RJI-DPA fall 2010 iPad survey results

The Reynolds Journalism Institute (RJI) is conducting a multi-year research project to understand how Apple iPad users consume news content. The initial phase was a cross-sectional survey with 20 questions conducted online from September 6 through November 30, 2010. The RJI plans to conduct at least one follow-up panel survey and another cross-sectional survey in 2011. This project is funded by the Digital Publishing Alliance (DPA), a member-supported initiative of the RJI.

Nearly 1,600 iPad users completed the initial survey. Respondents were recruited from stories with links to the survey on several media and technology websites and blogs in addition to the RJI website. A promo with a link to the survey also appeared on the AP News iPad app in October and November. SurveyGizmo was used to host this survey. Questions are shown below as they appeared online.

The Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute (RJI) is a nonprofit entity affiliated with the Missouri School of Journalism in Columbia, Missouri. RJI is dedicated to developing and testing ways to improve journalism through new technology and improved processes.

The Digital Publishing Alliance (DPA) is a member-supported program of the RJI that mostly includes newspaper publishers and news organizations in the United States.

The principal researcher for this project is Roger Fidler, RJI Program Director for Digital Publishing and DPA Coordinator. Fidler can be contacted at fidlerr@rjionline.org. He was assisted by Adam Maksl, a Ph.D. student at the Missouri School of Journalism in Columbia.

1. Please enter your 5 digit residential ZIP code (States identified based on ZIP codes)Responses%USA 
Total USA Respondents154496.6% 
California18812.2% 
New York1318.5% 
Florida1026.6% 
Texas915.9% 
Missouri*845.4% 
Illinois835.4% 
Virginia573.7% 
Arizona543.5% 
Georgia523.4% 
Washington452.9% 
(* RJI actively recruited participants through the University of Missouri.)
    
2. When did you acquire your first Apple iPadResponses%All 
April 2010 (First month)42727% 
May 201027417% 
June 201020313% 
July 201015310% 
August 20101449% 
September 20101489% 
October 201015910% 
November 2010624% 
TOTAL1570  
    
3. Birth Year (Age Groups based on computed age variable)Responses%All 
24 or younger523% 
25 to 3424516% 
35 to 4432021% 
45 to 5438826% 
55 to 6438025% 
65 or older17912% 
TOTAL1512  
    
4. What is your gender?Responses%All 
Male126180% 
Female31320% 
TOTAL1574  
    
5. Which on of the following best describers your total annual household income, before taxes?Responses%All 
Less than $25,000342% 
$25,000 to $49,9991068% 
$50,000 to $74,99921415% 
$75,000 to $99,99926610% 
$100,00 to $249,99960819% 
$250,000 or more16944% 
TOTAL139712% 
(201 respondents opted not to provide this information.)
    
6. What describes the highest level of education you have attained?Responses%All 
High school graduate or less523% 
Some college but no degree23615% 
Associate degree886% 
Bachelor’s degree60838% 
Master’s degree (MA, MS, MBA, etc.)39225% 
Professional degree (law or medicine)1147% 
Doctoral degree (Ph.D.)986% 
TOTAL1588  
    
7. Where did you use your iPad most frequently (in the past 30 days)Responses%All 
At home116673% 
At work19512% 
At school181% 
While commuting (to/from work or school)453% 
While traveling (airports, airplanes, hotels, etc.)1127% 
Other (open field)*984% 
TOTAL1595  
(*Most “Other” said “everywhere” or “home and office.”)
    
8. In a typical week, when did you use your iPad most? (in the past 30 days)Responses%All 
Consistently throughout the week116689% 
Mostly on weekdays1959% 
Mostly on weekends182% 
TOTAL1596  
    
9. What were your main uses for the iPad? Check all that apply. (in the past 30 days)Responses%AllRank
Business/Profession (work related)94459%6
Entertainment (games, videos, music, etc.)104966%5
Leisure reading (books, magazine, newspapers, etc.)130282%2
Keeping up with the news and current events134784%1
Accessing the Web (browsing, searching, reading, etc.)128981%3
Education/training (course materials, textbooks, etc.)30619%9
Personal (calendar, contacts, shopping, etc.)91858%7
Social networking67943%8
E-mail121076%4
Other (open field)*684%10
TOTAL1596  
(*”Other” included note taking, maps, and photos)
    
10. In a typical day, how much time did you spend with your iPad?Responses%All 
Less than 15 minutes161% 
15-30 minutes1127% 
30-60 minutes46429% 
1-2 hours54634% 
More than 2 hours44928% 
TOTAL1587  
    
11. How would you rate your overall satisfaction with the iPad?Responses%All 
Very dissatisfied352% 
Somewhat dissatisfied161% 
Neutral513% 
Somewhat satisfied37123% 
Very satisfied111370% 
TOTAL1587  
    
12. How likely are you to recommend the iPad to a friend or relative?Responses%All 
Very unlikely151% 
Somewhat unlikely9>1% 
Neutral684% 
Somewhat likely28818% 
Very likely120776% 
TOTAL1587  
    
13. How would you rate your reading experience with the iPad compared with each of the following media?
Printed NewspaperResponses%All 
Much worse than a printed newspaper312% 
Somewhat worse than a printed newspaper17411% 
About the same as a printed newspaper21914% 
Somewhat better than a printed newspaper49331% 
Much better than a printed newspaper65242% 
TOTAL1569  
    
Printed MagazineResponses%All 
Much worse than a printed magazine413% 
Somewhat worse than a printed magazine18512% 
About the same as a printed magazine30420% 
Somewhat better than a printed magazine50433% 
Much better than a printed magazine48832% 
TOTAL1522  
    
