To: ONO Members and Friends
From: Elissa Papirno
Re: Results of ONO survey
Date: April 7, 1997

At long last, here are the results of the survey that was distributed to ONO members last December. The idea was to evaluate some of the new ways ombuddies are using to communicate with readers, from e-mail to reader forums. With all of us so pressed for time, the question was what's the best, most valuable use of the limited resources we have. Twenty-eight people from five countries responded. Participants did not necessarily answer every question; so there are statistical gaps.

Here are some of the highlights:

• 24 people write columns and 21 write memos -- an endeavor most consider "very valuable."
• 22 speak to community groups and are equally divided on whether this is a "very" or "somewhat" valuable activity.
• 13 have secretaries and 15 don't.
• 7 have hosted reader forums, but most who did found them "very" valuable.
• Most receive e-mail and faxes from readers; respondents were evenly divided on the usefulness of e-mail and less enthusiastic about faxes.
• 8 attend daily news meetings, either to observe or participate.
• Requests for information are handled most often by news libraries (12); and 12 news organizations charge the public for supplying additional information and research (not necessarily the same 12); the public gets information and research free at 9.
• Hiring a secretary or assistant was the most common response to a question about how the ombuds would change their jobs if they could (7 gave that answer)
• Giving readers contact with or serving as a conduit to the institution were the most frequent answers to a question about the single most important aspect of an ombud's job (14), while 7 mentioned their columns.
• 19 people said they'd be interested in joining an e-mail group to share information and questions. More on that at a later date: We're still working to make it happen.

If you are thinking of trying something new and wonder who's been there before, feel free to contact me, preferably by e-mail (readerep@courant.com), for more specific information about which ombuddies have done what. Thanks to all who participated! -- Elissa Papirno

1. If you are a print ombudsman, do you write a column?

• No -- 2
• Yes -- 24 (plus one weekly radio report and one regular TV program)

If yes, how often?

• Daily -- 1
• Weekly -- 16
• Twice a month -- 2
• Monthly -- 2
• Bimonthly -- 2

Value:

• Very -- 16
• Somewhat -- 6
• Not useful -- 1

2. Do you write an internal memo?

• No -- 6
• Yes -- 21

If yes, how often?

• Daily -- 8
• One or two a week -- 1
• Weekly -- 3
• Twice a month -- 3
• Every six weeks -- 1
• As needed -- 1

Value:

• Very -- 12
• Somewhat -- 6
• Not useful --

3. Do you speak to community groups?

• No -- 6
• Yes -- 22

If yes, how often?

• More than 10 times a year -- 5
• Six times a year -- 2
• Occasionally -- 6

Value:

• Very -- 11
• Somewhat -- 10
• Not useful --

4. Do you have a secretary?

• No -- 15
• Yes, full-time -- 8
• Yes, part-time -- 4
• Full-time assistant -- 1

5. Do you host community visits to the newsroom?

• No -- 22
• Yes -- 6

If yes, how often?

• Weekly -- 1
• Monthly -- 3
• A few times a year -- 1

Value:

• Very -- 3
• Somewhat -- 2
• Not useful --

6. Do you receive e-mail from readers?

• No -- 4
• Yes -- 24

If yes, how many per day?

• Less than 5 -- 14
• 5-10 -- 4
• More than 10 -- 3

If you have done anything else on-line, please specify:

• 2 have hosted live chats

Value:

• Very -- 7
• Somewhat -- 8
• Not useful -- 2

7. Have you hosted reader roundtables or forums at the paper, or in the community?

• No -- 20
• Yes -- 7
• 2 will do so in 1997

Value:

• Very -- 5
• Somewhat -- 2
• Not useful -- 1

8. Are you responsible for any of the following?

• Corrections -- 12
• Letters to the editor -- 3
• Information desk -- 3
• Reprint permissions -- 7
• Other:
  • Oversee training -- 2
  • Contests -- 2
  • Web site -- 1
  • Customer service -- 1
  • Library -- 1
  • Photo reprints -- 1
  • Research and action line -- 1
  • Interns, writers' workshop, chain assessments -- 1
  • Writes editorials -- 1

