Inside Iowa State

April 15, 2005

Ask Inside

Why do we still receive a paper version of Inside Iowa State when we can read it online?

Although reader interest in electronic options has grown over time, a majority of ISU employees still prefer the print version of Inside Iowa State to other options. We survey readers every few years to assess their need for campus news, as well as preferences for how they receive it.

In the most recent survey (March 2003), 82 percent of those surveyed said they always, often or sometimes read their newspaper, and 70 percent said they always, often or sometimes read the weekly news e-mail, Inside Update. Just 38 percent of those surveyed said they always, often or sometimes read Inside Iowa State on the Web. Another 19 percent said they didn't know a Web version of the newspaper existed.

When we asked about their preferred format for receiving campus news, 40 percent of those surveyed said they prefer print publications mailed to them, 36 percent prefer e-mail and 16 percent prefer using the Web. Faculty and merit staff were more likely to prefer printed publications (45 and 47 percent, respectively) than P&S staff (31 percent). The top choice for P&S staff was e-mail (44 percent).

We get a handful of requests each year from readers who want to be taken off the mailing list for the newspaper. Our budget doesn't allow us to customize a mailing list -- thus, if HR has you in its records, you receive the newspaper. And, ISU administrators want all employees to receive ISU news. We will continue to survey employees to track their reading preferences and adjust how we distribute campus news.