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Full Results on NCSL Survey of Legislators and Reporters, 2004

These are the 13 questions NCSL asked legislators and reporters. Obtain individual results by clicking on a question, or scroll down to see all of the results.

1. Generally, legislators respond in a timely manner to media requests for interviews or information.

2. The executive branch of government is more responsive to media inquiries than the legislative branch.

3. Generally, state legislators are honest when responding to media inquiries.

4. State legislators generally understand what qualifies as a news story.

5. State legislators overall are committed to public service, not personal interests.

6. Reporters generally have an understanding of and respect for my job as a state legislator. OR State legislators generally have an understanding of and respect for my job as a reporter.

7. All aspects of a legislator's private life, including business relationships, personal history and moral character, are legitimate topics for media coverage.

8. Generally, reporters are ethical people.

9. Generally, state legislators are ethical people.

10. Generally, the media in our state adequately provides citizens with the information they need to know concerning the policy decisions made by the state legislature.

11. Most news articles or segments are neutral, unbiased accounts.

12. Please rank the following from 1 (being the most common) to 6 (being the least common), as to where you get your story ideas, or where you believe statehouse reporters get their story ideas: press releases/ press conferences, editor assignments, news tips from inside the legislature, news tips from outside the legislature, conversation and introspection, other news outlets.

13. The general public gets most of its news from: (choose one) newspapers, radio, television, the Internet, magazines other.

1. Generally, legislators respond in a timely manner to media requests for interviews or information.

LEGISLATORS REPORTERS   Count Percent Count Percent Disagree Strongly 1 1.8% 0 0.0% Disagree 1 1.8% 8 7.8% Neither Agree nor Disagree 2 3.5% 13 12.7% Agree 40 70.2% 70 68.6% Agree Strongly 30 22.8% 11 10.8% Mean 4.1 3.8 Standard Deviation 0.7 0.7

2. The executive branch of government is more responsive to media inquiries than the legislative branch.

LEGISLATORS REPORTERS   Count Percent Count Percent Disagree Strongly 5 8.6% 3 2.9% Disagree 13 22.4% 53 52% Neither Agree nor Disagree 21 36.2% 21 20.6% Agree 13 22.4% 21 20.6% Agree Strongly 6 10.3% 4 3.9% Mean    3.0 2.7 Standard Deviation   1.1 1.0

3. Generally, state legislators are honest when responding to media inquiries.

LEGISLATORS REPORTERS   Count Percent Count Percent Disagree Strongly 0 0% 2 2.0% Disagree 3 5.1% 15 13.9% Neither Agree nor Disagree 7 12.1% 37 36.6% Agree 30 51.7% 45 44.6% Agree Strongly 18 31% 2 2% Mean 4.1 3.3 Standard Deviation 0.8 0.8

4. State legislators generally understand what qualifies as a news story.

LEGISLATORS REPORTERS   Count Percent Count Percent Disagree Strongly 2 3.4% 6 5.9% Disagree 13 22% 35 34.3% Neither Agree nor Disagree 13 22% 30 29.4% Agree 26 44.1% 30 29.4% Agree Strongly 5 8.5% 1 1% Mean 3.3 2.9 Standard Deviation 1.0 0.9

5. State legislators overall are committed to public service, not personal interests.

LEGISLATORS REPORTERS   Count Percent Count Percent Disagree Strongly 0 0% 6 5.9% Disagree 3 5.1% 23 22.5% Neither Agree nor Disagree 16 27.1% 45 44.1% Agree 25 42.4% 28 27.5% Agree Strongly 15 25.4% 0 0% Mean 3.9 2.9 Standard Deviation 0.9 0.9

6. Reporters generally have an understanding of and respect for my job as a state legislator. OR State legislators generally have an understanding of and respect for my job as a reporter.

LEGISLATORS REPORTERS   Count Percent Count Percent Disagree Strongly 1 1.7% 3 2.9% Disagree 15 25.4% 18 17.6% Neither Agree nor Disagree 20 33.9% 30 29.4% Agree 19 32.2% 48 47.1% Agree Strongly 4 6.8% 3 2.9% Mean 3.2 3.3 Standard Deviation 0.9 0.9

7. All aspects of a legislator's private life, including business relationships, personal history and moral character, are legitimate topics for media coverage.

LEGISLATORS REPORTERS   Count Percent Count Percent Disagree Strongly 16 27.6% 0 0% Disagree 12 20.7% 24 23.5% Neither Agree nor Disagree 10 17.2% 18 17.6% Agree 17 29.3% 45 44.1% Agree Strongly 3 5.2% 15 14.7% Mean 2.6 3.5 Standard Deviation 1.3 1.0

8. Generally, reporters are ethical people.

9. Generally, state legislators are ethical people.

LEGISLATORS REPORTERS   Count Percent Count Percent Disagree Strongly 0 0% 3 3% Disagree 2 3.4% 9 8.9% Neither Agree nor Disagree 11 18.6% 31 30.7% Agree 35 59.3% 57 56.4% Agree Strongly 11 18.6% 1 1% Mean 3.9 3.4 Standard Deviation 0.7 0.8

10. Generally, the media in our state adequately provides citizens with the information they need to know concerning the policy decisions made by the state legislature.

11. Most news articles or segments are neutral, unbiased accounts.

LEGISLATORS REPORTERS   Count Percent Count Percent Disagree Strongly 8 13.8% 1 1% Disagree 25 43.1% 8 7.8% Neither Agree nor Disagree 15 25.9% 21 20.6% Agree 9 15.5% 63 61.8% Agree Strongly 1 1.7% 9 8.8% Mean 2.5 3.7 Standard Deviation 1.0 0.8

LEGISLATORS REPORTERS 1. News tips from inside the legislature.  Conversation and introspection. 2. Press releases/press conferences News tips from inside the legislature. 3. Conversation and introspection. News tips from outside the legislature.  4. Editor assignments. Press releases/press conferences. 5. News tips from inside the legislature.  Editor assignments. 6. Other news outlets. Other news outlets.

13. The general public gets most of its news from: (choose one) newspapers, radio, television, the Internet, magazines, other.

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