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IRIN-WA March 1998 Reader Survey Report
NOTE: If you have Internet access and would like to go straight to a graphics enriched version of this report then please click here - http://www.reliefweb.int/dha_ol/irin/survey.html - or copy this web location to the address field of your web browser.
Introduction
On 13 March 1998, the United Nations Integrated Regional Information Network (IRIN) in West Africa invited its subscribers to complete a questionnaire canvassing views on IRIN's current service. The response was extremely encouraging, with some 20% of all IRIN subscribers from 32 different countries in Africa, Europe, North America and Australia responding by the cut-off date of 6 April. Thank you.
IRIN-West Africa has carried out an analysis of the response and, where possible, will enhance its services to take account of the views expressed.
Summary
This was the first survey carried out by IRIN in West Africa since it opened its office in Abidjan in June 1997. It found that IRIN-Central and East Africa's successful formula of daily and weekly updates covering the regional humanitarian situation was equally well suited to agency needs in West Africa. A number of readers' comments suggested IRIN had not only become essential reading, but was also routinely used as the basis for programme response and planning in the region. Nearly all readers said IRIN-WA's background information and analysis had proved invaluable in keeping them up-to-date on developments in the region.
Who replied to the IRIN survey?
Almost half (51%) of all responses to the survey came
from readers working directly for humanitarian organisations,
with Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) alone accounting
for some 40% of all replies. Professional and government
bodies, including donors, embassies and official institutions
were the next largest group of IRIN readers responding
(19%), followed by academic institutions (15%) and
the UN (11%).
Responses to the survey were also received from all
over Africa, North America, Europe and Australia. Particularly
large numbers of responses came from the United States,
the United Kingdom, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Cote
d'Ivoire itself.
IRIN-WA was particularly pleased that national and community-based organisations in West Africa itself also responded enthusiastically to the survey.
What did readers say?
IRIN-WA readers showed almost overwhelming support for IRIN's current mix and style of reporting, with some 77% of readers saying they found the current service provided "about the right amount" of information. Readers who disagreed were almost evenly split between those who thought IRIN-WA reports contained "too much" or "too little" information.
The vast majority of readers (82%) also said they found IRIN reports timely. It seems evident that the majority of readers continue to value accuracy and care of reporting ahead of rushing delivery. This very much vindicates IRIN-WA's policy of checking all news stories by at least two independent sources where appropriate, and talking directly to agencies on the ground wherever available before "going to press".
IRIN-WA's French Service
The results of a parallel survey of IRIN's French service almost exactly mirrored those of the English. However, more French subscribers found their report arriving later than they would like because of delays introduced by translating the English IRIN report into French. IRIN-WA is now looking at systems to ensure the French translation will be available daily within hours of the original English report.
What changes did readers want?
Although the majority of IRIN-WA readers were very satisfied with IRIN's service to West Africa, many readers had suggestions on how to improve IRIN reports.
In particular over half of all readers said they wanted to see more analysis in IRIN reports. Additional background information on countries (32%) and more information on leading personalities and groups in West Africa (31%) were also popular requests.
In response to these suggestions, IRIN-WA will soon
be expanding its current programme of "Special
Reports" to achieve greater depth of coverage
on individual countries and issues.
Many readers (74%) also said they wanted to find out
more about IRIN-WA's services other than its Updates.
IRIN-WA will be producing a fact sheet later this
month to list in detail the current range of reports
produced by IRIN-WA and IRIN-Central and East Africa
(CEA).
What else did readers want?
IRIN-WA readers reacted very positively to the idea of IRIN including mapping and other graphics services with its reports to better explain the situation in West Africa. Most readers who stated a choice (79%) said they would be interested to receive maps and graphics on West Africa by e-mail or by fax. Some 21% of readers said they would prefer not to receive any attachments. IRIN will use separate mailing lists to satisfy both preferences and now hopes to be able to start bringing in a limited graphics service by late 1998.
Some 27% of IRIN-WA readers also said they would like to see IRIN's total coverage extended yet further to include the either whole of Africa or other regions of significant humanitarian interest. Among these readers, Southern Africa, North Africa and the Middle East, Asia, the Balkans, and the Caucasus, ranked highest priority.
IRIN has now been able to open IRIN-Southern Africa with an office in Johannesburg, while discussions are also taking place to open IRIN-Caucasus and Central Asia and IRIN-Balkans services by the end of 1998 as resources permit.
Abidjan, 5 May 1998
[end]
[The material contained in this communication comes to you via IRIN West Africa, a UN humanitarian information unit, but may not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations or its agencies. UN IRIN-WA Tel: +225 21 73 66 Fax: +225 21 63 35 e-mail: irin-wa@africaonline.co.ci for more information or subscription. If you re-print, copy, archive or re-post this report, please retain this credit and disclaimer. Quotations or extracts should include attribution to the original sources. IRIN reports are archived on the Web at: http://www.reliefweb.int/emergenc or can be retrieved automatically by sending e-mail to archive@dha..unon.org. Mailing list: irin-wa-weekly]
Subject: IRIN-West Africa Reader Survey Report, 98.5.5 Message-Id: <Pine.LNX.3.95.980505174130.7485A-p://www.reliefweb.int/emergenc
Editor: Ali B. Ali-Dinar
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