Showing posts with label Americans. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Americans. Show all posts

Sunday, February 5, 2023

Netflix Originals Won the Streaming Wars in 2022



Netflix’s "Stranger Things" taking the top slot among all series.

Netflix Originals Won the Streaming Wars in 2022 

#Netflix #streaming #movies #originals #series #viewers #streamingwars

Americans streamed more than 19 million years’ worth of content last year

Streaming services continue to gain momentum as audiences’ favored destination for content, but the past year of viewing behavior illustrates how dramatically content offerings have evolved since Netflix introduced audiences to original programming back in 2013.

Before the debut of House of Cards, the political drama series on Netflix, which was the first TV series to appear exclusively on a streaming service, virtually all other streaming content had been licensed from other sources. Perhaps viewed as an experiment or a risk by some at the time, original content has grown to become a competitive advantage for streaming services, as many original titles attracted viewers to the platforms, and in some cases, they outperformed acquired content.

In total, Americans streamed more than 19.4 million years of content last year, up 27% from about 15 million years in 2021. The increase was driven by the breadth of new and expanded services, coupled by the depth of content—particularly streaming originals. In the years following the arrival of House of Cards, annual viewership reviews would highlight the incredible support that deep libraries of acquired content would provide. That changed in 2022, as viewing minutes for top-performing original content dramatically outpaced top-performing acquired content, with Netflix’s Stranger Things taking the top slot among all series.

Read the full report on 

https://www.nielsen.com/insights/2023/streaming-unwrapped-2022-was-the-year-of-original-content/

Discover Nollywood from the NOLLYWOOD MIRROR® Series on Amazon Books.

Hardcover versions available by special request 

Friday, September 23, 2011

Almost Half of Americans Do Not Think President Obama Will be Re-elected



22 Sep 2011 16:43 Africa/Lagos


Almost Half of Americans Do Not Think President Obama Will be Re-elected

Approval ratings unchanged from lows of last month

PR Newswire

NEW YORK, Sept. 22, 2011

NEW YORK, Sept. 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- After a spirited speech to Congress and presenting his jobs bill President Obama starts the fall with the same approval ratings he had at the end of the summer. This month, exactly the same as in August, just one-third of Americans (32%) give the president positive ratings on the overall job he is doing while two-thirds (68%) give him negative ratings.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100517/NY06256LOGO )

These are some of the results of The Harris Poll of 2,462 adults surveyed online between September 12 and 19, 2011 by Harris Interactive.

Looking at the ratings on a partisan level, it's not shocking that almost all Republicans (96%) and nine in ten Conservatives (90%) give the President negative marks, but so do seven in ten Independents (71%) and almost two-thirds of Moderates (64%). While majorities of Democrats (58%) and Liberals (53%) still give the President positive marks, large enough numbers of both groups of the President's traditional supporters (42% of Democrats and 47% of Liberals) give him negative ratings, giving the White House and the re-election team a bit to be concerned about.

While the President's ratings may continue to be at his lowest, one small piece of comfort he has is that he is doing a better job than Congress. Right now, almost all Americans (94%) have a negative view of the overall job Congress is doing and just 6% give them positive ratings. This low rating transcends party lines as only 7% of both Democrats and Republicans and 5% of Independents give Congress positive marks.

What has bounced back just slightly from last month is the number of people who think the country is going in the right direction. This month, 22% think the country is heading in the right direction while 78% think things have gotten off on the wrong track. While still low, this is better than in August when only 16% thought things were going in the right direction and 84% said they were going off on the wrong track.

One reason for all the negativity is the concern over economic issues. When asked what the two most important issues for the government to address are, half of Americans (50%) say it is employment and jobs. Another quarter say the government needs to address the economy (27%), while 17% say healthcare, 13% say the budget deficit, 11% say the budget and government spending and 7% each say taxes and social security.

