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Small businesses, science/tech leaders, not the government, will lead us to a better future

Written by: Dennis Sellers

Article Overview: New research released at the We Media Miami conference finds that most Americans believe small business, science and tech leaders will lead the U.S. to a better future – not the government, big business or the news media.

Small businesses, science/tech leaders, not the government, will lead us to a better future

First up, let me say that I’m fully supportive and prayerful of the new administration in the US. I hope President Obama proves to be the greatest President ever. That said, I’m a hardcore capitalist and am dubious of our nation’s “stimulus package.” And evidently I’m not alone.

New research released at the We Media Miami conference finds that most Americans believe small business, science and tech leaders will lead the U.S. to a better future – not the government, big business or the news media. Nearly two-thirds of Americans (63 percent) said small business and entrepreneurs will lead the U.S. to a better future, while 52 percent said the same of science and technology leaders.

Americans are far less optimistic about the leadership of government (31 percent), large corporations and business leaders (21 percent), or traditional news media such as newspapers, television, radio, and magazines (13 percent). Americans think leadership toward a better future is more likely to come from family and friends (38 percent), non-profit groups (32 percent), or even themselves (36 percent).

The Zogby Interactive survey of 2,397 adults nationwide was conducted Feb. 11-13, 2009, and carries a margin of error of +/- 2.0 percentage points.

The survey shows 71 percent are “not very” or “not at all” satisfied with the leadership provided by traditional news media. Even greater numbers of Americans are unsatisfied with the leadership of the government (74 percent) and large corporations and business leaders (81 percent). While just one in four (27 percent) Americans are satisfied with the leadership provided by traditional news media, Internet media – including blogs and social networks – fared far better, with 56 percent satisfied with online media leadership.

Fewer than a third of Americans (32 percent) believe online media will provide leadership in the future, but they are much more confident in the potential of Internet media to guide the U.S. in a better direction than they are in traditional news media (13 percent). And I guess, considering my job, I’m thankful for that, though I cover tech matters not government and politics.

Nearly half of Americans (46 percent) said they first turn to Internet news sites for information on breaking news about national and government issues and nearly as many (40 percent) said online news sites are where they get most of their news and information. These online sites far outpace traditional news sources, such as television (25 percent), radio (14 percent), and newspapers (12 percent), as a source of daily news and information.

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Article Tags: better future, business leaders, business science, interactive survey, internet media, large corporations, margin of error, media internet, media leadership, miami conference, new administration, news media, obama, percentage points, profit groups, science and technology, social networks, stimulus package, technology leaders, television radio



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