The Weekly embarks on an ambitious relaunch

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Al-Ahram Weekly has begun a landmark project to find out more about its readers, and their perceptions of the paper. Is Al-Ahram Weekly fulfilling its founding mission of providing balanced news from an Egyptian perspective? Is it satisfying the needs of all kinds of readers, and of a vastly changed media landscape, both locally and globally? What can the paper do to better serve its readers? Which parts of the paper are people interested in, what is missing, etc?

This in-depth reader survey project will involve both quantitative and qualitative modules designed to find out more about our readership; their demographics, as well as their impressions of Al-Ahram Weekly's sections, style and content. The project is meant to provide a solid foundation for a relaunch of the paper, with a new format and redesign; new pages, new ideas, new services, stronger content where necessary, and more of the same hard-hitting coverage that readers are used to.

We encourage our readers to take part in this process. One way they can do so is by signing up to participate in a focus group, where readers will be able to share their thoughts and opinions about Al-Ahram Weekly -- which sections should stay? Which should go? What do they like best about the paper? What do they dislike?

If you are either an Al-Ahram Weekly subscriber, or a regular reader (having purchased at least one copy per month over the past six months), we want to hear from you. Participating in the focus group will only take two hours of your time.

The survey project is being conducted for Al-Ahram Weekly by ACNielsen, the world's leading marketing information provider, and a global powerhouse in measurement and analysis of marketplace dynamics and consumer attitudes and behaviour. If you are interested in participating, please call or e- mail ACNielsen:

Contact Person: Ms. Heba Saad - Coordination Department Head

Telephone number : 02 417 8207

Mobile number : 010 500 7631

heba.saad@acnielsen.com

Info.egypt@nielsen.com