ISBER, 2201 North Hall
University of California, Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA 93106-2150
GOVERNMENT ACCESS CHANNEL
CITY-TV 18
SURVEY
MARCH 2005
Santa Barbara Government Access Channel CITY-TV 18 Survey
The Social Science Survey Center and Benton Survey Research Laboratory
Mission
Public opinion polls, and the underlying scientific methods upon which the best polls are based, were first developed in the late 1930’s to find out
what ordinary people think. Today, survey research is increasingly used by academic researchers to study theoretical issues in fields as diverse as
sociology, economics, psychology, communication and political science; by government agencies to assess such things as unemployment,
population demographics, and health care needs; by marketers to test the waters before releasing–or even developing–new products; and by
public officials to determine public support for new or existing policies. Because the science of survey research has advanced considerably over
the years, we are more and more capable of inferring what large numbers of people do, feel, or think on the basis of a relatively small number of
structured interviews. Public universities have been central to the growth of survey research.
Here at UCSB, the recently created Social Science Survey Center (SSSC) was developed to enhance interdisciplinary collaboration on both
theoretical and methodological planes. The SSSC has three central goals: (1) assisting faculty with their funded research projects; (2) providing
practical experience for graduate and undergraduate students in survey research; and (3) creating new knowledge in the area of survey
methodology.
Faculty Projects
A central goal of the SSSC exists to assist faculty (both at UCSB and elsewhere) in the development and execution of their funded survey
research projects. As such, it can increase faculty chances of securing funding for survey research projects, as well as provide a local resource for
the development of survey instruments and interviewing. The SSSC is currently running 9 computer-aided telephone interviewing stations,
although it will ultimately be equipped with a full complement of 20 stations.
Education and Training
SSSC is also a place for hands on learning for both undergraduate and graduate students. In our facility, the Benton Social Research Laboratory,
students enrolled in research design classes can gain practical experience in research techniques through the use of modern tools such as
computer-aided telephone interviewing systems. Graduate student support in the form of research assistantships is also available throughout the
center. Graduate research assistants at SSSC learn the day to day operations of a modern survey research organization in addition to being
actively engaged in the creation of new knowledge–both context specific in terms of specific studies contracted through the SSSC, and also in the
development of new methodological innovations.
Methodological Innovation
In addition to collecting data for individual projects, the SSSC’s long term goals include the development of knowledge and innovations to increase
the quality of survey research. For example, part of the work of the SSSC is to better understand issues such as: the presence of response effects
in surveys, the reasons for and solutions to survey non-response and improving the validity of survey measurement.
i
Santa Barbara Government Access Channel CITY-TV 18 Survey
Methodology
This survey was designed to provide Santa Barbara Government Access Channel CITY TV 18 with a profile of its current
audience. The survey examines respondents' television viewing habits with a particular focus on viewership of CITY TV
programming. Currently 29,592 households in Santa Barbara subscribe to cable television, representing a 71%
penetration rate in the area.
The survey was conducted by telephone from October 11 to November 4, 2004. Telephone numbers were dialed at
random, ensuring that both listed and unlisted numbers had equal chances to be called. Telephone exchanges were
selected among seven zip codes that primarily comprise the City of Santa Barbara. Approximately 400 interviews were
completed.a
ZIP CODES SAMPLED
93101
93102
93103
93105*
93108
93109
93110*
*Some households in this zip code lie outside Santa Barbara City limits, and were therefore eliminated by screening
Each interview took approximately 7 minutes to complete. Interviews were conducted in English. To reduce potential bias
from respondents who were relatively easy to reach by telephone, a minimum of five call attempts were made on every
viable telephone number. All respondents who initially declined the survey were called back by experienced interviewers
who attempted to convince them to participate in the study.
a
The margin of sampling error for each individual question in the survey is +/- 4.9 percentage points, with a 95% level of confidence.
ii
Santa Barbara Government Access Channel CITY-TV 18 Survey
A pre-test was conducted on October 11, 2004 with 20 respondents. The pre-test ensured that questions were clearly
and completely understood by all respondents and that questions were eliciting logical responses in line with the pre-
coded answer categories.
iii
Santa Barbara Government Access Channel CITY-TV 18 Survey
Survey Questions
• How long have you subscribed to cable television at your current address?
• Are you aware that the City of Santa Barbara has its own Government Access Channel, CITY TV Channel 18,
on the Cox Communications Cable system?
• How often would you say that the City of Santa Barbara Government Access Channel, channel 18, is watched
in your household?
• How did you first learn about CITY TV programming?
