publish their releases on their own websites). Scoop is always a reliable source of the original text.”
The depth of the archive was also valued by readers
“[Scoop] has press releases going back ages freely accessible”
12% valued the source of alternative views and news which were not widely available elsewhere. This group also liked the ability to view press releases to compare what was said with what was reported and for comparison with other releases
“Scoop collects press releases on the same topic so I can compare comments between different political parties or with environmental or expert groups.”
6% cited the ease of access to news on Scoop as something they liked.
What do you like least about using Scoop?
However site design was also the biggest complaint about Scoop in the survey responses, with 29% of those saying what they didn’t like the design, layout and the lack of mobile optimisation.
“The website is clunky and out of date, and not mobile optimised.”
[ Editor's Note: Scoop has heard this feedback loud and clear and introducing responsive design is at the top of our priority list of improvements to make.]
5% of respondents said there were too many “rubbish” press releases.
“Not enough updates - to many corporate press releases.”
These responses tended to be from personal users who tended to value editorial more.
3% said they did not like a left wing bias.
“The obvious left bias of many of the political articles and reports”
While 2% did not like the “crazy” nature of some material.
“Scoop needs to keep a journalistic unbiased approach where it needs to allow but also challenge the views from people.”
There was a wide variety of other things people did not like with 13% citing miscellaneous things such as:
“No comment feature, not that I'd use it much.”“Sports news should not be in same category as arts & culture... I hate sport, and try to avoid any exposure to it, but to read your arts news I can't avoid it.”
How important is Scoop for you/your work?
Of the respondents who answered 38% said Scoop was very important to them.
“Very important for keeping on top of politics which is a major part of my job”
And a further 38% said it was important.
“Fairly important as a professional, I use it to read press releases relevant to the industry quite regularly”
10% said it was not important, and 10% were neutral on its importance.
What would you like to see more (or less) of on Scoop?
When asked what they wanted on Scoop a small number said more press releases and small number said less press releases. 19% wanted more or different editorial content.
“More balance in the political reporting. Too much of it echoes the reports I read in the press, many of which are also quite blatantly anti-government.'”“Some more editorial content would be great, specifically around business and industry from a non-partisan perspective.”
“Investigative journalism...delving behind the news.”
"More of the Werewolf-style analysis, opinion, and reviews, but I should be thankful for what I've got, right? And I am!"
“A forum? More youth articles by and for the youth.”
“Ban pro-life, anti-fluoride releases”.
9% wanted new or different features, and a solid block reflecting discontent with the design of the site.
“A Scoop news mobile app for both the Android and Apple stores.”
There was also a desire for more graphics and pictures, while a significant number liked things the way they were or made no suggestions.
Thankyou
Finally I would like to again offer a big thankyou to all those who have filled out the Scoop Reader Survey over the past three weeks. As well as all those who have shown an interest in the changes aheas at Scoop. The level of interest we have seen has been gratifying and encouraging for the process we are undertaking.
In coming months the survey responses will help guide the path we take as we Reinvent Scoop Together. There will be more opportunities to provide feedback and assist us in the process of change in the period ahead, so please watch out for announcements. If you want to ensure you don't miss any further "Operation Chrysalis" updates you can subscribe to receive them by email on the "Operation Chrysalis" Infopage..
In the meantime our survey is still running and we will be publishing some more results shortly of the views of Scoop's professional users - those who use Scoop as part of their work, and those who contribute to Scoop by sending us press releases.
If you are someone who reads Scoop regularly or who submits press releases or content to Scoop for publication and haven't already done so then we would still like to hear from you. PLEASE CLICK HERE to do our survey.
Kind Regards
Alastair Thompson
Scoop Editor & Publisher
Sunday, 1st February 2015.
P.S. Thankyou to Scoop co-founder Ian Llewellyn for helping to compile this report.
Background To Operation Chrysalis
As announced on December 19th Scoop is seeking to transform itself into a sustainable community focussed platform to enable New Zealanders to build a news service which ensures they can participate in society on an informed basis during a period of serious disruption to traditional news models.
As part of this process we have put out a call for expressions of interest in from individuals and organisations in assisting Scoop in the following ways:
- Providing internet hosting services;
- Bringing new "entrepreneurial" vision and energy to the Scoop project;
- Ethical Investment & Sponsorship; and,
- Making a purchase of from Scoop's communications product range (Newsagent, Infopages and Advertising).
We would be very keen to hear from anyone who is keen to assist us in any other way also and the Operation Chrysalis team can be reached via chrysalis@scoop.co.nz.
ENDS
The Scoop Foundation
The Scoop Foundation for Public Interest Journalism
The Scoop Foundation for Public Interest Journalism is a charitable trust and the legal heart of the New Scoop project. The foundation is the owner of The New Scoop Publishing Company (www.scoop.co.nz).
The purposes of the Scoop Foundation are to promote, encourage and generate funding for investigative and public interest journalism.
Become a supporter at foundation.scoop.co.nz
Join the mailing list
Thanks for your support.
Binoy Kampmark: Blinken Atrocious In A Dangerous World
Jim Mikoz: Look Out Rocks … Oops Too Late
Peter Dunne: Dunne’s Weekly - National And Labour Combine To Shut Out Greens
Ramzy Baroud: Voting Against Genocide - How Gaza Defeated The Democratic Establishment 
Alastair Thompson: Google's Support For Democracy And Media In NZ | Part 2
Eugene Doyle: BBC Goes Full Goebbels In Support Of Israeli Soccer Hooligans