Looking to next November

Even more disturbing for the White House are the numbers on likelihood of voting for President Obama. If the election for president were to be held today, over half of Americans (53%) say they would be unlikely to vote for Barack Obama while 39% say they would be likely to vote for him. Almost half (47%) say they would be very unlikely to vote for President Obama. Looking at this on a partisan level, nine in ten Republicans (92%) say they are unlikely to vote for President Obama as are three in five Independents (59%). Even among the two groups who are the President's more staunch supporters over one in five of both Liberals (23%) and Democrats (21%) say they are unlikely to vote for the President if the election were to be held today.

What is another concern is something that could become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Just three in ten Americans (30%) think President Obama will be re-elected while almost half (47%) do not think he will be re-elected; one-quarter (23%) are not at all sure. While 51% of Democrats believe President Obama will be re-elected, one-quarter do not (24%) and one-quarter are not at all sure (24%).

So What?

As multiple political commentators have said, the 2012 general re-election campaign began with President Obama's recent address to Congress. Yes, the Republicans still have to pick their candidate, but the President is starting to push forward the agenda he hopes to work his re-election campaign around next year. If he doesn't do something and stays mired in these low approval numbers and negative re-elect numbers, this election may be over before it even starts. The only consolation is that the GOP primary looks like it may be a long one and the eventual Republican candidate may emerge tired and possibly wounded after a blistering primary.

Click here for the full report.


2012 U.S. Presidential Election.

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Friday, September 2, 2011

Americans' Thoughts on Terrorism Over the Last 10 Years



The following report is very important and should be shared without bias.



2 Sep 2011 10:00 Africa/Lagos


USA TODAY/Gallup Poll Looks at Americans' Thoughts on Terrorism Over the Last 10 Years

PR Newswire

MCLEAN, Va., Sept. 2, 2011

MCLEAN, Va., Sept. 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- In the final week leading up to the tenth anniversary of 9/11 and the events that changed America ten years ago, USA TODAY and Gallup have conducted an exclusive poll looking at Americans' thoughts on terrorism and how they've changed over the last decade.

USA TODAY/Gallup poll results show:

* The proportion of Americans who say the government should take steps to protect its citizens against terrorism, even if it means violating civil liberties, has dropped almost in half since the days after the Sept. 11 terror attacks. In January 2002, 47% of Americans said they were willing to have the government violate some of their basic civil liberties in order to prevent more acts of terrorism. Asked the same question last month, only 25% answered the same way.


* In a striking contrast with the national mood 10 years ago, fewer Americans now think that "the Muslim world considers itself at war with the U.S.'' In March 2002, 71% agreed with that statement. Nine months later that number had dropped to 60%, and today it's down to 51%.


* Faith in the government's anti-terrorism capacity has dropped. Asked less than a week after 9/11 how much confidence they had in the government to protect citizens from terrorist attacks, 41% of respondents said "a great deal.'' By March 2002, 24% agreed with that assessment. Now, only 22% do.


* Who's winning the war on terrorism? Not much has changed in how Americans answer that question. A month after the 9/11 attacks, 42% said the U.S. and its allies were winning, and by the following January that rose to 66%. By April 2002, the percentage of Americans who felt their nation was winning the terror war fell into the minority. They have constituted a majority only three times since -- twice immediately after the Iraq invasion in early 2003 and once in January 2004, after Saddam Hussein's capture. In June 2007, the last time until this year that USA TODAY and Gallup asked who was winning, only 29% said the U.S. was winning. Asked the same question last month, respondents agreeing that the U.S. and its allies were winning the terror war had climbed back to 42% -- the same as 10 years ago.


* People seem less worried about the imminent likelihood of a terrorist attack today. Only 38% consider one somewhat or very likely "over the next several weeks,'' compared to 66% ten days after 9/11. A series of mysterious anthrax attacks, which eventually killed five people, drove that up to 85% the following month. In the 18 times the question has been asked since late 2003, the highest "likely" response was May 2 this year, one day after Bin Laden was killed. The highest ever was the 85% in the anthrax attack period.


The USA TODAY/Gallup poll was taken a month before the 10th anniversary of the attacks. Full poll results are in today's edition of USA TODAY and online at usatoday.com.

