Document Type

Thesis - Open Access

Award Date

1989

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department / School

Journalism

First Advisor

Roger Van Ommeren

Abstract

For the publisher of an external company sponsored magazine it is important to periodically assess the publication's effectiveness as a communications tool. The editor needs to identify the readers' preferences and needs to reassess the editorial focus of the magazine. This includes demographic information on the target audience. A readership survey can provide this information in a cost-effective manner. This thesis attempts to present a model for an in-house readership survey for a company-sponsored magazine. The following survey was developed for one company-sponsored magazine, the GTA Feeds Dairy Update magazine. This 16-page -company-sponsored magazine is issued four times each year to 9,039 GTA Feeds' customers and prospective customers. No readership research has been conducted on the magazine in its eight years of existence. The Dairy Update, therefore, is an example of a magazine that needs to assess its effectiveness as a communications tool. This study is important, not only to GTA Feeds, but to other marketing firms that face stiff competition for their products and services among a shrinking audience, such as purchasers of livestock feed products. The company-sponsored magazine represents the company. Each communication with the audience is expensive to the sender in terms of company image and dollars. More importantly, the communication is subject to interpretation by the receiver. Readership research defines and identifies how the receiver perceives that communication.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

GTA Feeds, Dairy Update

Business literature

House organs

Readership surveys

Format

application/pdf

Number of Pages

109

Publisher

South Dakota State University

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