[stag_dropcap font_size=”50px” style=”normal”]A[/stag_dropcap] survey of over 1,000 readers conducted by The Harbus reveals that the venerable campus publication has a net promoter score (NPS) of -75, with 89% of readers considering themselves extremely likely to set fire to any copies of the paper they happen to find lying around.
This makes The Harbus about as popular as well known, widely reviled institutions like the IRS, but less popular than Walgreens or Apple, according to benchmarks. However, unlike the IRS, The Harbus is not well known, and as such is narrowly, rather than widely, reviled.
Poor journalism, irregular publication schedules and frequent factual errors drive scores
Surveyed readers cited a range of reasons for their disgust with The Harbus, but three themes emerged, around the quality of journalism, the
regularity of publication, and questions about the factual accuracy of the articles.
One comment, left anonymously by user “NitinN” touched on two of these themes:
“Imagine my surprise, then, when I walked out of my house to find a Harbus reporter digging through my garbage! I don’t know how many times I have to say this: I am not, and never have been a reptilian space alien in human skin. And stop trying to spread the story to the National Enquirer!!”
Another respondent observed, “Didn’t they just skip an issue last semester? Like they just didn’t publish one. What is this, amateur hour?”
Some bright spots
The feedback was not uniformly negative, with some readers relating elements of the publication they enjoyed.
A user called “SteveH&NabilM” wrote “The Harbus’ six part investigative documentary series about the life and crimes of Robert Durst that aired on HBO was really quite incredible. They should be commended for making arresting television and helping to put a killer behind bars.”
Hey Nabil, do you think anyone will notice we wrote that comment, and that it was Oscar-winning filmmakers Andrew Jurecki and Marc Smerling who made that documentary? It’ll probably be fine. Just make sure someone removes this paragraph before the paper goes to print. – Steve