USA TODAY is a multi-platform news and information media company. Founded in 1982, USA TODAY's mission is to serve as a forum for better understanding and unity to help make the USA truly one nation. Today, through its newspaper, website and mobile platforms, USA TODAY connects readers and engages the national conversation. USA TODAY, the nation's number one newspaper in print circulation with an average of more than 1.8 million daily, and USATODAY.com, an award-winning newspaper website launched in 1995, reach a combined 5.4 million readers daily. USA TODAY is a leader in mobile applications with more than nine million downloads on mobile devices. The USA TODAY brand also includes USA TODAY Education and USA TODAY Sports Weekly. USA TODAY is owned by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI).

SOURCE USA TODAY
NOTE TO EDITORS: USA TODAY reporters are available for interviews. Please contact Elga Maye at emaye@usatoday.com or 703-854-5292 or Heidi Zimmerman at hzimmerman@usatoday.com or 703-854-5304.

CONTACT: Heidi Zimmerman, Director/Communications, +1-703-854-5304, hzimmerman@usatoday.com

Web Site: http://www.usatoday.com

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Thursday, July 14, 2011

90% of Americans Lack Literacy in Basic Health Education




Seeing is Believing, and the Key to Good Health
Video Storytelling - the Way to Better Health at BeSmartBeWell.com.

CHICAGO, July 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — When it comes to their health, nearly 90 percent of Americans lack the literacy skills to understand basic medical information and instruction. Low literacy has been linked to poor health outcomes such as higher rates of hospitalization and less frequent use of preventive services. A few quick minutes with a physician is not sufficient for most of us to understand a complex or chronic medical condition and how we can manage it. But new research indicates that video storytelling can be an effective way to educate people about health conditions - and watching others share their health stories can empower people to take control of their own health.


Stephanie Vomvouras, M.D., medical director, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, and BeSmartBeWell.com medical advisor

BeSmartBeWell.com, a consumer health website produced by the country’s largest customer-owned health insurer, is at the forefront of this video storytelling health-information movement, helping people manage childhood obesity, drug safety, mental health, childhood asthma and more with videos that feature health experts and people living with these conditions.

Research findings

A study published earlier this year in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that storytelling can help change a person’s behavior–and bad health habits. As patients “enter” the world of the storytellers, they can see themselves in that situation. As noted in the study, people with high blood pressure benefited more from video storytelling than from traditional teaching methods.

Stories people can relate to


Tiffany, 20 year old amateur boxer

BeSmartBeWell.com uses a similar approach to those highlighted in the research, presenting real kids, real teens and real parents talking about important health issues.

“When we developed our personal stories, we could imagine that the viewers would see these stories and go ’Gosh, they’re just like us. Look at them going to the grocery store and picking out healthy food. Look at them reading labels,” explains Stephanie Vomvouras, M.D., medical director, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, and BeSmartBeWell.com medical advisor.

See more of Dr. Vomvouras and others discussing BeSmartBeWell.com’s approach to consumer health education.
Reliable source

Produced in collaboration with medical experts and national health organizations, BeSmartBeWell.com is a non-commercial informational resource available to the public. At BeSmartBeWell.com, people will find:

* Credible resources and links
* Health news
* Expert Q&As
* Links to health tools and calculators
* In-depth articles

Consumers can also register for the monthly Spotlight newsletter and news alerts. For information about family-focused health topics—including childhood obesity, drug safety and teen dating violence–and to see more life stories, visit BeSmartBeWell.com.
About Be Smart. Be Well.

BeSmartBeWell.com is sponsored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, Divisions of Health Care Service Corporation, a Mutual Legal Reserve Company and independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.


