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171 - Summary of Reader Survey |
Summary of Reader Survey
IN the October 1983 issue, we inserted a questionnaire of twenty-seven major categories, inviting readers of THEOLOGY TODAY to submit their answers, preferences, as well as some personal details about themselves. The response was overwhelming; we received more than 1200 replies, all of which demonstrated an active interest in THEOLOGY TODAY among our subscribers.
We very much appreciate the time and effort invested in this survey by our readers. The editors and staff now feel more confident about planning for the future because they now know who our audience is and can therefore address articles, book reviews, and feature items to "real" people instead of simply "readers."
Some of the results of this survey will be of special importance for publicity and other office procedures. Because of this, we refrain from reporting in detail here about every query or sub-heading in the survey. Instead of giving tables and lists, we thought it would be more interesting to provide for our readers a few distinguishing marks of the typical THEOLOGY TODAY reader. This person is between thirty-five and sixty years of age, male, married, holding a post-collegiate academic degree, a minister of a church of about five hundred members more or less, earning a salary of about $25,000 more or less, a home owner, buying more than twenty books a year, regularly attending continuing education programs, watching about ten films a year and as many TV hours a week (news, educational programs, sports), attending concerts, theatre, museums almost ten times annually, and keeping up with the world through local newspapers and magazines.
If some respondents do not recognize themselves in this profile, not to worry. The fascinating thing about tabulating so many replies is the realization that there are so many different kinds of THEOLOGY TODAY readers. For example, 26 percent of all readers have a doctorate, but we also include students, business and lay people in a variety of occupations (publishing, library, counseling, law, government, medicine, science, engineering). Many of these have academic associations, and the next largest group after clergy are teachers of religious studies in colleges, universities, and seminaries (many of whom are also ordained). While the largest denominational group represented happens to be Presbyterian, the ecumenical character of the readership of THEOLOGY TODAY
Jeffrey L. Allport is a Student Assistant with THEOLOGY TODAY, on special assignment in connection with the Reader Survey. He is a graduate of Stanford University and a senior, majoring in Early Church History at Princeton Theological Seminary.
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172 - Summary of Reader Survey |
includes Catholics, Episcopalians, Methodists, and other well known, and some not so well known, denominations.
Readers also think about a variety of theological issues, according to the responses received. Doctrinal, biblical, and pastoral themes seem to be of common concern, with "narrative," "process," and "liberation" schools of thought mentioned by name.
In addition to reading THEOLOGY TODAY, subscribers also read Christianity Today, The Christian Century, Christianity and Crisis, Interpretation, and Sojourners. Within the past five years, quite a few readers (35 percent) have attended a professional society meeting, and 25 percent have published a paper, article, or book. Most read Time or Newsweek, as well as the popular general magazine, National Geographic.
Most of all, we are grateful for the loyalty of our readers, 82 percent of whom have subscribed to THEOLOGY TODAY for more than three years. Stemming from this survey, many constructive suggestions will enable plans to be projected into the future. And we are happy to report that this July issue of THEOLOGY TODAY will be distributed to over 10,000 subscribers, the highest circulation in our forty-year history, and one of the largest circulations of any religious quarterly in the world. We hope this means we are doing something right, and, with your help, we can do even better.