2006 Survey Methodology

The PReSS Survey

PReSS 2006 measures the opinions and behavior of adults, 18 years and older, in the 50 states and Washington, D.C.  Responses from 19,288 adults; 10,967 adults of all household incomes plus a supplemental sample of 8,179 households with incomes of $85,000 or more (the market segment that the Mendelsohn Affluent Survey measures), provide results that can be used in many different ways by advertisers, agencies, and the media.

PReSS has been designed to measure print publications and their websites, cable television networks as well as major web-sites as brands and addresses the issues of engagement with media brands and their qualitative aspects.  It examines consumers’ relationships with the media brands they use. PReSS is not an audience survey and does not provide reach and frequency estimates. PReSS complements the audience surveys currently available in the marketplace.

PReSS databases allow for comprehensive brand-based profiles and cross-tabbing of many media brands, plus marketing analysis and strategic planning on a brand-specific basis. The survey metrics available to all subscribers to the survey follow.

2006 Survey Measures 

Media brand-specific data

For each measured publication (135 in total):
Have read in past 6 months —
• Frequency of reading publication
• How usually obtain copy (subscription, newsstand, other)
• How much of copy usually read (all of it, most of it, some of it )
• Time spent reading issue on average

Publication ratings/attributes:

• Overall title rating
• Differs from other publications of the same type
• I look forward to reading every issue
• Is enjoyable to read
• Is entertaining
• Is trustworthy
• Is informative
• Is authoritative
• Has eye-catching covers
• Has quality photos/illustrations
• Contains useful ads
• Contains attention-getting ads
• Contains ads that I trust

For each measured website (153 in total):

Have visited in past 30 days —

Website ratings/attributes:

• Overall rating
• I look forward to visiting the website
• Is entertaining
• Is trustworthy
• Is informative
• Is authoritative

For each measured cable network (53 in total):

Have viewed in past 30 days and in past 7 days —

Cable Network ratings/attributes:

• Overall rating
• I look forward to viewing the network
• Is entertaining
• Is trustworthy
• Is informative
• Is authoritative


Respondent Profiling Data

• Personal interests and activities (number of days participated in 40 activities in past 12 months)
• Products used (number of food/beverage/tobacco servings in past seven days for 6 products)
• Internet usage
• Major search engine usage at home and at work)
• Lifestyle plans (plans for 14 major expenditures in next 12 months)
• Reading/viewing/and website preferences (whether/how often read or view about 55 different topics)
• Expenditures (past-year expenditures for 67+ product/service categories)
• Financial products
• Motor vehicle ownership
• Demographics