Biennial Media Consumption Survey 2000 [United States]

Produced By: Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, June 11, 2000, Washington, DC: Pew Research Center for the People and the Press

Funding Agency/Sponsor: Pew Charitable Trusts

Author: Pew Research Center for the People and the Press

Abstract (CPANDA): Conducted by the Pew Center for the People and the Press, the 2000 Biennial Media Consumption Survey measured the public's use of, and attitudes toward, the Internet and traditional news outlets. Respondents were asked questions concerning their use of newspapers, television news, radio news, and news magazines, including specific programs and publications. Additional questions were asked about respondents' use of the Internet as a news source, in relation to other sources of news. Of particular interest to arts and cultural policy researchers is a question that assesses how closely respondents follow news about "culture and the arts," as well as a dozen other topics. Respondents were also asked a series of questions about the role of the news in their lives and their level of interest in different types of news. The 2000 survey included a special set of questions on where people get news about the stock market and financial investing.

Methodology : Non-response in telephone interview surveys produces some known biases in survey-derived estimates because participation tends to vary for different subgroups of the population, and these subgroups are likely to vary also on questions of substantive interest. In order to compensate for these known biases, the sample data are weighted in analysis.

Methodology (CPANDA) : Telephone interviews were conducted with a random national sample of 3,142 adults, ages 18 and over. Princeton Survey Research Associates collected the data during the period April 20 - May 13, 2000. While many survey questions were asked of the entire sample, some were asked of half-samples. Questionnaire Form A was administered to 1,593 respondents; Form B was administered to 1,549.