Open Access

The National Readership Survey (NRS)

For 50 years, the National Readership Survey has been looking into the reading, watching and listening habits of Britain. The Survey interviews 3,000 people every month to find out about the magazines and newspapers they read, the TV they watch, the radio they listen to, and their use of the Internet.

It is very important for the Survey to interview as wide a cross-section of the population as possible, no matter how much or how little they read. NRS greatly appreciates the involvement of all those who take part in the Survey.

How we find people to interview

Addresses are selected by an automated random process from a list of residential addresses provided by the Post Office. NRS interviewers then call at these addresses. The interviewers are employed by Ipsos MORI, the research company that conducts the Survey on behalf of NRS Ltd. Firstly, the interviewer will ask how many people aged 15 or over live in the household. Following a set procedure, one or in some cases two of those people will then be invited to participate in the Survey. If the person or persons selected are not at home, the interviewer will arrange to call back at a convenient time.

The person being interviewed will be asked a series of questions about which newspapers and magazines they read, about the TV they watch, the radio they listen to, and their use of the Internet. They will also be asked about their interests, the type of job they do, etc. The interviewer uses a laptop computer for speed, accuracy and confidentiality. No personal details such as name and address are kept on the database, only the answers to the questions. No details are passed on to any other party, so those who participate in the Survey will not receive any unsolicited mail or phone calls as a result.

Safety and Security

We have a number of procedures to help give participants peace of mind:

• Interviewers report to the local police station to let them know when they will be working in the area.
• All NRS interviewers carry a Market Research Society ID card which they must show when they first call at an address.
• The information provided by those who participate in the Survey is completely confidential and covered by the Data Protection Act.

Contacts

If you do have been approached about participating in the Survey, and have any questions or concerns about the interview, please call Dawn Collis at Ipsos MORI on 020 8861 8107.

You can find more about the National Readership Survey on this site. If you have any more questions about the Survey, please call NRS Ltd on 020 7242 8111.