The Charity Media Monitor is a cost-effective way for charities to track their awareness and reputation amongst journalists. It surveys over 200 journalists twice a year to understand charities' effectiveness in working with the media. Subscribing charities receive detailed reports on how they are viewed by different types of journalists, along with tips to improve media relations. Annual subscription costs range from £4,500 to £6,000 depending on the charity's size and other subscriptions. The Monitor helps charities benchmark themselves against peers and identify areas to strengthen their media and PR strategies.

1. Charity Media Monitor
What is it?
If you want to increase your charity’s effectiveness at working with the media, finding out
what journalists think of you is essential – especially in an economic climate where every
penny of your budget counts.
The Charity Media Monitor is a cost-effective way to find out how your organization is
viewed by the journalists you want to work with. Think of it as a way to hold a mirror up
to your charity, and find out how you really look. Once you know where you stand in the
eyes of your target audience, you are in a much better position to make improvements to
your media and PR campaigns.
How does it work?
We survey over 200 journalists, twice a year, via an online survey, asking them questions
about their awareness of specific charities, and tips on how charities can improve their
media work. The surveys take place in the spring and autumn, with the next one
scheduled for May 2010. The journalists come from all types of media – from local to
national, and from radio, TV, and press.
Not-for-profit organisations can pay an annual subscription to join the syndicate.
What are the benefits of subscribing?
Tracking awareness of your charity, issues and campaigns amongst
journalists
Finding out how your charity is viewed by different sections (e.g. regional
journalists and TV journalists) of the media
Tips gathered directly from journalists on how to get a story into the
media and the best way to build relationships.
Insight into the issues that concern journalists the most
Value for money – by being part of a syndicate charities can get frequent
detailed information and research for a fixed fee
What topics does it cover?
Many charities already evaluate media output through analysis of press clippings. CMM
complements this work by helping media teams understand why stories haven’t been
W: www.nfpSynergy.net T: 020 7426 8888 E: insight@nfpsynergy.net

2. taken up or what hook or angle might have been more effective. CMM helps charities
understand how effective they are perceived to be by journalists and how they could
improve their performance. Each participant will be able to see which charities are ranked
highly by journalists and what journalists see as an effective way to get the message
across to them.
How much does it cost?
Basic price for one year £6,000 + VAT
For charities who subscribe to CAM* £5,000 + VAT
For charities who subscribe to CPM or YEM** £5,500 + VAT
For charities with an income under £10m £4,500 + VAT
*Existing subscribers to the Charity Awareness Monitor (CAM)
*Existing subscribers to the Charity Parliamentary Monitor (CPM) or Youth Engagement Monitor (YEM)
You can also add bespoke questions, at a charge of £500 for each bespoke question
requested. These can be on anything you like. We can also add comparator charities to
the questionnaire, at no extra cost even if they have not signed up for CMM, to help you
with benchmarking.
As part of your subscription you will receive:
CMM Report: For each wave of research you will receive a detailed report,
which breaks down the results and analyses trends. We will also send you the
full set of data tables.
Executive summary: This brings together all the results from the latest
survey and highlights significant trends and top line findings.
List of verbatim comments: We ask some open-ended questions and
provide you with a report detailing what journalists wrote. This is an invaluable
chance to find out exactly what journalists think of you, with no holds barred.
Invitation to regular nfpSynergy Insight events
Who currently subscribes to the research?
A number of charities subscribe to the Charity Media Monitor, ranging from some of the
UK’s best known charity names, to smaller and more specialist organisations. Charities
currently signed up to the research include organisations such as:

