The COMLINK Annual Readership Survey

Fan Survey
Title:	The COMLINK Annual Readership Survey
Surveyor:	Allyson M.W. Dyar
Date(s):	1984, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991
Medium:
Fandom(s):
External Links:
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The COMLINK Annual Readership Survey was compiled by Allyson M.W. Dyar.

The five surveys were distributed in Comlink, and the results of the first two were published there.

The third, fourth, and fifth surveys had an addition focus, that of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Those surveys were distributed in Comlink as well, and the results were printed there, as well as Eridani.

There were some slight variation in title; the addition of "The Next Generation" questions contributed to this.

The results of the surveys were $1.00.

1984

The first survey was distributed with Comlink #17/18 in July 1984, and the results were published in Comlink #25 in March 1985.

Ninety surveys were distributed, 56 were returned, though three of those were shared with another fan, making the number of completed surveys 59. In other words, 69%.

The questions:

gender: male = 14%, female = 86%

age: under 17 = 0%, 18-24 = 14%, 25-35 = 53%, 35-44 = 29%, 45 and older = 2%

astrological sign, which ranged from 3% (Capricorn) to Pisces (15%)

employment: full-time: = 64%, part-time = 15%, student = 14%, homemaker = 15%, unemployed = 3%, self-employed =10 % ["No real surprise here, it takes mucho bucks to be an active fan."]

marital status: single = 56%, married = 34%, separated = 3%, widowed = 2%, no response = 3%

income: $0-5999 = 12%, $6000-999 = 9%, 10,000-14,000 = 16%, 15,999-19,999 = 16%, 20,000-29,000 = 28%, 30,000 = 11%

highest education received: high school = 10%, technical school = 3%, some college = 24%, some graduate school = 3%, BS/BA = 31%, Master's Degree = 20%, MD&JD/LLD = 0%, other = 5%

which of the following aspects of fandom are your currently interested in/multiple answers welcomed: Star Wars = 95%, Star Trek = 75%, Pern = 42%, Darkover = 37%, Tolkien = 37%, Man from UNCLE = 36%, The Prisoner = 24%, Doctor Who = 20%, with miscellaneous fandoms all having less than 20%

how many hours a week do you spend on fanac: 0-7 = 27%, 8-15 = 32%, 16-23 = 25%, 24-39 = 3%, 40+ = 5%

where do you primarily find out out fanzines to buy: direct mail = 9%, word of mouth = 17%, other zines = 68%, flyers = 20%, ads = 19%, conventions = 19

there were some other questions pertaining to Comlink ie: where did you find out about it, what are your favorite and least favorite parts of it

1987

"The 1987 Annual Readership Survey" (the second one) was was distributed with Comlink #31 in August 1987 and published in Comlink #33 in December 1987.

As of October 1987, Dyar said she got 36 replies, five of them saying she/he didn't think ST:TNG was a good idea.

In the end, ninety-four were sent out and 47 were returned including 4 readers who shared their copies: "This a 50% return, not bad in the real world, but down considerably from the 58% return for the 1984 survey."

The questions:

gender: male: 15%, female: 83% [no change from 1984 survey]

age: under 17: 0%, 18-24: 4.3%, 25-34: 55.3%, 35-44: 34%, 45-54: 6.4%, 55+: 0% [the editor notes that as per the 1984 survey, Comliink's readers are getting older]

marital status: single: 57.4%, married: 42.6%, divorced/sep/widowed: 0% [the editor notes that 34% were married in the 1984 survey]

if you are married, is your spouse a fan: yes: 25.5%, no: 17%

do you have kids: yes: 25.5%, no: 72.3%: if yes, are your kids fans: yes: 14.9%, no: 8.5%

education: high school: 4.3%, tech school: 4.3%, some college: 23.4%, some grad school: 12.8%, BS/BA: 31.9%, MA: 21.3%, MD/JD/LDD: 0%, PhD: 2.1%

employment status: full-time 63.8%, part-time: 6.4%, student: 12.8%, homemaker: 12.8%, self-employed: 17%, unemployed: 2.1%, retired: 0%

hours spent on fanac per week: 0-7: 38.3%, 8-15: 25,5%, 16-23: 19%, 24-31: 15%, 32-39: 2%

do you consider yourself an acti-fan, passifan: 31.8, In-Between: 8.5% ["some of the folks who who called themselves passifans put in more than 15 hours a week on their fanac."]

