"Varorud" in "Mirror"
SRC questionnaires
The present report is prepared by the specialists of "Mirror"
sociologic research center on the results of sociologic exploration
"Readers' Audience of Varorud" Weekly" conducted
in Khujand and Konibodom in November-December within the frameworks
of the project "Central Asia MM Support" realized
by Simer organization (Switzerland).
Methods of research
The research was based on the collection
of quantitative information in the kind of standardized questionnaire.
Apart from it, in the course of questioning and generalization
of preliminary data there were conducted two Focus-groups
with the readers of the newspaper. In the course of Focus-groups
the contents of the weekly were discussed more particularly.
Thus, the chosen method enabled to get not only quantitative
information, but qualitative one either.
The research was conducted in Russian, the language of the
newspaper edition.
Object of Research
and Selective Integrity
The geography of exploration and the quantum
of respondents were preliminary complied with the partners
- "Varorud" weekly editorial-board and Simer organization.
The research was carried out in the towns of Khujand and Konibodom,
Sughd viloyat. The choice rested on the newspaper being basically
disseminated in these towns, as only its insignificant part
reaches Dushanbe and other areas. All in all there were questioned
200 people - permanent readers of the newspaper. The questionnaire
was placed also on newspaper pages and readers filled in the
form self-sufficiently, without an interview. 10 filled in
forms entered the editorial-board. Thus, 210 filled in forms
were available; that being 14% from the entire circulation
(1500 copies); the figure provides a proper level of representativity.
The readers of the two towns constituted a telic group of
the research. The field part of the latter was carried out
in the span of November 26-30.
Results of Sociologic
Questionnaire
The principal audience of readers is presented
my men - 66.7% of those questioned, whereas women make up
33.3% from the entire quantum of respondents.
The bulk of permanent readers befall the respondents aged
in the range of 20-49, herewith, the major average an age
group of 45-49 (18.1% of the questioned). Admirers of the
newspaper are clerks, entrepreneurs and students (59.5%, 10%,
9.5% respectively). Hereby the majority of the questioned'
are people with higher education (66.7%).
Generalizing the results obtained a portrait of "an average
reader" is emerged as the following: man aged in the
range of 45-49, clerk, higher education.
The research showed that the bulk of the questioned read "Varorud"
every week (40%) or 2-3 times a month (37.6%) i.e. they may
be referred to permanent readers.
How often do you Read "Varorud" Newspaper?
As for sex apportionment, men read the newspaper more often
than women (42.9% against 34.3%). But sometimes, when it counts,
the reverse is true (30% of women against 18.6% of men).
Respondents with higher education also read the newspaper
every week (45.7%). The biggest percent befalls readers with
secondary education (28%).
The respondents of the age group in the range of 16-19 don't
read the newspaper every week, for this category of respondents
the answer - I read the newspaper seldom - is mostly specific
(14.9%).
Further questioning urged respondents to assess contents,
interesting materials, informiativity and objectivity of the
newspaper.
Please estimate the newspaper on
the following criteria:
Criteria
High
Low
It is difficult to answer
Interestedness
46.25
1.4%
0.5%
Informativity
59%
2.9%
1%
Objectivity
33.8%
4.8%
1.4%
As it seen from the table over the half
of the questioned (51.9%) estimate "Varorud" newspaper
interestingness as middle. In their turn, 59% of respondents
assess informativity as high. And the bulk of readers size
up "Varorud" objectivity as middle.
In the course of the questionnaire, respondents were asked
what rubrics they read, whether they read all articles at
a running, or a part of them, or, may be, they don't read
a certain rubric at all.
The analysis of answers will be presented separately on rubrics.
What articles on
the pages of the weekly do you read?
