Fort Frances Times readers can let the newspaper know what they like, and what they’d like to see change, with a new survey available in this week’s edition and online.
“The survey is being done to improve both the Fort Frances Times and Daily Bulletin by having our subscribers and readers evaluate what we produce, in terms of what they enjoy reading, what they don’t read, what they would like to see, and what they would like to read,” Times publisher Jim Cumming said yesterday.
“With that, we can make adjustments in editorial content so that the newspaper can meet their wants and desires,” he added.
Survey questions range from what topics readers would like to see covered more thoroughly to whether or not they read the TV Guide grid or do the Sudoku and crossword puzzles.
Cumming said it’s been 10 years since the Times conducted a similar survey.
While readership surveys was conducted in 2003 and 2005 by the Community Database Research Company, these were aimed more at tracking reader demographics, like their gender and average age.
“This study is more about readership habits, looking at what they want to read,” he clarified, noting the survey is very specific about content found in the Times and Daily Bulletin.
The survey also asks questions about how much readers pay attention to advertisements, where they shop (in town, out of town, online), what major purchases they plan to buy in the year ahead, and whether they use coupons.
This information will help the Times gather data for advertising purposes.
“One of the things that we can get from Stats Canada is people’s income for discretionary purchases, like household furnishings and automobiles. But it doesn’t tell us necessarily where the money is being spent,” noted Cumming.
“We want to know whether people are buying locally or travelling out of town to make purchases.
“Another thing that’s really come along is Internet sales and purchases online,” he added. “Most major Canadian retailers now have a website where you can order products and make purchases from your home.
“We’d like to see how much impact Internet sales have had on the local economy.”
Cumming said this information also could be useful in getting district retailers to look into Internet sales themselves.
As well, looking at people’s buying patterns could help identify the need to fill niches in the local retail landscape. For instance, many area residents may be buying books online at Amazon or Chapters because there’s no local bookstore to meet that specific need.
Cumming noted while the survey is being conducted by the Times, some of the data gleaned from it may end up proving useful to the local Business Improvement Association and Chamber of Commerce.
The survey can be found in this week’s edition of the Times. It also was inserted in Monday’s Daily Bulletin.
After completing the survey, return it to the Fort Frances Times office at 116 First St. E., Fort Frances, Ont., P9A 3M7.
The survey also is available online. Just go to www.fortfrances.com and click on the “Online Survey” button.
Those who fill out and return the survey, or do it online, will be entered in draw for a $150 gift card from a district merchant.
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