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CAPE FEAR MEMORIAL BRIDGE CLOSURE: UPDATES, RESOURCES, AND CONTEXT

Spring 2014 Survey Results

WHQR's Spring 2014 Survey is now complete. Thanks to all who responded, either online or by filling out a paper form. We received a healthy total of responses -- 464. Along with audience research, fundraising results, correspondence and general feedback of all kinds, surveys like this can help us determine how well we are meeting the needs of our audience(s).

Because this is a self-selected survey (i.e., not random) it needs to be used carefully. And like all such instruments, it is focused on what has been on the air rather than what might be or should be on the air. All conclusions below should be understood as meaning "our respondents said" rather than "our audience said."

Summary: as with most public radio markets, our survey respondents are very well-educated, and older. Women outnumber men, and most listening is in cars. They overwhelmingly listen on the radio but some use the website. They like NPR (69%), national news, and classical (28%), followed by jazz, local, and other music.

Caveats:

  • Largely filled out by members (self-reported, at least)
  • Daily programs almost always get higher scores than weekly ones
  • Time of broadcast is important

General trends:

  • 464 total respondents
    • 54% members, 28% Sustainers – 82% total
    • Women outnumber men 50% to 36%
  • A Car is the most frequent listening location, followed by Home, with Work a distant third
  • Radio at 91.3FM is by far the most common usage; next is the main channel on computer
  • More than half have used whqr.org
  • 98% report College or Post-college education
  • 54% are 65 or over, 76% are 55 or over

Programming preferences

  • National news is the 1st choice for programming, followed by Classical, then *Local, then Jazz, then Other Music
    • *Local could be either general (paper form) or local news (online)
  • 7% said the programming has gotten worse; 23% said better; 70% said about the same
  • 86% said they like or are OK with underwriting messages; 5% dislike; 9% no opinion
  • 321, or 69%, chose at least one NPR program in their top 3 choices
  • 129, or 28%, chose at least one Classical program in their top 3
  • 68, or 15%, chose at least one NPR and 1 Classical program in their top 3
  • 87, or 19%, chose at least one Other Music program in their top 3