Small independent news organizations will have free access to the Center’s archive through November of 2020.

Between now and the 2020 election, the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research will waive the cost of a one-year membership for small independent news organizations, providing free access to more than 720,000 public opinion survey questions from 1935 to today.

The Roper Center for Public Opinion Research recognizes the importance of media reporting on the public’s attitudes and preferences. Representative democracy requires that politicians understand public attitudes, experiences, and concerns. To help local news fulfill this critical task during the 2020 election campaign, we are proud to provide these organizations with complimentary membership privileges. 

Membership includes access to historical data as well as up-to-the-date information on public opinion about topics such as immigration, the environment, the economy, international affairs, and views of political leaders. Roper Center staff are prepared to work with these organizations as they utilize the database. 

The Roper Center was inspired to take this action by speeches given during the American Association for Public Opinion Research conference last May. The presidential address by David Dutwin, who is Executive Vice President & Chief Data Officer at SSRS, and the lifetime achievement award speech by Paul Lavrakas, who is a NORC Senior Fellow and Former Chief Research Methodologist for The Nielsen Company, both emphasized the essential role media play in using survey data to shine a light on important public issues and the need for the survey research community to provide robust support for this work.

As a nonprofit organization, the Roper Center keeps membership subscription prices low in order to promote the use and understanding of public opinion data. We recognize, however, that many small independent news organizations may not be able to afford even the low subscription price, so we are offering our data and services to these organizations for free.

Any interested independent local news organizations should contact the Roper Center at data-services@ropercenter.org.