Businesses are avid OECD Observer readers

Results from the online readership survey 2003

Businesses form the largest single group of OECD Observer readers online, according to a readership survey conducted by FT Business and the OECD Observer in September-October 2003.

Some 27% of readers were from the private sector, compared with 21% from national governments and 6% from local government, and another 6% from international government bodies. Overall government groups combined make up over 33% of readers, with the private sector close behind. Civil society and trade union readership was very low or negligible. (See file attached to this article.)

The vast majority of readers according to the survey are of prime working age (25-54) and many are decision-makers in their workplaces.

An unusually high level of reader satisfaction for this type of magazine was reported in the survey results – 67% of readers find the OECD Observer extremely or very interesting and an additional 27% interesting; the vast majority use the Observer for their work (79%), rather than for studies; economic and social issues attract the most interest.

The OECD Observer online survey was sent by e-mail and access to the poll was available via the web site; some 423 responses were received from an estimated potential sample of some 14,000, or a robust 3% response rate. Many of the respondents were also print subscribers, though the poll was not conducted in print.

Prize draw winner

FT Business offered 300 euros in a prize draw as an incentive to reply. The draw was conducted by FT Business and the winner was a reader from Scotland, who had been a subscriber to the online edition of the OECD Observer since April 2003.

The OECD Observer magazine has been around since 1962, and celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2002 with an award from the Association of Learned and Professional Society Publishers (ALPSP), citing its content, editorial quality and design (see award story). The award crowned a successful period of reforms in which improving quality has been a priority.

We would like to thank all participants for their time and patience in filling out the survey. Your views are always welcome as we continue our efforts to improve quality of our flagship magazine.

For more information on the OECD Observer, including a press pack for commercial advertisers, please contact observer@oecd.org