In March 2005 Newsquest (Essex) Ltd commissioned NOP World, a leading research agency, to conduct a survey within the core coverage area of our flagship title in south Essex, the Echo.

The research has given us an insight into the lifestyles, perceptions and desires of the people living within our target area as well as provide us with a true idea of who is reading the Echo and why...

Key findings:

• 35% of the adult population within it's coverage area read a copy of the Echo - that's an audience of over 120,000 adults per issue!
  

• Each copy is read by 3.3 adults - higher than any other paper in the area.

• 217,000 adults read at least one copy of the Echo each week - equating to 63% of the population.

• 89% of Echo readers spend between 10 and 30 minutes reading each edition - an excellent indicator of the high level of reader interest.

• 47% of adults in the Echo's area, rate it as the best paper for local news; 43% say it is best for community news and 41% named the Echo as finest for local sport - all much higher than any other paper.

• An extremely high proportion of Echo readers are happy with the way in which the Echo produces sections and supplements including Echo Woman, Lifestyle and Homes & Gardens.

• More adults would turn to the Echo first over any other newspaper for Motors, Property, Recruitment and Entertainments.

• The average distance people travel to shop for a large houshold item or for an evening out is 8 miles, while the average for travelling to work is 9 miles

• However there is a high number of adults that'll travel in excess of 20 miles; 29,374 adults will travel more than 20 miles when shopping for a large household item, 34,066 for an evening out and 49,073 for work
  Source: NOP World/Based on all adults in the Echo's10%+ area