• I will now read you a list of programs on the Government Access Channel. For each one, please tell me if you
or members of your household have watched it in the last few weeks:
• Do you or members of your household use the Spanish language translation service (SAP or "Second Audio
Program") when viewing City Council meetings?
• Do you or members of your household use "Closed Captioning" when viewing City Council Meetings?
• Would you say that members of your household would watch the Government Access Channel, channel 18,
more frequently if...?
• Would you be interested in seeing the Government Access Channel, channel 18, streamed from the City’s
website?
• I'm going now to read you a few programming options available to you through Cox Cable. Please tell me which
channels or categories of programming you currently watch.
• On the average, how many total hours per day do you and the members of your household watch television?
iv
Santa Barbara Government Access Channel CITY-TV 18 Survey
• How long have you lived in Santa Barbara?
• Do you own or rent your home?
• What is your age?
• What is the primary language spoken in your home?
• What is the highest level of education you've completed?
• What was the total income of your household before taxes in 2003?
• We would also like to know your racial or ethnic background. Are you …:
v
RESULTS
Santa Barbara Government Access Channel CITY-TV 18 Survey
How long have you subscribed to cable television at your current address?
Less than 1 year
1.2 1 to 3 years
10.5
More than 3 years
DK/NR
22.2
66.1
Amount of time subscribed to cable at current address
1
Santa Barbara Government Access Channel CITY-TV 18 Survey
Are you aware that the City of Santa Barbara has its own Government Access Channel, CITY TV Channel 18, on the
Cox Communications Cable system?
100
80
60
88.2
40
20
11.8
0
YES NO
Aware of City TV Channel 18
2
Santa Barbara Government Access Channel CITY-TV 18 Survey
How often would you say that the City of Santa Barbara Government Access Channel, channel 18, is watched in your
household?
Daily
Weekly
Monthly
Less than once a
5.7
13.6 month
1.1 Never
25.8 DK/NR
Missing
26.9
15.9
24.6
How often Channel 18 watched in household
3
Santa Barbara Government Access Channel CITY-TV 18 Survey
How did you first learn about CITY TV programming?
70
60
50
40
67.3
30
20
10
13
10.2
3.9 2.8 2
0 0.8
Channel Word of OTHER Santa The TV Guide Digital Cable DK/NR
surfing using Mouth (From Barbara Channel (72) TV Guide
remote Friends) News Press
control TV Listings
How first learn about CITY TV programming
4
Ci
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
ty
c ou
nc
il m
ee
t in
gs
47.6
In
sid
e
Sa
nta
Ba
rb
ar
Pl a
an
nin
46.9
g
co
m
De mi
sig ss
io n
n Me
Re
v iew e t in
Bo gs
ar
ds
41.3
(A
BR
&
HL
C)
Me
e t in
gs
37.4
Cr
ee
ks
R es
to Bu
ra lle
tio t in
n /W bo
at ar
er d
Qu
27.2
a li
ty
Ad
vis
o ry
Co
Th m
eC mi
t te
ali
for e
nia
Ch
23.2
a nn
el
(S
tat
el
eg
is l
atu
re
)
18.9
members of your household have watched it in the last few weeks:
Pa
rk
s&
Re Ot
he
cre r
at
17.3
io n
Co
CITY-TV programming watched
Tr mm
an iss
sp ion
o rt a M
tio ee
n tin
g
& s
Ci
rcu
la t
15.4
ion
Co
mm
itt e
eM
ee
tin
g s
Ha
rb
13.8
or
Co
mm
iss
io n
M
ee
tin
g s
11.4
Im
pr
es
sio
n si
n
Tim
e
10.2
Nu
es
I will now read you a list of programs on the Government Access Channel. For each one, please tell me if you or
t ra
Ci
ud
ad
8.7
5
Santa Barbara Government Access Channel CITY-TV 18 Survey
Santa Barbara Government Access Channel CITY-TV 18 Survey
Do you or members of your household use the Spanish language translation service (SAP or "Second Audio Program")
when viewing City Council meetings?
100
80
60
91.6
40
20
8.4
0
Yes No
Use Spanish language translation service (SAP) when view City
Council mtgs
6
Santa Barbara Government Access Channel CITY-TV 18 Survey
Do you or members of your household use "Closed Captioning" when viewing City Council Meetings?
100
80
60
90.3
40
20
9.7
0
Yes No
Use Closed Captioning when viewing City Council mtgs
7
Santa Barbara Government Access Channel CITY-TV 18 Survey
Would you say that members of your household would watch the Government Access Channel, channel 18, more
frequently if...?
