In the western world, we are accustomed to regular surveys telling us (apparently) what we like to eat, drink, wear, watch, visit, etc. etc.  I guess some people are guided by the results although my reaction to endless surveys is to do something completely different.  Mainstream is so pedestrian.

The recent presidential elections became the ultimate survey on what people were thinking.  In the absence of competing pollsters, no-one was quite sure what the results would be.

A recent survey by Fondation Hirondelle suggests that even without pollsters, this information gap is not entirely filled by traditional media either.

Some of the survey conclusions (from a sample of over 1200) were :

• 35% listen to radio on a weekly basis
• 47% have a radio at home
• 43% had good radio reception
• 20% has a TV
• 19% watch TV on a daily basis (79% in Dili)
• 40% watch TV away from their own home
• 10% have a mobile phone
• 1% have a PC at home
• 0.5% have a PC at home with internet access
• 2% use internet on a weekly basis from internet cafes
• 4% use internet on a weekly basis (so I presume the other 2% is from the workplace)

So you will not see targeted internet advertising aimed at the Timorese on this blog.