Media Contact:
Ross Blackstone
Media and Public Relations Manager
Health Care Service Corporation
972/766-1735
Ross_Blackstone@hcsc.net

All other inquiries: 312/653-BSBW (2729), Editor@BeSmartBeWell.com

Top Reports to read



Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Majority of Americans want U.S. troops to leave Afghanistan now that Osama bin Laden is dead




8 Jun 2011 11:04 Africa/Lagos


52% - 35% Majority Believes U.S. Should Leave Afghanistan Faster Now That Bin Laden Is Dead

Majority also favors making aid to Pakistan conditional on cooperation on pursuing Al Qaeda and the Taliban

PR Newswire

NEW YORK, June 8, 2011

NEW YORK, June 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- A new BBC World News America/Harris Poll finds that a majority of Americans (52%) believe that the United States should move to get its troops out of Afghanistan now that Osama bin Laden is dead. However, 35% believe that U.S. troops should stay according to the existing plans. Reasons why most people favor withdrawing U.S. troops may be that a 51% to 14% majority of adults are not confident that U.S. policies in Afghanistan will be successful, and only 19% see the Afghan government as either an ally or a friend to the U.S. and 36% see it as unfriendly and an enemy.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100517/NY06256LOGO )

These are some of the findings of a new BBC World News America/ Harris Poll of 2,027 U.S. adults surveyed online between May 31 and June 2, 2011 by Harris Interactive.

Other interesting findings in the poll include:

* A large 66% to 20% majority of adults believes that it was better to have killed Osama bin Laden than to have captured him;
* An even larger 66% to 18% majority believe that "if the United States has very reliable information that a nationally wanted terrorist or criminal like Osama bin Laden is located in a foreign country.... that we have the right to perform a military operation within that country without notifying the government";
* The public is split on the impact of the killing of bin Laden on world opinion, with 41% thinking that it has made the United States more respected and 41% thinking has made no difference. Only 7% believe that it has made the U.S. less respected;
* Israel continues to enjoy very strong support among Americans, with 41% of adults seeing it as a close ally and a further 30% as a friend;
* The fall of Hosni Mubarak in Egypt have done nothing to improve U.S. attitudes to its government. In fact those who see the government of Egypt as a close ally or friend (43%) are somewhat lower now than when this question was asked in 2009 (52%) and 2010 (49%);
* More people see Pakistan as unfriendly and an enemy (29%) than as a friend or ally (20%); and,
* Many more people see the governments of Iraq and Afghanistan as unfriendly and enemies (38% and 36% respectively) than as friends or allies (22% and 19%). Attitudes to these two countries are only marginally less negative than they are to the government of Syria (16% friend or ally and 38% unfriendly and an enemy).


So What?

The killing of Osama bin Laden has done little to change the generally negative attitudes of Americans to the role of U.S. troops in Afghanistan. Only 14% of adults are confident that U.S. policies there will be successful, virtually unchanged since two Harris polls in June and October last year.

Perhaps the most surprising findings in this poll are that many more people regard the governments of Afghanistan and Iraq as unfriendly and an enemy than as friends or allies, even though they were brought to power as a result of the U.S. invasions and have been kept in power by the presence of US troops.


Click here for more details.

Top Headlines

Friday, June 3, 2011

NEW POLL: Belief in Economic Opportunity Unites Americans Across Ethnic/Racial Lines


Americans. Photo Credit: The Tree Hugger

3 Jun 2011 13:15 Africa/Lagos


NEW POLL: Belief in Economic Opportunity Unites Americans Across Ethnic/Racial Lines
Ninth Allstate-National Journal Heartland Monitor Poll Examines Americans' Views of Economic Opportunity in a Time of Demographic Transformation

PR Newswire

WASHINGTON, June 3, 2011

WASHINGTON, June 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- In a rapidly diversifying America, whites and minorities share many common views about what it takes to succeed in today's economy and a cultural optimism about the progress America has made in expanding opportunity for people of all ethnic and racial backgrounds. However, they diverge in revealing ways about the role of government, the opportunities they see for the next generation, and the consequences of demographic change, according to poll results announced today by The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) and National Journal.

With the U.S. population projected to become "majority-minority" by 2042, the ninth quarterly Allstate-National Journal Heartland Monitor Poll examined questions of economic opportunity and beliefs about the future of America across a spectrum of racial and ethnic groups.



