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Probing questions fromthe Echo

When the South Wales Echo wanted to get to the heart of its readers’ beliefs, concerns and attitudes, it took the direct route – and asked them.

The newspaper wanted to find out what its readers thought on issues such as asylum seekers, cannabis and the National Assembly of Wales.

It produced a 40-question “State of the Nation” survey covering issues from same sex marriage to arming the police.

It published the survey twice in the paper and posted it on its icwales website, and was overwhelmed by the response of 1,000 readers.

A third of replies came via the website and responses continued to come in well after the deadline.

Investigations reporter Greg Lewis – who compiled the survey – said: “We hadn’t tried such a survey before and really did not know how successful it would be.

“We were very pleased with the response, which produced some interesting stories.”

The questions ranged from the intimate – “Have you ever paid for sex?” – to the topical – “Do you believe cannabis should be legalised for medical purposes?”

The results showed 85 per cent of readers supported legalisation of the drug for use by the sick and a third backed legalising the drug for recreational use.

More than 30 per cent of Echo readers admitted using an illegal drug themselves.

On the day of Prime Minister Tony Blair’s first speech to the National Assembly, the Echo was also able to greet him with the front page: “Scrap the Assembly!”

More than 60 per cent of readers were either unhappy with the institution in Cardiff Bay or they wanted it abolished.

Other revealing points from the survey included: 36 per cent of readers felt people living in Wales should learn Welsh; 70 per cent would go private for health care; and more than four out of five take less than two feigned sick days a year.

And 13 per cent of men in South Wales said they had paid for sex.

Acting editor Mark Waldron said: “A questionnaire such as this is a way of finding out what readers believe on important issues and of discovering a bit about people’s lifestyles in 2001. We hope to build on the success of the State of the Nation survey in the future.”

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