Roanoke Area; Just 6% of Adults "Regularly" Read Blogs

By: Lowell
Published On: 6/17/2006 7:06:29 AM

According to a SurveyUSA poll sponsored by WDBJ-TV Roanoke, 74% of adults in the  Roanoke-Lynchburg DMA ("designated market area") use a computer "regularly" or "occasionally."  Of these, only 8% say they "regularly" read blogs.  Another 26% say they "occasionally" do.  Still, that's a very small percentage (34% of 74%, or 25% total) who read blogs at all, let alone Virginia political blogs, in the Roanoke-Lynchburg area.  And just 6% (8% of 74%) read them "regularly."

I'd like to see comparable figures for NOVA and Hampton Roads.  Does anyone have any data on those areas?  My guess is that the figures for NOVA would be MUCH higher than for Roanoke-Lynchburg.  I would also guess that the number of blog readers is growing rapidly.  Any thoughts?

Comments



Based on my interactions with Dem committees (summercat - 6/17/2006 7:20:52 AM)
in CA and now Newport News, I would be amazed if even 1/3 of the members used the blogs on the internet, or indeed used the internet at all.  Maybe Dem chairs could take a quick survey at their July meetings:
Do you use email at home?
Do you access the internet at home?
Do you visit online political blogs at home?

or something like that.



So... (Bubby - 6/17/2006 8:15:38 AM)
The Roanoke metro area is about 60,000 people, if 8% read political blogs that is nearly 5000 people. I would also assume that those readers are politically informed and probably active.  If even 50% of those readers are active for a change in Washington, that is a base of 2500.

About 3000 people voted in Roanoke/Roanoke County during the Dem primary. Just over 2000 for James Webb. Hypothesis; the politically informed voted in the primary, and they overwhelmingly voted for James Webb.

These are the people that fill the ranks of the bottom-up support for James Webb.



Very interesting analysis. (Lowell - 6/17/2006 8:17:49 AM)
Thanks. I'd love to see the same analysis for NOVA, Richmond, and Hampton Roads.


The Roanoke Metro Area... (Jerry Saleeby - 6/17/2006 10:35:05 AM)
...is more like 300,000 people.  Roanoke City alone has close to 100,000 folks.  Roanoke County is close to the city in population.  Lynchburg has probably 50-60,000 people with Bedford and Franklin Counties over 50,000 each.