The poll results show significant agreement about economic opportunity and the path to success in America. Most Americans believe the U.S. has made real progress on economic opportunity, with 55% saying the country is doing a better job now at creating equal opportunity across ethnic and racial lines than when they were younger. By a 2-1 margin, Americans believe that our free market economy is successful at creating more opportunity than problems. Across all backgrounds, education was considered the most important factor for success in America, followed by the state of the economy and an individual's own skills, while only 2% of respondents believed it was a person's racial or ethnic background.

The results also show that Americans of all backgrounds believe that economic divides between rich and poor are the most significant contributor to disagreements on important issues – a greater wedge than ethnic, racial, or cultural divides.

"Our survey uncovers that a more diverse America is a more hopeful America – one that sees opportunities available to all, regardless of race or ethnic background," said Thomas J. Wilson , Allstate chairman, president and chief executive officer. "This optimism in the American dream is further illustrated by the belief that education, individual initiative and hard work are the keys to success. The poll reveals there is common ground as we work to harness the power of our diverse nation to make us all stronger and more successful. Americans of all backgrounds believe disagreements in this country on important issues are driven more by income differences than any other difference, including ethnic or cultural divides."

However, the survey points out notable divides in three areas: Americans' opinions on the role of government in fostering economic opportunity, the opportunities they foresee for the next generation, and the potential costs and benefits of the demographic change sweeping America. While a plurality of white respondents (42%) said they believe "government is the problem" for our economic environment, only 25% of Hispanics, 17% of African-Americans, and 16% of Asians hold that view. There is a significant partisan divide here as well, with 58% of Republicans saying government is the problem, compared to 36% of independents and 18% of Democrats.

Despite optimism about their own opportunities, a large majority of Americans are concerned for the next generation, with only 33% saying they believe today's children will have more opportunity to get ahead. Whites (24%) and Asians (37%) are significantly less likely to be optimistic for today's children, while African-Americans (57%) and Hispanics (56%) are more hopeful.

"This poll offers many reasons for optimism that more diversity in America is not guaranteed to produce greater division, but it also underscores the risk that racial and ethnic divisions could reinforce the ideological and partisan splits we're already experiencing," said Ronald Brownstein , Editorial Director of National Journal Group.

Key findings from the ninth Allstate-National Journal Heartland Monitor Poll (PDF) include:

1) Americans share optimism about opportunity for themselves and the progress America has made on equal opportunity for all people. They are less optimistic for the next generation, and there are considerable differences by race and ethnicity.

* Most Americans believe they have about the same or more opportunity to get ahead than their parents had, with 44% saying they have more opportunity, 24% saying it's about the same, and 29% saying they have less opportunity.
o African-Americans (69% see more opportunity), Hispanics (62%), and Asians (67%) are particularly optimistic about their opportunities compared to their parents.
o White Americans are less optimistic, with only 36% saying they have more opportunity than their parents did.
* Most Americans (55%) believe the country is providing more opportunity for people of all racial and ethnic backgrounds than when they were younger, while 30% say it is about the same, and only 14% say it is providing less.
* Americans are less optimistic about opportunities for the next generation, with only 33% believing that today's children will have more opportunity to get ahead. This continues a pattern from previous Heartland Monitor polls.
o African-Americans (57% see more opportunity) and Hispanics (56%) are more optimistic for the next generation than are Asians (37%) and whites (24%).
* When asked to choose the most important factor in determining a person's ability to get ahead, Americans cite education most often (39%), followed by the state of the economy (23%), a person's own skills (22%), and a person's income level (9%). Only 2% of respondents chose a person's ethnic or racial background as the most important factor.
o Hispanics (53% education) and African-Americans (51%) were most likely to choose education, while whites were more closely divided between education (34%), economic conditions (28%), and a person's own skills (23%).


2) Americans of all backgrounds believe that the country's free market system works to create opportunity. Views on the role of government are more divergent, and show division along racial and ethnic lines, as well as partisan ones.