3. Sample results
Impressions and Awareness
Charities mentioned by journalists as directly impressing them - Top 12
OXFAM 14%
NSPCC 12%
British Heart Foundation 12%
Help The Aged 11%
Cancer Research UK / CRUK 11%
Alzheimer’s Society 11%
Age Concern 11%
Macmillan Cancer Support 10%
Barnardo's 10%
Cancer Research 9%
Action for Children / NCH 5%
Shelter 4%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
“In your work as journalist, which charities have directly impressed you in the last 6 months? Please list up to 4
charities, voluntary organisations or pressure groups. ”
Base: 140 journalists
Source: CMM Autumn 09 Wave Oct-Nov 09 14
Awareness of campaigns and initiatives
“Definitely-probably aware” - 1 of 2
Race for Life campaign - Cancer Research UK 16% 79%
World's Biggest Coffee Morning - Macmillan Cancer Support 12% 77%
Full Stop Campaign - NSPCC 8% 77%
Sunsmart campaign - Cancer Research UK 24% 52%
Implementing the National Dementia Strategy for England' - Alzheimer's
22% 24%
Society
The effects of fuel poverty on cancer patients' - Macmillan Cancer Support 17% 26%
Probably aware Definitely aware
The Big Donation - British Heart Foundation 22% 20%
As Long as It Takes campaign’ - Action for Children/NCH 19% 22%
Don't lose the Music - RNID 19% 21%
Runaway Helpline - Missing People 27% 13%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
“Listed below are a number of campaigns and initiatives run by various charities, pressure groups or voluntary
organisations. Please indicate your level of awareness of each campaign and initiative.”
Base: 141 journalists
Source: CMM Autumn 09 Wave Oct-Nov 09

4. Our expertise in media research
nfpSynergy works with over 60 UK charities to help them evaluate their relationship with
key stakeholders such as politicians, the general public and young people.
We also work one-to-one with a wide range of charities on bespoke research projects. Part
of the remit of these projects is to generate media coverage for our clients. Recent
examples include work with the Samaritans to raise awareness of workplace stress and
with Leonard Cheshire Disability on the taboos that still surround relationships and
disability.
How to find out more
Please get in touch with Amandine Courtin if you have any questions or would like to see a
sample questionnaire: amandine.courtin@nfpsynergy.net or 020 7426 8888.
About nfpSynergy
nfpSynergy is a research consultancy dedicated to the not for profit sector. Our aim is to
provide ideas, insights and information that help not for profit organisations thrive. Our
clients include charities, housing associations and public bodies who use our research to
inform their strategies and planning.
From our origins in syndicated tracking research on public attitudes for non-profit clients,
nfpSynergy has now grown its portfolio of bespoke research to become one of the leaders
in non-profit sector market research.
Our size and our story
nfpSynergy was created in 2002 as a division of the Future Foundation. Two years later
the founder Joe Saxton led a management buy-out. In 2009 we had an annual turnover of
£1.6 million and around 20 staff members including a variable number of interns. We
own our own premises in Spitalfields.
Tracking research
We run several tracking surveys that monitor the attitudes and opinions of key stakeholder
groups relating to the not for profit sector. The research is done for a syndicate of
participating charities who share costs and data. The aim of our tracking studies is to
provide lower cost, more frequent and more detailed research than any organisation could
achieve by acting on its own. The tracking research includes:
 Charity Awareness Monitor (CAM) - the general public
 Charity Parliamentary Monitor (CPM) - MPs and Lords
 Youth Engagement Monitor (YEM) – young people
In addition, we have developed syndicated tracking studies on journalists, local
authorities, health professionals, the general public in Scotland and the Republic of
Ireland.

5. Projects and consultancy
Each year we carry out around 50 projects for non-profit clients that include surveying
over 100,000 people from the general public, supporters and staff. We also carry out over
50 focus groups a year on average and interview over 100 people in more depth either
face to face or over the phone. We are a full member of the Market Research Society, on
the COI list of approved qualitative and desk research agencies and on the British
Council’s fundraising agency roster. Our projects and consultancy work covers a vast
range: from helping the British Council to develop an income-generation strategy to
investigating apprenticeships in the NHS to researching the barriers and opportunities for
young people in seeking help. In particular we specialise in stakeholder audits and in
supporters and client/user satisfaction studies. We also have a particularly strong record of
work in the health and young people sectors.
Our clients include
There are over 75 organisations we have worked with in the last two years alone. These
include: the Audit Commission, The Big Lottery Fund, Ofsted, the Scout Association,
Cancer Research UK, Macmillan Cancer Support, NSPCC, Save the Children, Oxfam,
Moorfields Eye Hospital, Skills for Health, the British Council, Drinkaware, National Housing
Federation, UNICEF-UK and WWF-UK.
Our research standards:
As full members of the Market Research Society, we comply with their
code of conduct at all times, ensuring that research is carried out in a
professional and ethical manner.