In this week’s Bremerton Patriot, we’re asking you, our readers, to tell us what you want from your hometown newspaper.

The survey will help us shape our product, and understand how our community does business as we partner with local merchants and other advertisers to foster a strong local economy.

Share your views with us, and you will be entered for a $1,000 cash drawing and a $500 gift certificate for Fred Meyer.

“This is a great opportunity for our readers to help us understand what they want from their community newspaper,” said Sean McDonald, publisher. “Plus, who doesn’t want a chance to win some big money for just a few minutes of their time?”

Partnering with us in our market research is Pulse Research of Portland, Ore., an independent firm that works with media and retailers nationwide.

The survey is on our website and will provide valuable feedback to the staff: What do you enjoy about your newspaper? What would you like to see changed? How can we better serve the community?

It will also help your local businesses better market their goods and services.

Questions include reader preferences for local news and other media; consumer preferences for local and regional shopping; household purchasing plans for goods and services; your family choices for entertainment and travel; and basic household demographic information.

We ask you to log-on to our website to take the survey. All responses will be kept confidential.

“We are a reader-driven business,” McDonald said, “And we really want to know what you – our readers – think about our newspaper and our community.”