Results on the 1-st page
Variants of answers
Quantity
On Average
Female
Male
I read usually ALL articles
of this page
137
65,2%
54,3%
70,7%
I read usually the MAJORITY
of articles on this page
47
22,4%
22,9%
22,1%
I read usually only CERTAIN
articles on this page
25
11,9%
22,9%
6,4%
I usually DON'T READ articles
on this page
1
0,5%
-
0,7%
In total:
210
100,0%
100,0%
100,0%
Results on the second page - "Sughd
Mirror":
Variants of answers
Quantity
On Average
Female
Male
I read usually ALL articles
of this page
124
59,0%
45,7%
65,7%
I read usually the MAJORITY
of articles on this page
63
30,0%
40,0%
25,0%
I read usually only CERTAIN
articles on this page
17
8,1%
12,9%
5,7%
I usually DON'T READ articles
on this page
6
2,9%
1,4%
3,6%
In total:
210
100,0%
100,0%
100,0%
Results on the second page - "Neighbors":
Variants of answers
Quantity
On Average
Female
Male
I read usually ALL articles
of this page
117
55,7%
48,6%
59,3%
I read usually the MAJORITY
of articles on this page
60
28,6%
31,4%
27,1%
I read usually only CERTAIN
articles on this page
31
14,8%
20,0%
12,1%
I usually DON'T READ articles
on this page
2
1,0%
-
1,4%
In total:
210
100,0%
100,0%
100,0%
Results on the second page - "Society":
Variants of answers
Quantity
On Average
Female
Male
I read usually ALL articles
of this page
102
48,6%
44,3%
50,7%
I read usually the MAJORITY
of articles on this page
65
31,0%
34,3%
29,3%
I read usually only CERTAIN
articles on this page
39
18,6%
20,0%
17,9%
I usually DON'T READ articles
on this page
4
1,9%
1,4%
2,1%
In total:
210
100,0%
100,0%
100,0%
Results on the second page - "The
Main Theme":
Variants of answers
Quantity
On Average
Female
Male
I read usually ALL articles
of this page
124
59,0%
50,0%
63,6%
I read usually the MAJORITY
of articles on this page
65
31,0%
35,7%
28,6%
I read usually only CERTAIN
articles on this page
17
8,1%
11,4%
6,4%
I usually DON'T READ articles
on this page
3
1,4%
2,9%
0,7%
No answer
1
0,5%
-
0,7%
In total:
210
100,0%
100,0%
100,0%
Results on the second page - "Analytics":
Variants of answers
Quantity
On Average
Female
Male
I read usually ALL articles
of this page
108
51,4%
37,1%
58,6%
I read usually the MAJORITY
of articles on this page
60
28,6%
35,7%
25,0%
I read usually the MAJORITY
of articles on this page
36
17,1%
24,3%
13,6%
I usually DON'T READ articles
on this page
6
2,9%
2,9%
2,9%
In total:
210
100,0%
100,0%
100,0%
Results on the second page - "World
around us":
Variants of answers
Quantity
On Average
Female
Male
I read usually ALL articles
of this page
109
51,9%
48,6%
53,6%
I read usually the MAJORITY
of articles on this page
58
27,6%
24,3%
29,3%
I read usually the MAJORITY
of articles on this page
38
18,1%
22,9%
15,7%
I usually DON'T READ articles
on this page
4
1,9%
2,9%
1,4%
No answer
1
0,5%
1,4%
-
In total:
210
100,0%
100,0%
100,0%
The most frequently called articles:
Bobojon Ikromov, "New Wave of Pan-Turkism Impeding form
over the Ocean", #45(81), November 12, 2003
I. Fahri, K. Ahmedov "Tajikistan Can't Be Considered to
Be a Free Country", #47(83), November 26, 2003
Bobojon Ikromov "The Ferghana Valley and Phenomenon of
Islam", #38(74), September 24, 2003
The talk between "Varorud" correspondent Rustam Iskandarov
with SDPT chairman R. Zoirov "Social-Democrats against
Authoritarism", #42(78), October 22, 2003
Negmatullo Mirsaidov "Velvet Revolution in Georgia",
#47 (83), November 26, 2003
Dilbar Abdumuratova "Tajik Gastarbeiter Has Been Missing",
#39(75), October 1, 2003
Negmatullo Mirsaidov "Uzbeks and Tajiks Could not Be Japanese",
#46(82), November 19, 2003
This is only a small list of articles called by respondents
remembered the articles in question:
- Interesting theme being interestingly written - 14.3%
- Actual article being true to life - 13.8%
- This theme excites respondents - 5.2%
The problems of neighboring republics are touched on - 7.6%
Advertising takes too much place being of one and the same sample
- 11%. In this category there prevail men - 65.9% against 34.1%
of women. One of the dominating answers - absence of truth and
straightforwardness in the materials published - 10.5%. In this
group men occupy a prevailing position - 81.8%. The English
page evokes protests - 9%; men - 73.7%, women - 26.3%. There
is few information about home sports - 9.5%, the majority of
respondents beign men - 90%, women make up only 10%. 8.6% want
an extension of the rubric "Have a Rest", the multiplication
of anecdotes and crosswords. In this category men prevail -
55.6%.
