TV: The Public's Verdict
The Mail on Sunday Television Poll
The Mail on Sunday Television Poll
- MORI interviewed 515 adults aged 18+ across Great Britain.
- Interviews were conducted by telephone on 24-25 September 1998.
- Based on all unless otherwise stated.
- Data are weighted to the profile of Great Britain.
- An '*' indicates a finding of less than 0.5%, but greater than zero.
Q1 How many televisions do you have in your household?
Q2 I would now like you to think about the people who read the news on TV. Which newsreader do you like the most? Q3 And which one, if any, do you most dislike? Q4 And which one do you think has the most sex appeal?
| Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | |
| % | % | % | |
| Trevor McDonald | 40 | 3 | 8 |
| Jill Dando | 7 | 1 | 14 |
| Moira Stewart | 5 | 7 | 1 |
| Michael Buerk | 5 | 1 | 2 |
| Julia Somerville | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| Peter Sissons | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Kirsty Young | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| Jon Snow | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Jeremy Paxman | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Kirsty Wark | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Zeinab Badawi | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Alistair Stewart | 1 | 1 | * |
| Phil Gayle | 1 | * | 1 |
| John Suchet | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Anna Ford | 1 | * | 1 |
| Penny Smith | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Other | 6 | 3 | 4 |
| None | 17 | 67 | 44 |
| Don't know | 3 | 5 | 7 |
Q5 I am now going to read out a number of personalities on television today. Can you tell me which you like the most? Q6 And which do you most dislike? Q7 And which do you think has the most sex appeal?
Q8 I would now like you to think about comedy shows that have been on TV in recent years. What would you say is the best comedy show you have ever seen? Q9 And what would you say is the worst comedy show you have ever seen?
Q10 I would now like you to think about soap operas that have been on TV in recent years. What would you say is the best soap opera you have ever seen? Q11 And what would you say is the worst soap opera you have ever seen?
Q12 I would now like you to think about drama series that have been on TV in recent years. What would you say is the best drama series you have ever seen? Q13 And what would you say is the worst drama series you have ever seen?
Q14 I would now like you to think about quiz shows that have been on TV in recent years. What would you say is the best quiz show you have ever seen? Q15 And what would you say is the worst quiz show you have ever seen?
Q16 I would now like you to think about chat shows that have been on TV in recent years. What would you say is the best chat show you have ever seen? Q17 And what would you say is the worst chat show you have ever seen?
Q18 I would now like you to think about police and crime shows that have been on TV in recent years. What would you say is the best police and crime show you have ever seen? Q19 What would you say is the worst police and crime show you have ever seen?
Q20 I would now like you to think about documentary shows that have been on TV in recent years. What would you say is the best documentary show you have ever seen? Q21 And what would you say is the worst documentary show you have ever seen?
Q22 I would now like you to think about childrens' television programmes that have been on TV in recent years. What would you say is the best childrens' television programme you have ever seen? Q23 And what would you say is the worst childrens' television programme you have ever seen?
Q24 I am now going to read out a number of events that have been covered on television. Which one or two have had the most effect on you?
Q25 Thinking now about adverts on TV, which do you like the most? Q26 And which do you most dislike?
Q27 And finally, what would you say is the best TV programme or series you have ever seen?
| % | |
| Only Fools and Horses | 6 |
| Eastenders | 3 |
| Friends | 3 |
| Pride and Prejudice | 3 |
| A Touch of Frost | 2 |
| Brideshead Revisited | 2 |
| Cracker | 2 |
| Princess Diana's funeral | 2 |
| Upstairs Downstairs | 2 |
| Fawlty Towers | 2 |
| Inspector Morse | 2 |
| Forsyth Saga | 2 |
| Prime Suspect | 2 |
|
|
|
| Other | 39 |
| None | 3 |
| Don't know | 8 |
Q28 And what would you say is the worst TV programme or series you have ever seen?
| % | |
| Crossroads | 3 |
| Eldorado | 9 |
| Home and Away | 3 |
| Neighbours | 3 |
| Surprise Surprise | 4 |
| Brookside | 2 |
| Eastenders | 2 |
|
|
|
| Other | 28 |
| None | 11 |
| Don't know | 26 |
Technical details
This volume contains the marked-up questionnaire and computer tables of a survey among the general public on behalf of The Mail on Sunday. MORI interviewed a representative quota sample of 515 adults aged 18+. Interviews were carried out by telephone throughout Great Britain. Interviewing took place on 24-25 September 1998. Data are weighted to the known profile of Great Britain. Where percentages do not add up to exactly 100% this may be due to computer rounding, the exclusion of don't knows or to multiple answers. An asterisk (*) indicates a figure below one half of a percent.
