Poll: Executives prefer print to online news

A joint poll from Doremus and Financial Times indicates that online news sources come in second to print periodicals. Newspapers, trade journals and business magazines as well as "leisure" magazines are the preferred source of information.

by Kristina Knight

This is an interesting poll because overall readership for newspapers, especially, as fallen as more users turn to the Internet to get their information.

Here is what the executives said. Of those who responded to the poll 73% said that print was not becoming obsolete and 59% said they trusted print more than online publications. Roughly 60% said they turned to print when they wanted in-depth information. Those polled also said they paid more attention to ads in print rather than online ads.

"Marketers with high-end goods and services, including travel, restaurants, luxury cars and financial services, might consider the power of print and how it can engage this very desirable audience with their advertising messages - particularly during their leisure time," said Howard Sherman, managing director of Doremus New York.

However there is good news for online advertisers. Women are less likely to be print oriented. Of the women polled, only about one-quarter said they preferred or trusted print publications more than online publications. Also, 29% of all the executives polled said the Internet does meet all of their information needs.