In April-May, Mondoweiss created a survey to learn about our readers – who you are, what you like and don’t like about our work, and what you are hoping for in the future. We also wanted to learn from you how our fundraising and other revenue-generating efforts affect you.
We had over 1,000 surveys completed during the three weeks the survey was live — thank you! The quantity and quality of feedback we received was phenomenal (which is why it’s taken a bit of time to analyze it). We are grateful to all of you who took the time to respond to the survey.
Here are some highlights of the information and insights we received, presented in sections as the survey was organized.
Highlights from Section 1: Getting Mondoweiss Content
“I visit Mondoweiss because I’m curious about the site’s take on Middle East news. Also I go there to find out news that I haven’t seen elsewhere.”
- Readers who completed our survey tended to be those who have known Mondoweiss for quite some time; 84 percent of respondents have known Mondoweiss for at least a year, while less than eight percent learned of the site within the past six months.
- How did readers first learn of Mondoweiss? The most common answers: a friend, email and/or social media (53 percent); another news source (33 percent); and an activist organization or event (19 percent).
- The overwhelming majority of respondents—92.8 percent—read Mondoweiss daily or weekly. The most popular channels for obtaining Mondoweiss content are the site itself (53 percent of respondents) and the email newsletter (48 percent). A distant third was Facebook, at 19 percent.
- Surprising: more than three percent of survey respondents read our material regularly but never visit the website itself.
Highlights from Section 2: Your Views on Mondoweiss Content
- We asked why you read Mondoweiss. The site’s news coverage of events in Israel/Palestine is by far the most common reason given (81 percent of respondents). Next most frequent were news coverage of events in the U.S. and the diversity of voices/viewpoints represented (47 percent and 49 percent respectively).
- Asked what you would change about Mondoweiss if you could, you gave us reason to feel good: the most common answer (31 percent of responses) was “no change”!
We also received many thoughtful suggestions for change; nine percent concerned the comment function, and eight percent were suggestions regarding the site’s appearance or organization. This kind of feedback is invaluable and we’ll consider all the input as we plan how to advance the work.
“See the Palestinian problem from all angles. The occupation is a big problem, but it is not the only problem. There are millions of Palestinian refugees, and they need to be accounted for.”
When we asked what readers would like to see in new content, we saw clear trends:
- 87 percent of respondents were interested in centralized access to information resources (e.g. a database for laws in Israel/Palestine, infographics, tracking of key Congressional or UN votes, etc.).
“Searchable database would be huge contribution, just huge. Excited just thinking about it. It would bring a lot more people to the site, increase credibility…and generally build the movement.”
- 85 percent expressed interest in a section for reviews of books, films, and other culture.
- More than 60 percent of respondents would use a centralized calendar of movement events.
- 69 percent of respondents were interested in a news or opinion roundup in Mondoweiss, where readers could find links to important writing on Israel/Palestine or US policy from other sources; 17 percent more said they might be interested depending how it’s done.
Highlights from Section 3: Supporting and Expanding Mondoweiss’s Impact
Responses in this section are valuable for us to plan how best to raise funds in the future. We learned that there is room to improve in communicating why we need reader donations and what the money goes to.
- 15 percent of respondents did not know that Mondoweiss is nonprofit and reader supported; almost a third did not feel that we effectively communicate the need for donations; and less than 40 percent of respondents said that they regularly or occasionally donate.
- Respondents told us that financial constraints are a major limit on whether and how much they give.
My yearly earnings dramatically affect my contribution…a regular reminder of the relationship of the work you do and the support it takes to make it possible helps me.
- We also learned that many respondents would consider donating if they had a better understanding of Mondoweiss’s needs and priorities, more knowledge about plans for the future, or more access to information about how we use funds raised. Stay tuned—the upcoming midyear campaign will respond to these concerns!
Highlights from Section 4: Engaging With and Sharing Mondoweiss Content
- 65 percent of respondents share Mondoweiss content with others at least weekly, through email or otherwise; 45 percent engage with Mondoweiss content on Facebook at least weekly.
I share it with friends with the same values and my goals are to spread more awareness and reach those who are unaware of the daily Palestinian Nakba.
- 25 percent of respondents have commented on the site, and another 34 percent consider commenting in the future.
- In reference to both Facebook and comments on Mondoweiss.net, two to three percent of respondents expressed concern about potential consequences for their career, family relationships and/or other aspects of their lives if they made public their views on Israel/Palestine issues.