* A strong majority of Americans express support for the free market economy, with 62% who say that, left to itself, the free market creates more opportunities than problems, while just 32% believe that it creates more problems than opportunities.
o Whites (63%-31%), Hispanics (61%-30%) and Asians (61%-28%) are consistent in this belief, while African-Americans (49%-43%) are more split.
o Partisan differences are more dramatic, between Republicans (79% more opportunities than problems), independents (59%), and Democrats (52%).
* On the role of government in the economy, Americans are split among those who believe that "government is the problem" (36%), those who believe government should play an active role in the economy but are skeptical about its effectiveness (34%), and those who believe the government must play an active role (27%).
o A plurality of whites (42%) say government is the problem, compared to only 25% of Hispanics, 17% of African-Americans, and 16% of Asians.
o People of color are more likely to unreservedly endorse an active role, including 42% of African-Americans, 37% of Hispanics, and 36% of Asians.
o Partisan differences also show up dramatically, with 58% of Republicans saying government is the problem, compared to 36% of independents and only 18% of Democrats. White Republicans (64%) are especially wary.
* When asked which institution in society does the most to improve their lives, 31% of Americans say small businesses, 22% say community and nonprofit organizations, 14% say the government, 12% say big companies and 12% say religious institutions.
o African-Americans (22%), Hispanics (22%), and Asians (23%) are twice as likely as whites (11%) to say government does the most.


3) Americans of all backgrounds believe disagreements in this country on important issues are driven more by income differences than any other difference, including ethnic or cultural divides.

* Across all racial and ethnic lines, economic differences between rich and poor were consistently rated more important than political, cultural, generational, ethnic and racial, or religious differences as a factor contributing to Americans' disagreements about important issues. A total of 57% rated economic differences at the high end of the scale, indicating they contribute "a great deal" to disagreements about important issues, while fewer than 46% assigned the same importance to cultural, ethnic/racial, generational or religious differences. The only factor that approached economic differences in importance was political differences, rated at the high end of the scale by 51% of respondents.
* Hispanics rated cultural differences between native-born Americans and immigrants more important than other groups (57% chose the high end of the scale, versus 45% for all groups combined). African-Americans rated ethnic and racial differences more important than other groups (54% chose the high end of the scale, versus 35% for all groups). However, both Hispanics and African-Americans still rated those two factors well below economic differences in importance.


4) Americans are deeply ambivalent about the rapidly changing demographic face of the country and its impact on American culture and politics.

* When informed that the U.S. is expected to have a "majority-minority" population by 2042, a full 50% of Americans agreed with the idea that the demographic trends are troubling because the population change is happening too quickly and changing the character and values of the U.S. during a time of economic crisis.
o Majorities of whites (53%) and African-Americans (51%) took this position.
o Among whites, older (56%), less-educated (58%), lower-income (56%), and Republican (59%) respondents were most likely to hold this view.
o Among African-Americans, younger (55%), less-educated (56%) and lower-income (56%) respondents were most likely to hold this view.
* The alternative view – that the trends reflect a positive American tradition of welcoming all backgrounds and that immigrant and minority populations contribute to America's position as the world's largest economy – was agreed with by 42% of respondents, including 60% of Hispanics and 62% of Asians.
* A majority of Americans believe increased diversity will lead to both more racial tolerance (85%) and more racial tension (67%), as well as more success for minority-owned businesses (84%), more income inequality (64%), fewer skilled workers (62%), and fewer people upholding America's cultural heritage (63%).
* While 41% of Americans overall say racial and ethnic minorities have about the right amount of influence in the political process, people of color widely agree that they have too little, including 60% of African-Americans, 51% of Hispanics, and 53% of Asians.


5) Americans remain pessimistic about the direction of the country, but President Obama's approval rating has improved slightly since the last poll. Opinions of the President and the country's direction show sharp racial and ethnic divides.

* Americans are still pessimistic about the direction of the country, with 58% saying it is on the wrong track, down only slightly from 60% in the March 2011 Heartland Monitor poll.
o While 66% of whites say the country is on the wrong track, 57% of African-Americans say it is headed in the right direction.
* President Obama's approval (50%) and disapproval (42%) numbers have improved slightly since March, when they were 49%-44%.
o Whites (43% approve) are much less likely to approve of the president's job performance than Hispanics (65%), Asians (70%), or African-Americans (90%).
o Whites (34% Obama, 54% someone else) are the only group who would not vote to re-elect President Obama today. Obama wins with Asians (49%-25%), Hispanics (52%-36%), and African-Americans (89%-5%).
* Ethnic and racial minorities are also much more likely to believe the country's economy will improve over the next 12 months, including 86% of African-Americans, 80% of Asians, and 74% of Hispanics, compared to just 54% of whites.