Apple iPhoneResponses%All 
Much worse than an Apple iPhone6>1% 
Somewhat worse than an Apple iPhone171% 
About the same as an Apple iPhone938% 
Somewhat better than an Apple iPhone29525% 
Much better than an Apple iPhone75265% 
TOTAL1163  
    
Other SmartphoneResponses%All 
Much worse than my other smartphone111% 
Somewhat worse than my other smartphone141% 
About the same as my other smartphone707% 
Somewhat better than my other smartphone15416% 
Much better than my other smartphone73175% 
TOTAL980  
    
Personal ComputerResponses%All 
Much worse than my personal computer332% 
Somewhat worse than my personal computer15610% 
About the same as my personal computer35823% 
Somewhat better than my personal computer53735% 
Much better than my personal computer46330% 
TOTAL1547  
    
Netbook ComputerResponses%All 
Much worse than my netbook computer131% 
Somewhat worse than my netbook computer334% 
About the same as my netbook computer21824% 
Somewhat better than my netbook computer21523% 
Much better than my netbook computer44548% 
TOTAL924  
    
E-ReaderResponses%All 
Much worse than my e-reader172% 
Somewhat worse than my e-reader9310% 
About the same as my e-reader17619% 
Somewhat better than my e-reader27329% 
Much better than my e-reader37640% 
TOTAL935  
    
14. Thinking about your answers to the previous question, what are some of the qualities that have made your reading experience better or worse with your iPad? Be as specific as possible. (Open question)
The responses to this open question were quite extensive. A more complete list may be posted on the RJI website at a later date.
    
15. In a typical day, how much time do you spend consuming news using the following media?
TelevisionResponses%All 
None17711% 
Less than 15 minutes25616% 
15-30 minutes31220% 
30-60 minutes35523% 
1-2 hours32521% 
More than 2 hours1469% 
TOTAL1571  
    
RadioResponses%All 
None33121% 
Less than 15 minutes36323% 
15-30 minutes39826% 
30-60 minutes26617% 
1-2 hours1379% 
More than 2 hours564% 
TOTAL1551  
    
Printed Newspaper (weekday edition)Responses%All 
None58437% 
Less than 15 minutes31020% 
15-30 minutes37424% 
30-60 minutes23515% 
1-2 hours543% 
More than 2 hours7>1% 
TOTAL1564  
    
Printed Newspaper (Sunday edition)Responses%All 
None58437% 
Less than 15 minutes19112% 
15-30 minutes30520% 
30-60 minutes31120% 
1-2 hours1429% 
More than 2 hours262% 
TOTAL1559  
    
Apple iPadResponses%All 
None161% 
Less than 15 minutes704% 
15-30 minutes25116% 
30-60 minutes46630% 
1-2 hours50122% 
More than 2 hours26717% 
TOTAL1571  
    
E-ReaderResponses%All 
None123647% 
Less than 15 minutes7918% 
15-30 minutes6116% 
30-60 minutes10912% 
1-2 hours235% 
More than 2 hours262% 
TOTAL1536  
    
Apple iPhoneResponses%All 
None72247% 
Less than 15 minutes27318% 
15-30 minutes24616% 
30-60 minutes19112% 
1-2 hours755% 
More than 2 hours352% 
TOTAL1542  
    
Other SmartphoneResponses%All 
None108871% 
Less than 15 minutes20013% 
15-30 minutes1198% 
30-60 minutes544% 
1-2 hours322% 
More than 2 hours342% 
TOTAL1527  
    
Personal ComputerResponses%All 
None16885% 
Less than 15 minutes2393% 
15-30 minutes3593% 
30-60 minutes3026% 
1-2 hours1971% 
More than 2 hours2882% 
TOTAL1553  
    
Netbook ComputerResponses%All 
None129685% 
Less than 15 minutes533% 
15-30 minutes443% 
30-60 minutes886% 
1-2 hours191% 
More than 2 hours262% 
TOTAL1526  
    
16. How likely are you to use a newspaper’s app for reading news and feature stories on your iPad instead of going directly to the newspaper’s website?Responses%All 
Very unlikely332% 
Somewhat unlikely423% 
Neutral1067% 
Somewhat likely39125% 
Very likely100264% 
TOTAL1574  
    
17. How often did you read or browse a printed newspaper in the past 30 days?Responses%All 
Nearly everyday (weekdays and weekends)63540% 
Nearly every weekday (not on weekends)986% 
Nearly every weekend (not on weekdays)1107% 
A few times most weeks16911% 
Only on a few occasions31720% 
I didn’t read or use a printed newspaper25416% 
TOTAL1583  
    
18. If you subscribe to a printed newspaper now, how likely are you to cancel that subscription and a switch to a subscription-based electronic version of that newspaper on your iPad or a similar device in the next six months?Responses%All%Subs
Very unlikely16911%18%
Somewhat unlikely15310%16%
Neutral1097%12%
Somewhat likely20213%22%
Very likely29819%32%
I’ve already made the switch17011% 
I don’t subscribe to a printed newspaper48531% 
TOTAL1586  
    
19. Which newspapers, newsmagazines and/or news services have come closest to meeting your expectations on the iPad? (Open question)
The New York Times, USA Today, AP News and The Wall Street Journal were mentioned most frequently. A more complete list may be posted on the RJI website at a later date.   
    
20. How has your overall satisfaction with the Apple iPad changed in the past three months?
A price lower than the print subscription or free with a print subscription, comprehensive and timely, quality content (e.g. stories, graphics, photos and videos), enjoyable to read, convenient, easy to use, and relevant ads were among the most commonly mentioned features or qualities. A more complete list may be posted on the RJI website at a later date.

All RJI-DPA iPad/Tablet online surveys are powered by SurveyGizmo survey software.

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