70
62.2 61
60
50 46.5
40
30
20 16.5
11.8
10
1.2
0
Had program m ing Program m ing Quality of Other None of the above DK/NR
guide/knew what content was production was
was on expanded im proved
Would watch more frequently if ...
8
Santa Barbara Government Access Channel CITY-TV 18 Survey
Would you be interested in seeing the Government Access Channel, channel 18, streamed from the City’s website?
70
60
50
40
65.3
30
20
34.7
10
0
YES NO
Interested in streamed Channel 18 from City's website
9
Santa Barbara Government Access Channel CITY-TV 18 Survey
I'm going now to read you a few programming options available to you through Cox Cable. Please tell me which
channels or categories of programming you currently watch.
100
89 87 86.5
90
80 76.1
70
60.3
60 55.1 54.4
49.6 47.9
50
40 33.2
30 22.2 20.2
17.2
20 13 11.7
10
0
Ne
Va
Sp
M
Et
O
Ed
Ch
Re
Sh
G
M
Pa
Ne
Lo
th
us
hn
ov
ov
ri e
or
ws
uc
op
ild
lig
y
ca
er
tw
ic
er
ic
ie
ts
pe
ty
io
at
re
pi
l
or
nm
pr
ch
us
io
n
ng
rv
k
og
n
an
br
en
ie
al
ra
oa
w
ne
t
m
dc
ls
m
as
in
g
t
Types of programming watched
10
Santa Barbara Government Access Channel CITY-TV 18 Survey
On the average, how many total hours per day do you and the members of your household watch television?
Mean 3.69
Mode 2
Average number hours TV watched in household
11
Santa Barbara Government Access Channel CITY-TV 18 Survey
How long have you lived in Santa Barbara?
Less than 1 year
1-2 years
3-4 years
4 5-9 years
6.7 10-19 years
20 years or more
8.5
10.2
51.1
19.5
Length of time lived in Santa Barbara
12
Santa Barbara Government Access Channel CITY-TV 18 Survey
Do you own or rent your home?
70
60
50
40
63.6
30
20
36.4
10
0
Own Rent
Own or rent home
13
Santa Barbara Government Access Channel CITY-TV 18 Survey
Respondent's gender.
60
50
40
30
56.36
43.64
20
10
0
Male Female
Respondents' Gender
14
Santa Barbara Government Access Channel CITY-TV 18 Survey
What is your age?
30
25
20
15
25.94
24.69
10
15.71
14.71
11.47
5
7.48
0
18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 66+
Age of respondents
15
Santa Barbara Government Access Channel CITY-TV 18 Survey
What is the primary language spoken in your home?
English
1.5 Spanish
8
Other
90.5
Primary language spoken in home
16
Santa Barbara Government Access Channel CITY-TV 18 Survey
What is the highest level of education you've completed?
30
20
31.2
27.7
10
15.2
10.7
6.7 7.5
0
As
So
Le
Hi
Ba
Do
DK
RE
gh
so
ss
me
ch
c
/N
FU
tor
cia
e
sc
tha
R
SE
lor
c
ate
ho
oll
te
nh
sd
D
eg
ol
d
or
eg
igh
eg
e,
dip
p
re
ro
re
no
sc
lom
e
fes
e
ho
de
a
sio
ol
/G
gr
na
dip
ee
ED
ld
lom
eg
a/G
re
e
ED
Respondents' Education
17
Santa Barbara Government Access Channel CITY-TV 18 Survey
What was the total income of your household before taxes in 2003?
40
30
20
32.7
10
11.5 11.5
9.6 9.6 9.6
7.7
5.8
1.9
0
$9
Le
Be
Be
Be
Be
Be
DK
RE
0,0
ss
tw
tw
tw
tw
tw
/N
FU
ee
ee
ee
ee
ee
tha
R
00
SE
n$
n$
n$
n$
n$
n$
an
D
20
25
35
50
70
da
20
,00
,00
,00
,00
,00
,00
bo
0a
0a
0a
0a
0a
v
0
e
nd
nd
nd
nd
nd
$2
$3
$5
$7
$9
5, 0
5, 0
0, 0
0, 0
0, 0
00
00
00
00
00
Household income before taxes in 2003
18
Santa Barbara Government Access Channel CITY-TV 18 Survey
We would also like to know your racial or ethnic background. Are you:
Black/African-
American
Asian/Pacific
Islander
Latino/Hispanic
Native-American
White/Caucasian
2 2.2 Mixed Ethnicity
7.2
3 13 Other
DK/NR
1
REFUSED
69.8
Respondents' racial or ethnic background
19