Zogby Poll on Why Readers Read, Book Buyers Buy

This is really a media release rather than a review but it seemed pertinent to a review site -- important information for both authors and readers alike -- so I thought I would include it.



COMPREHENSIVE SURVEY OF BOOK BUYERS AND READERS TO BE RELEASED BY RENOWNED POLLSTER

JOHN ZOGBY ON FRIDAY, MAY 30 AT

BOOK EXPO AMERICA IN LOS ANGELES



May 19, 2008 New York, NY: John Zogby, one of the leading voices in the public opinion research industry, and his firm Zogby International have partnered with The Random House Publishing Group to design and conduct an extensive nationwide interactive poll of book buyers to determine how, why and where they purchase and read books. The just-completed survey, which drew 8200 responses, provides an in-depth picture of Americans’ reading and book-buying habits—from the influence of book reviews and recommendations, to details on how they browse for books, both in store and online.

In his presentation at BEA (details below), Zogby will put the findings of his survey into context and provide marketing information that booksellers and publishers can use to connect with the changing American consumer.

“This survey provides an unprecedented look at where people purchase books and how they make their decisions about what books to buy”, comments Zogby. “The findings also highlight the similarities – and differences – between men and women, young and old, and across the income spectrum to capture the latest opinions of today’s consumers on an extensive range of book-related topics. It will no doubt prove an invaluable tool for anyone looking to get a good read on the American book-buying public.”

Zogby is the author of a new book, The Way We'll Be: The Zogby Report on the Transformation of the American Dream, which Random House will publish on August 12. In it he identifies a new American consensus arising from the collapse of trust in our leaders and leading institutions. Basing his analysis on thousands of polls conducted by his organization, he sees four main trends that affect how Americans buy and vote: learning to live with limits, embracing diversity, rejecting materialism, and demanding authenticity.

Zogby’s presentation , “The New American Character,” is scheduled from 10-11 a.m. on Friday, May 30 in Room 406A at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Carol Schneider
V.P., Executive Director, Publicity & Public Relations
The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway 17-4
New York, NY 10019
212/572-2245
cschneider@randomhouse.com

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