9. What hours are you personally available to take phone calls from readers?

• 40 or more hours per week (includes those who said all the time) -- 16
• 35- 40 hours per week -- 3
• 20-35 hours per week -- 3
• Less than 20 hours (includes those who only return calls) -- 4

10. What percent of the phone calls to your office do you return personally?

• 100 percent -- 14
• 75-100 percent -- 5
• 50-75 percent -- 1
• 25-50 percent -- 1
• Less than 25 percent -- 3
• All who request return calls -- 2

11. What percent of your time do you spend on individual calls and complaints?

• 75-100 percent -- 7
• 50-75 percent -- 4
• 25-50 percent -- 8
• Less than 25 percent -- 4

Value:

• Very -- 11
• Somewhat -- 8
• Not useful --

12. Do you receive faxes from readers?

• No -- 3
• Yes -- 25

If yes, how many a day?

• Fewer than 5 -- 21
• Five or more -- 3

Value:

• Very -- 5
• Somewhat -- 11
• Not useful -- 2

13. Do you attend daily news meetings?

• No -- 19
• Yes -- 8
• Attends monthly -- 1

If yes, what's your role and how are you received?

• Observe -- 3
• Participate: share reader concerns, make suggestions -- 5

Value:

• Very -- 2
• Somewhat -- 7
• Not useful --

14. Who at your newspaper handles reader requests for information and library research?

• News Library -- 12
• Info-desk -- 3
• Company store -- 1
• Editors -- 1
• Data resources -- 2
• Ombudsman office-- 2
• No one -- 4
• Refer to public library -- 3

Is a fee charged?

• Yes -- 11; plus 1 for commercial use only
• No -- 9

15. What changes would you make in your job if you had the power to do so?

• Get a secretary or assistant or other help with calls -- 7
• Do more reader outreach -- 2
• Promote the position more in the community -- 2
• Concentrate the time available to take calls-- 2
• Have power to order a correction -- 1
• Establish an info desk -- 1
• Charge for reprints -- 1
• Have more contact with newsroom -- 1
• Have more space for column-- 1
• Write fewer columns -- 1
• Write more columns -- 1
• Write fewer memos -- 1
• Have more flexibility -- 1
• Get rid of some responsibilities -- 2
• Define job responsibilities more clearly -- 1
• Do job full-time -- 1

16. What do you think is the single most important aspect of your work as ombudsman?

• Giving readers access to editors/the institution -- 9
• Contact with readers -- 5
• Investigating/redressing complaints -- 4
• Explaining -- 3
• Communicating -- 2
• Columns -- 7
• Memos -- 1
• Sincerity -- 1
• Giving credibility to the institution -- 1

17. Would you be interested in becoming part of an ONO e-mail list or communications group to share information, questions and advice on-line?

• No -- 5
• Yes -- 19

If yes, what is your e-mail address?

How long have you been an ombudsman?

• Less than two years -- 6
• 2-5 years -- 13
• 5-10 years -- 5
• More than 10 years -- 3

Questionnaire mailed and returned in December 1996; Results compiled and distributed in April 1997.

For additional information, please contact:

There were 28 responses to this questionnaire, representing 21 U.S. newspapers, three Canadian newspapers, two Brazilian newspapers, one Japanese newspaper and one Spanish newspaper. Following is a list of the publications represented:

• Arizona Republic
• Boston Globe
• AN Capital (Florianopolis, Brazil)
• The Chronicle-Herald and The Mail Star (Halifax, Nova Scotia)
• Detroit Free Press
• Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville)
• Folha de Sao Paulo (Brazil)
• Fort Worth Star-Telegram
• Hartford Courant
• Kansas City Star
• News Journal (Wilmington, Del.)
• News-Sentinel (Fort Wayne, Ind.)
• Palm Beach Post
• Philadelphia Inquirer
• Rocky Mountain News (Denver)
• Sacramento Bee
• St. Paul Pioneer-Press
• Salt Lake Tribune
• San Diego Union-Tribune
• Societe Radio-Canada (Montreal)
• Star Tribune (Minneapolis)
• Stars and Stripes
• Toronto Star
• La Vanguardia (Barcelona)
• Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk)
• Voice of America
• Washington Post
• Yomiuri Shimbun (Tokyo).