SURVEY OF ARCHITECTS' MAGAZINE AND JOURNAL READERSHIP 2004

Study No.: 13850
February 2004

Introduction and methodology

As well as the readership information, the survey collected data about the respondents – their practice type and size, their professional experience and whether or not they were members of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects (RAIA).

As with previous research, respondents were selected on a randomised basis from the Registration Board lists of architects in each state and territory. A total of 300 interviews were completed. The sample closely approximated the proportions of architects in each state and territory and also the proportion of registered architects with membership of the RAIA (about 60% of registered architects are members of the RAIA). Thus the sample is considered to be representative of Australian architects. (See Appendix 2: Characteristics of the sample.)

Note that in the presentation of results, percentages are rounded to the nearest whole number.

Questions asked

Initial questions collected data about the respondents – their practice type and size, their professional experience and whether or not they were members of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects (RAIA).

• “Are you a member of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects (RAIA)?”
• “Do you presently work as a practising architect and if so are you a sole practitioner, a partner in an architecture firm or an employed architect?”
• “How many people in total work in your firm?”
• “How many years of professional experience do you have?”

For the next series of questions, respondents were asked about awareness and readership of magazines and journals related to architecture, in particular unprompted awareness, prompted awareness, and readership measured on a response scale of Always Read, Often Read, Occasionally Read, and Never Read.

• “When you think of Australian architecture journals and magazines, what are the first names you think of?”
• “And are you aware of the following?” [Interviewer reads out from list of titles (see Appendix 1) those not mentioned in response to the question above.]
• “Would you always read, often read, occasionally read or never read the following magazines or product guides?” [Interviewer reads out from list of titles (see Appendix 1).]

The full results (in alphabetical order of publications) for these are shown in Appendix 1: Awareness and readership – summary of results.

The next series of questions asked respondents to name journals and magazines that were best for different types of information. Responses to these questions were all unprompted (i.e. respondents were not given a list of magazines to choose from).

“I’d like to ask your opinions on which magazines are best for different things.” [Interviewer reads out topic for each.]

• “Could you please tell me which Australian magazine is best for useful design information?”
• “Which Australian magazine is best for information or ideas on house design?”
• “Which is best for finding out what’s going on in the profession in Australia?”

For the final series of questions, respondents were asked to name journals and magazines that they preferred. Again, responses to these questions were all unprompted (i.e. respondents were not given a list of magazines to choose from).

• “Which Australian magazine do you feel is the most respected by architects?”
• “If you could only have one architecture (or related) magazine, which one would you choose?”

Readership

Magazines "best for ..."

Magazines preferred

Awareness

Appendix 1 Awareness and readership - summary of results

Awareness%   Readership%     1. Architectural Product News 1 95 4   45 23 25 3 4 2. Architectural Review Australia 30 62 8   17 12 43 19 8 3. Architecture Australia 84 15 1   43 22 27 7 1 4. Artichoke 4 74 22   3 3 29 43 22 5. BCME 1 72 27   26 16 23 8 27 6. Belle 3 86 11   3 5 46 35 11 7. Building Products News 2 86 12   34 21 28 4 12 8. Houses 22 69 9   22 16 35 17 9 9. Indesign 4 59 37   5 6 23 29 37 10. Infolink Architectural 0 83 17   27 16 31 10 17 11. Inside 6 57 37   5 8 30 20 37 12. Luxury Home Design 0 35 65   1 3 15 16 65 13. Monument 21 47 32   9 10 35 14 32 14. POL Oxygen 0 23 77   2 1 12 9 77 15. Specifier 0 69 31   4 11 36 18 31 16. Trends 2 67 31 4 7 36 22 31 17. Vogue Living 2 90 8   3 7 50 33 8

Appendix 2

Characteristics of the sample