Highlights from Section 5: Advertising and Merchandise
- More than a third of survey respondents consider it important to support Mondoweiss advertisers, and close to two-thirds have acted or considered acting on an ad they saw on Mondoweiss.net—while ten percent have not noticed the ads.
- Most respondents liked the idea of a classified ads section on Mondoweiss.net, and over 60 percent of respondents are interested in purchasing products via Mondoweiss; the most popular potential sale items were: books/reprints of notable Mondoweiss articles (52 percent of those interested in purchases); sweatshirts or T-shirts (33 percent); Palestine-themed jewelry (28 percent); and buttons, magnets or stickers (20 percent).
Highlights from Section 6-Demographics and Activities of Mondoweiss Readers
- While a majority of respondents are in the United States, it’s not overwhelming: 62 percent. Nine percent are in Canada, eight percent in the United Kingdom, and nine percent elsewhere in Europe. The Middle East, Australia and the rest of the world each is home to four to five percent.
- Of respondents who indicated their gender, 33 percent are female and 63 percent are male, while four percent prefer not to say. Just over one percent of respondents indicated that they are transgender.
- About 60 percent of survey respondents are aged 60 or older, 35 percent are 30-59 and five percent are 29 or younger.
- Mondoweiss readers are highly educated: 81 percent have a bachelor’s degree or graduate education, and another 14 percent have some college education.
We received a fascinating variety of responses to the question about what racial or ethnic groups readers identify with.
- While 67 percent of respondents identify as white, 15 percent identify with one of the other racial/ethnic groups defined within US census categories: African-American, Asian/Pacific Islander, Native American and Latino/Hispanic.
- More than one in six respondents identifies as Jewish, and ten percent identify as Arab.
- However, 13 percent preferred not to respond to this question and more than three percent made comments rejecting the premise (answers such as “human”).
Zebra. As a point of interest that is the designation on my census survey.
In response to the question of whether readers identify with specific religions, faith traditions, or heritages, the most commonly selected option was “no religion” (42 percent).
- Christianity was indicated by 30 percent (including those who checked Catholicism or Protestantism). Judaism was indicated by 16 percent, and Islam by eight percent.
- Some of the more common identities respondents offered in the write-in area were Agnostic; Atheist; Humanist; Quaker; and Unitarian.
I am atheist but sympathise with supporters of any religion who share same ethical ideas as myself.
- Unsurprisingly, Mondoweiss readers are politically active: 92 percent of respondents have signed petitions, 86 percent have boycotted or supported a business for political reasons, and 86 percent have donated to a social cause. Many respondents also reported other political activities.
I frequently challenge government organisations and their policies and have acted as an advocate for others.
While the formal, automated survey is over, all of us on the Mondoweiss team remain very interested in the views of our readers. Please share any suggestions, concerns or exciting new ideas about how we can advance our work reporting facts and presenting insights and analysis. Ultimately, the journalism provided here is important insofar as it can change minds. Please help us broaden and deepen our impact.
Your input is always welcome. Please send it to me at tova@mondoweiss.net, I look forward to hearing from you!
Why don’t you tell us how many told MW that they are full of crap through the survey?
The results of this survey only serves to confirm what I have suspected of MW readership since I registered here. Mostly white, middle to upper class, privileged folks that are fervently anti-Zionist, but are conveniently neutral when it comes to white supremacism and the current Western social order that vastly privileges white at the expense of POC.
I find it perplexing that we often find this exact set of arrangement repeated many times in activist spaces. White people dominating the spaces and discussion that barely involves them, a prime example being the Israel-Palestine conflict YET are militantly silent on issues that they should be accountable for, such as the oppression of non-whites in white nations, mainly the USA and Europe.
As the survey result showed, less than 10% of comments come from Arabs despite them being the primary actors in this conflict, which is concerning to me. If I wanted to find information on the state of the Palestinian struggles I would hope to hear from Palestinian people directly on their plight, NOT white people’s observation and thoughts on the experience of Palestinian lives.
Fascinating results, but sad to see this: “In reference to both Facebook and comments on Mondoweiss.net, two to three percent of respondents expressed concern about potential consequences for their career, family relationships and/or other aspects of their lives if they made public their views on Israel/Palestine issues.”
Understandable, though – the subject is uniquely toxic.
in summary:
a herd of agnostic aging zebras and one moose with a degree in activism
So, according to the article, I am “elsewhere in Europe”. Interesting. Perhaps this should be my new user name.