Poll Reveals Sound Relationship Between Nebraska Businesses and Media
OMAHA,
Neb.
(Jan. 20, 2004) — Media in Nebraska received high marks for being
unbiased, with a plurality of business executives saying media are not
biased either for or against businesses in the Nebraska Business:Media
Index™. Businesses received high marks for trustworthiness, with 91
percent of media respondents saying that, overall, they trust
Nebraska
business leaders.
The
survey of journalists and executives was released today by Hanser &
Associates, a public relations firm affiliated with Redstone
Communications of Omaha. The Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce cooperated
with the survey. It is the first-ever survey of its kind in
Nebraska
.
“We think
that Nebraskans will be glad that the relationship between our state’s
business and media is sound, though several areas need improvement,”
said Ronald Hanser, president of Hanser & Associates.
The
Nebraska
Business:Media Index asked
Nebraska
’s 500 largest private sector businesses and all of
Nebraska
’s daily media outlets to evaluate their relationship with each other.
The survey was conducted and sponsored by Hanser & Associates.
Nebraska
business executives gave the
media a grade of C+ overall, while
Nebraska
media gave businesses a C overall.
Executives were
closely divided between saying media tended to lean right, left or be
neutral on the political spectrum. But media received lower marks for
understanding the businesses they covered. Sixty-four percent of business
executives said reporters did not have sufficient education to cover
business issues. The same percentage said
Nebraska
media did not adequately scrutinize information provided by businesses in
the state.
“Business
executives are saying that taken as a whole
Nebraska
media is balanced but not adequately prepared to cover complex business
issues,” said Hanser. “This indicates a need for businesses to educate
reporters and provide them with more background information regarding
their industry and company.”
Seventy-seven
percent of the media surveyed say they have been lied to or misled by
business executives. Despite this, 91 percent of media
respondents say that, overall, they trust
Nebraska
business leaders, and 88 percent say they trust the accuracy of
information provided by
Nebraska
businesses.
Similar surveys conducted by Hanser &
Associates and its affiliates in
Canada
,
Iowa
and
Ohio
produced similar results.
Complete
survey results are available online at www.hanser.com, or by calling
Hanser & Associates at 402.393.8131. Business executives, media and
the public can comment on the survey results via the Web site.
The
Nebraska
Business:Media Index is a survey conducted and sponsored by Hanser &
Associates. Conducted on
Nebraska
’s largest private sector employers and daily media with the cooperation
of the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce, the survey is designed to
measure the relationships between
Nebraska
businesses and media. This survey will be repeated periodically by Hanser
& Associates to continue shedding light on how businesses and media
can more effectively work together. The Business:Media Index is a
trademark of Hanser & Associates and the survey is copyrighted by the
firm.
The
Business:Media Index was conducted via e-mail and fax in
Nebraska
during November 2003. The survey of business leaders was distributed to
500 CEOs and other top executives at
Nebraska
’s 500 largest private sector employers. There were 86 business
respondents for a response rate of 17 percent. The results have a
statistical precision of plus or minus 8 percent with 90 percent
certainty. The survey of media leaders was distributed to 121 editors,
publishers, and station managers at all of
Nebraska
’s daily newspapers, TV stations and radio stations, a total of 81
outlets. There were 35 media respondents for a response rate of 29
percent. The results have a statistical precision of plus or minus 12
percent with 90 percent certainty.
ABOUT
HANSER & ASSOCIATES
Hanser
& Associates is a national award-winning public relations firm
providing media relations, media spokesperson training and other PR
services to international, national and local businesses. Hanser &
Associates has an affiliation with Omaha-based advertising agency Redstone
Communications, and shares offices with Redstone in
Omaha
and
Des Moines
. The firm is an equity partner in Pinnacle Worldwide, one of the oldest
and largest public relations organizations in the world; affiliates are
located in 62 major cities in 31 countries and have nearly 2,000
employees. Nebraska-based clients served by Hanser & Associates
include Assurity Life Insurance Company, Images of the Land, and Omaha By
Design. Visit www.hanser.com for more
information.
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