do you consider yourself: (multiple answers) editor: 40.4%, publisher: 30%, artist: 21.3%, writer: 44.7%, LoCer: 51%, reader: 25.5%, con goer: 8.5%, audience/consumer: 6.5%, collector or zine buyer: 4.3%, apa member, neofan, and dealer: 2% each

where do you find out about zines: direct mail: 27.7%, word of mouth: 36.2% Datazine and Communications Console: 55.5%, other zines: 72.3%, flyers: 44.7%, ads: 15%, conventions: 55.3%, ["While in 1987, other zines was still the primary method of finding out about other publications, all the other methods were much more effective in 1987 than in 1984. Were you buying more zines in 1984?"]

what aspect of fandom got you into active fandom: convention: 40.5, a Star Trek pro book: 16.7%, Star Wars: 16.7, fanzines: 14.2%, Star Trek: 7.1, comics/local fanac/Doctor Who/friend: all 2%

1988

"The 1988 COMLINK Star Trek: The Next Generation Survey" is the third survey and the the first year it was combined with questions about Star Trek: The Next Generation. It was distributed with Comlink #35 in June 1988. The results were printed in Eridani #4 in March 1989 and in Comlink #37 in December 1989.

There were 114 distributed.

In August 1988, Dyar wrote that she had only gotten only thirty back, a 30% return. "Come on, folks, we can do better than that -- I usually get close to 50% back!"

In the end, 56 were completed, giving a 48%. The editor writes: "This is really piss-poor. I was expecting to get over 50% a I figured that most of you were chomping at the bit to get your two cents in about TNG."

1989

"The 1989 COMLINK Star Trek: The Next Generation Survey"

The fourth survey was distributed with Comlink #40 in July 1989, and the results are printed here and in COMLINK #41. It was the second year questions were asked about Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Because there seemed to be some dissention [sic] about my putting numbers on the surveys to keep exact track of the number distributed, I didn’t use numbers this

time. This was a big mistake because I frankly don’t know how many surveys were actually distributed. I think it was 110, and that’s the number I’ll use. Forty surveys were returned giving me a 36% return, as compared to a 48% return on last years surveys. I attribute this lack of interest in filling out such a detailed

survey on the second season of Star Trek: The Next Generation, As a result, I11 probably not include a complete episode survey next year, but will simply ask readers to compare the third season to the previous two. As with last year, I asked those receiving surveys (i.e. the readers of COMLINK) to rate both the episodes and main characters of ST:TNG with letter grades so I could assign numerical values to those letter grades and come up with a number that shows relative ranking, much the way grades are calculated on a four point

college scale.

Dyar sent out 114 and got back 38%, a much lower percentage than last year -- she blamed the lower result on the fact that maybe fans aren't that interested in expressing their opinions of ST:TNG (which aren't included here).

The questions:

gender: male: 17.5%, female: 82.5%

age: under 17: 0%, 18-24: 5%, 25-34: 50%, 35-44: 40%, 45-54: 2.5%, 55+: 0%

marital status: single: 57.4%, married: 37.5%, divorced/sep/widowed: 2.5%

if you are married, is your spouse a fan: yes: 20%, no: 12.5%

hours spent on fanac per week: 0-7: 35%, 8-15: 32.5%, 16-23: 17.5%, 24-31: 7.5%, 32-39: 5%

current annual income: $0-5,999: 17.5%, $6,000-9,999: 12.5%, $10,000-14,999: 7.5%, $20,000-29,999: 27.5%, $30,000+: 20%

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  as printed in Eridani #6

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  as printed in Eridani #6

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  as printed in Eridani #6

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  as printed in Eridani #6

1991

"Third Season Star Trek: The Next Generation and The Fifth Comlink Readership Survey"

In Comlink #46 (February 1991), the editor stated she was unhappy that so far she only had a 39% return rate.

The results were then published in Comlink #49 (December 1991). The end result of the 90 sent out, there was a 44% return rate.

This survey appears to be the last one conducted.