America’s business elite—senior executives, CEOs and other C-suite officers from mid to large size companies, have a ferocious appetite for quality business information, according to a new survey carried out by Ipsos Media.

The high powered, highly influential decision makers are also very media savvy, acquiring their information from a variety of media sources, including magazines and journals, the internet, and digital and satellite television. But despite the rise of internet use, top business leaders still rely heavily on newspapers and magazines for news and information, using a mix of traditional and new media to get the information they need.

But the internet is becoming a major source of information, with over two thirds spending more time reading business information on the web than in the past. Although executives view the internet as being a particularly good source for business news updates, only 7 percent are willing to pay for online business news.

Other findings:
• Nine in ten have read the last issue of any print media
• Seven in ten have watched any network TV channel in the previous day
• Six in ten have watched any cable TV channel in the previous day
• Just over half went online in the previous day
• Seven in ten have received a daily e-mail alert or newsletter in the last month
• Nearly half have streamed or watched a broadband video from computer in the last month
• A third have read a blog in the last month, but only 5 percent have actually contributed.

Nearly a quarter have downloaded a podcast in the last month

The survey shows the average American business leader is male, aged 51, earns $408,000 per year, and has a personal net worth of $1.7 million. And their attitude toward business is one of sound management with a willingness to take calculated risks if they feel they have good, trustworthy information.

“We have a unique opportunity to peek into the minds of corner office America and understand the way they consume and use media,” says Hugh White, director of Ipsos Media in the U.S. “This is the only syndicated research product in the United States that measures the media habits, attitudes, and behaviors of the nation’s business elite.”

The survey also examines the typical business leader’s way of life, finding that he or she travels frequently, spends more nights in hotels, and is a heavy user of technology as part of his or her work life. The elite also enjoy the perks of their positions in their personal lives, valuing personal luxuries the latest technical gadgets and a high quality of life with their family and friends. Compared to their European and Asian counterparts, American executives have a greater taste for personal material luxuries and claim a significantly higher net worth.