Notes to Editors

Survey Methodology

A nationally representative survey of American adults conducted May 18-23, 2011, among N=1,427 American adults age 18+. Respondents were reached via landline and cell phone. The survey included extra interviews in order to reach a significant number of African-Americans (N=305), Hispanics (N=304 total interviews), and Asians (N=110). Hispanic respondents were given the option to take the survey in English or Spanish.

The data for the total American public represents all interviews conducted, weighted to N=1,000 interviews to match the demographic profile and geographic distribution of the country. For purposes of this analysis, "white" adults refers to non-Hispanic whites, while "African-American/Black" adults refers to non-Hispanic African-American/Blacks. "Hispanics" self-identified as being of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish descent, regardless of racial background.

About Allstate

The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation's largest publicly held personal lines insurer known for its "You're In Good Hands With Allstate®" slogan. Now celebrating its 80th anniversary as an insurer, Allstate is reinventing protection and retirement to help nearly 16 million households insure what they have today and better prepare for tomorrow. Consumers access Allstate insurance products (auto, home, life and retirement) and services through Allstate agencies, independent agencies, and Allstate exclusive financial representatives in the U.S. and Canada, as well as via www.allstate.com and 1-800 Allstate®. For an overview of the other Allstate-National Journal Heartland Monitor Polls, visit http://www.allstate.com/heartland-monitor. Additional information is available at www.storiesfromtheheartland.com.

About National Journal Group

Since 1969, National Journal Group has provided insight for insiders through nonpartisan reporting on current political and policy issues as well as tools professionals need to do their jobs well. National Journal Group properties include National Journal, National Journal Daily, NationalJournal.com, The Hotline, The Almanac of American Politics and Global Security Newswire.

About FD

One of the most highly regarded consultancies in the communications industry, FD employs more than 750 staff and advises more than 1,000 clients worldwide through its hub offices in London and New York, as well as its network of wholly owned offices in Bahrain, Beijing, Bogota, Boston, Brussels, Cape Town, Chicago, Dubai, Dublin, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Johannesburg, Los Angeles, Manchester, Melbourne, Moscow, Panama City, Paris, San Francisco, Shanghai, Sydney and Washington, DC. With a 20-year history of advising clients in both the private and public sectors, FD's services include financial public relations, capital markets communications, public affairs, crisis and issues management and corporate, business-to-business and business-to-consumer communications. FD is also a market leader in M&A advisory work. FD is structured around specialist sector teams operating on an international basis, covering consumer industries, financial services, basic industries, business services, life sciences & healthcare, media, real estate, technology and telecommunications. FD is a division of FTI Consulting Inc. (NYSE: FCN), the global business advisory firm. For more information, please visit www.fd.com.

SOURCE The Allstate Corporation

CONTACT: Media Inquiries: Jennifer Williams, Associate of FD, +1-212-850-5775, Jennifer.Williams@FD.com; or Taylor West, Communications Director of National Journal Group, +1-202-266-7756, twest@nationaljournal.com

Web Site: http://www.allstate.com



Monday, May 9, 2011

Post Bin Laden Death, President Obama's Job Rating Rises 8 Points



Post Bin Laden Death, President Obama's Job Rating Rises 8 Points
Highest rating for President Obama since September, 2009

PR Newswire

NEW YORK, May 9, 2011

NEW YORK, May 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- With the news that the most wanted man in America had been killed by Navy Seals, President Obama had one reason to breathe a sigh of relief last week. Now, he has another as Americans seemed to rally around not only him but also feel better about the state of the country. Currently, just under half (46%) of U.S. adults give President Obama positive ratings on the overall job he is doing, a rise of eight points from last month when only 38% gave him positive marks. Just over half (54%) give the President negative ratings, down from 62% who did so last month. This is also the highest rating for the President since September of 2009 when almost half (49%) of Americans gave him positive ratings.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100517/NY06256LOGO )

These are some of the results of The Harris Poll of 2,104 adults surveyed online between May 4 and 6, 2011 by Harris Interactive.



