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The British Business Survey 2003, launched yesterday by market researchers Ipsos-RSL, also shows that Britain's top executives are technophiles who use the internet almost every day, listen to more radio than the national average, and watch less TV.

Sponsored by a range of newspaper groups, publications and media planning agencies, including Brand Republic sister title ±±¾©Èü³µpk10, the survey exposes the media and lifestyle habits of ABs with managerial status and significant business responsibilities. The sample of 3,001 was taken from a population of approximately 1.5m British managers and directors.

According the survey, 47% of the sample read a national quality daily, with The Times heading up the readership league tables for broadsheets with 300,000 readers in the sample category. This compares with 233,000 for the Daily Telegraph, 201,000 for the Financial Times, 159,000 for The Guardian and 102,000 for The Independent.

In a statement, Robert Thomson, editor of The Times, said: "We are proud of this achievement and delighted to have our commitment to delivering the best business news recognised by readers across the UK."

The newspaper will flaunt the survey's results in a wraparound ad on Marketing magazine this week.

In the mid-market and tabloid category, the Daily Mail heads up the readership figures, reaching 23% of business people every day, with The Sun and the Evening Standard following on 12% each, and the Daily Mirror and the Daily Express showing a smaller readership with 8% each.

The study also found that while only 62% of those surveyed watched television every day, compared with 91% for the country as a whole, the UK's business people have embraced new technology with enthusiasm, and particularly the internet, using online banking, shopping and news services widely.

The market for online commerce in the sample group was reported to be worth around £1bn annually, with an average personal spend close to £930. With the success of sites such as and , travel and entertainment products were the most popular, each having been purchased by 75% of online shoppers.

On the radio, a strong preference for non-commercial stations emerged, with 84% of the sample listening to a BBC station on a daily basis, compared with 67% who tuned in to commercial stations. Of these, Classic FM was, perhaps unsurprisingly, the leader with an audience of 19% in the sample.

British Business Survey 2003 is the 15th edition of the survey, which first appeared in 1973, and the first since 2000. It is hoped that in future the survey will be published every two years.

For more information, visit the survey's .

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