What don't you like in "Varorud"
newspaper?
Not to my liking
Quantity
Percent
I like everything, the newspaper is interesting
61
29,0
Advertising takes too much place being of
one and the same sample
23
11,0
No truthfulness and straightforwardness
22
10,5
Few information about sports, it should
be increased
20
9,5
English page is of no need
19
9,0
Extend the rubric "Have a rest",
publish more anecdotes and crosswords
18
8,6
Too many republications, articles from previous
numbers being recurred
15
7,1
TV program occupies too much space being
wrong at times
10
4,8
Non-professional design, bad quality of
pictures
9
4,3
To enlarge the volume of the newspaper
7
3,3
Few information about pensioners and youth
6
2,9
Few information about medicine
6
2,9
Absence of analysis
5
2,4
Absence of analysis
4
1,9
Open a page on economics
4
1,9
Retarded news
1
0,5
Miscellaneous
31
14,8
Report on Focus
groups
Within the frameworks of the research
they planned to conduct two Focus-groups to the effect of more
detailed study in regard to readers' opinion on the questions
explored. The conversations within the Focus-groups were supposed
to complement the information of the questionnaire.
The reasons accounting for "Varorud"
being chosen for reading
First of all, we should mention that all the participants of
the discussion are newspaper admirers who read itbeing interested
in the material of social-political slant.
- I didn't read newspapers beforehand as they delivered nothing
new, they didn't write about shortcomings. And for the last
three months I have been reading "Varorud", I like
it very much. This newspaper is not afraid of writing the truth.
My adult children are interested in the newspaper - they ask:
"Why haven't you brought "Varorud""? And
now I buy it every week. D.I., chief of the section at the tannery-cannery
combine.
-I associate your "Varorud" with AiF (Arguments and
Facts, Russian newspaper), as it is multilateral, - L.K., pensioner.
-I read "Varorud" since it was launched being issued
in the form of heralds. In our university library central newspapers
are available, I read both them and "Varorud", I find
answers to all my questions in your newspaper, - R.N., higher
school professor.
In the course of discussions there was expressed the opinion
that "Varorud" is no small edition, it is a newspaper
"for thinking people, whose intellect is higher than average,
it is for intellectuals". What we Don't Like
The participants of Focus-groups expressed different viewpoints
as to what the editorial-board should pay attention to. The
opinion concerned with the viloyat and urban problems being
highlighted inadequately may be called a common one. Certain
events constantly take place in society which needs information
about them. For example, cancellation of all privileges in 2004.
Deplorable state of public transport, communal services, recruitment
of young men to the army, rise of prices in the new year, mobilization
of students to cotton - all these problems should be debated
on newspaper pages, as the participants of Focus-groups consider.
Hereby, these issues should be highlighted not from the point
of view of official reports, their concrete core must be in
the focus of attention. Besides, the newspaper ought not only
to raise a problem, but to keep it under control either.
-The newspaper should not merely state a problem, but control
it either, in any case it must deliver exhaustive information
concerned with it, - L.K. pensioner.
Not always "Varorud" deals with actual problems of
the society, but, on the contrary, it publishes materials of
collateral importance. But touching upon the problems which
seem to be insoluble under today's conditions journalists agitate
public opinion around them which in the long run promotes their
solution. Informational expectations
The participants of the discussion expressed their opinions
as to the slant of information bound to be published. We must
say that the existing newspaper format, its structure are familiar
for readers. Practically all of them that the volume of every
rubric dwelling on the news related to Sughd, Central Asia and
the world is adequate, so the printed space should not be changed
either on the aspect of augmentation or diminution.
The participants of Focus-groups liked the idea with "Neighbors"
enclosure which attracts readers. - The enclosure "Neighbors"
is very good, we need such information, - said G. S. expressing
common opinion.
Though the majority of the participants don't read in English
page they agreed with its necessity. It is required not only
for English-speaking guests of the viloyat, but for students
and English teachers in order to extend their knowledge.
Thus, it to range the thematics of informational interests of
readers according to the degree of importance, it turns out
that the problems of social sphere and domestic life are mostly
important. The situation in neighboring Uzbekistan, the Ferghana
Valley and Central Asia is of second importance; that one of
the world at large comes last though interesting too.
