Focus groups are not uncommon in the media. Newspapers, for instance, need to be asking readers what they want. It’s one thing to play the traditional gatekeeper role in news coverage — but ignoring reader input and interaction is a formula for disaster in the first decade of the 21st century.
Still, I was intrigued by this item somewhat buried on page 2 of the Washington Post’s always interesting Health section (even though I doubt I am their target demographic). In a little two-item feature called “Tell Us About …”, the Post asked for the following input about “Your Paper”:
“What’s your dream version of the Post’s print edition? What would compel you to pick it up every day and keep you from putting it down? A Post readership committee is soliciting ideas from women [oops, not me!] ages 18 to 49 with children younger than 18 at home. Give us your thoughts on features or topics you’d like us to cover, changes to what we offer now, the visual layout of the paper — you name it. Please send your ideas to womenreaders@washpost.com and include your name, age and city. Include your phone number if you are open to talking further.”
Now that’s interesting — but maybe even a little desperate? Pay attention to the placement of the item: page 2 of the Health section, lower right corner of the page. There’s a little ambiguity as to whether the Post is soliciting input about the Health section or the newspaper in general.
Right now, while the Post online has contracted an outside firm to help redesign its site, it appears that they also are trying to get input from a specific demographic. That’s a good thing — even if it leads me wonder about how the Post is going about it in this instance.
The item is available online, by the way — although it’s merely listed as a piece of Page HEO2 content.
