The National Readership Survey is currently putting together a development programme which, if it works, will see the body release a multi-platform report including readers’ interaction with media owners’ websites for the first time in 2011.
The research body outlined the proposed programme to the NRS Board, whose members include the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising, the Newspaper Publishers Association and the Periodical Publishers Association, in its February meeting.
The NRS currently publishes newspaper and magazine readership estimates for print editions, but hopes the new initiative, if it is approved, will enable it to provide online audience estimates and demographic user profile data, detailing the online reach of publishers’ websites.
It is thought that the online readership initiative will use a “recall method” to gather data about respondents’ interaction with websites, as an integral part of a new NRS multi-platform interview.
The Board is expected to respond to the proposals next week.