Democrats and Independents contribute the most to this rise. Over three-quarters of Democrats (77%) now give President Obama positive marks for his overall job approval, up from seven in ten (69%) last month. Among Independents, almost two in five (38%) give the President positive ratings up from three in ten (31%) in April. There is even a small rise among Republicans – in April, just 9% gave the President positive ratings; now, 12% do.

Congress also sees a small rise in their job ratings. Currently, just over one in ten Americans (13%) give the overall job Congress is doing positive ratings, up five points from last month when just 8% gave them positive marks. However, almost nine in ten (87%) still give them negative ratings.

The largest positive jump is in how the country overall is doing. In April, just one-quarter of Americans (26%) thought the country was heading in the right direction while 74% thought it was going off on the wrong track. Now, two in five U.S. adults (39%) say it is going in the right direction while 61% believe it is on the wrong track – a jump of 12 points.

So What?

The news from the White House late on Sunday, May 1st has caused many Americans to feel more positive about life in general and the way this country is going. This, in turn, translates into positive feelings about the President and even, albeit to a lesser extent, Congress. The question is does this hold or is it a temporary rise until something brings it back down. If the election were held today, the country is split on President Obama's re-election as 46% of Americans would be likely to vote for him and 47% would not be likely to do so. More than his approval ratings, these are the numbers the White House and re-election committee are watching closely.

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Friday, April 29, 2011

Most Americans Not Willing to Pay to Read News Content Online



29 Apr 2011 16:34 Africa/Lagos


Most Americans Not Willing to Pay to Read News Content Online
Even fewer than said they would pay 15 months ago

PR Newswire

NEW YORK, April 29, 2011

NEW YORK, April 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- As businesses explore best practices for success in the changing landscape created by the Internet, some companies have discussed charging for access to online content that was previously free. Some media outlets have discussed doing this, and The New York Times recently began charging online readers who view over 20 articles per month. But there may be trouble ahead as a recent Adweek/Harris Poll found that a large majority said they would be willing to pay "nothing" per month to read a daily newspaper's content online (80%). Of the one in five who would pay, 14% said they would pay between $1 and $10 per month while very few said that they would be willing to pay between $11 and $20 (4%) or more than $20 per month (2%).

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These are some of the findings of a new Adweek/ Harris Poll, survey of 2,105 U.S. adults surveyed online between March 29 and 31, 2011 by Harris Interactive.

Interestingly, while online paywalls are becoming more common, fewer people say they would be willing to pay to read content online now, than said so in late 2009—20% say they would be willing to pay for a daily newspaper's content online today, compared to 23% who said so in December 2009.

Other findings of the recent poll include:





* Younger adults are more likely than those older to pay for a daily newspaper's content online—over a quarter of adults aged 18-34 say they would (26%) compared to between 15% and 18% of all other age groups;

* Men are more willing to pay than women are—a quarter of men say they would (25%) with 18% saying they would pay between $1 and $10 per month, while only 15% of women say they would pay anything to read a daily newspaper's content online; and,

* The more education a person has the more likely they are to be willing to pay to read a daily newspaper's content online—over a quarter of college graduates say they would pay (28%) compared to one in five people who have attended some college (19%) and just 15% who have not attended any college at all.


So What?

Currently several major publications charge readers for their content online including the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, and most recently The New York Times . Unfortunately it seems that as these companies are adapting to a business environment increasingly dominated by the Internet, their readers are slower to embrace, or are resistant to, certain changes, especially when it comes to paying for something that has been free for so long. This raises several questions and areas for more research, including: how many Americans rely on the Internet for their news content, how particular are Americans about what publication or source they go to for their news, and, how do people think that media companies with large online presences should pay for the work that they do.


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