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                                                                 Exhibit (10.24)

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                              MARKET FACTS, INC.
                               1996 STOCK PLAN

     1.  Preamble.

     Market Facts, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), hereby
establishes the Market Facts, Inc. 1996 Stock Plan (the "Plan") as a means
whereby the Company may, through awards of (i) incentive stock options ("ISOs")
within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code, (ii) non-qualified stock options
("NSOs"), (iii) stock appreciation rights ("SARs"), and (iv) restricted stock
("Restricted Stock"):

          (a) provide officers, directors and key employees who have substantial
              responsibility for the direction and management of the Company
              with additional incentive to promote the success of the Company's
              business;

          (b) encourage such persons to remain in the service of the Company;
              and 

          (c) enable such persons to acquire proprietary interests in the 
              Company.

     The provisions of this Plan do not apply to or affect any option, stock,
stock appreciation right, restricted stock or phantom stock heretofore or
hereafter granted under any other stock plan of the Company, and all such
options, stock, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock or phantom stock
shall be governed by and subject to the applicable provisions of the plan under
which they were or will be granted.

     2.  Definitions and Rules of Construction.

          2.01  "Award" means the grant of Options, SARs and/or Restricted Stock
to a Participant.

          2.02  "Award Date" means the date upon which an Option, SAR or 
Restricted Stock is awarded to a Participant under the Plan.

          2.03  "Board" or "Board of Directors" means the board of directors of
the Company.

          2.04  "Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from 
time to time or any successor thereto.

          2.05  "Committee" means two (2) or more directors elected by the Board
of Directors from time to time; provided, however, that in the absence of an
election by the Board, the Committee shall mean the Compensation Committee of
the Board of Directors.

          2.06  "Common Stock" means the common stock of the Company, par value
$1.00 per share.

          2.07  "Company" means Market Facts, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and 
any successor thereto.

          2.08  "Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as it exists now or from time to time may hereafter be amended.

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          2.09  "Fair Market Value" as of any date means the average closing 
sale price for the Common Stock as of the close of business on the three most
recent trading days (including such date) on which actual sales occurred (as
reported by the Nasdaq Stock Market System or any securities exchange or
automated quotation system of a registered securities association on which the
Common Stock is then traded or quoted).

          2.10  "ISO" means incentive stock options within the meaning of 
Section 422 of the Code.

          2.11  "NSO" means non-qualified stock options, which are not intended
to qualify under Section 422 of the Code.

          2.12  "Option" means the right of a Participant, whether granted as 
an ISO or an NSO, to purchase a specified number of shares of Common Stock,
subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.

          2.13  "Option Price" means the price per share of Common Stock at 
which an Option may be exercised.

          2.14  "Participant" means an individual to whom an Award has been 
granted under the Plan.

          2.15  "Plan" means the Market Facts, Inc. 1996 Stock Plan, as set 
forth herein and from time to time amended.

          2.16  "Restricted Stock" means the Common Stock awarded to a 
Participant pursuant to Section 8 of this Plan.

          2.17  "SAR" means a stock appreciation right issued to a Participant
pursuant to Section 9 of this Plan.

          2.18  "Subsidiary" means any entity of which the Company owns or 
controls more than 50 percent of (i) the outstanding capital stock, or (ii) the
combined voting power of all classes of stock.

          2.19  Rules of Construction:

               2.19.1  Governing Law. The construction and operation of this 
     Plan are governed by the laws of the State of Illinois.

               2.19.2  Undefined Terms. Unless the context requires another 
     meaning, any term not specifically defined in this Plan is used in the
     sense given to it by the Code.

               2.19.3  Headings. All headings in this Plan are for reference 
     only and are not to be utilized in construing the Plan.

               2.19.4  Conformity with Section 422. Any ISOs issued under this 
     Plan are intended to qualify as incentive stock options described in
     Section 422 of the Code, and all provisions of the Plan relating to ISOs
     shall be construed in conformity with this intention. Any NSOs issued under
     this Plan are not intended to qualify as incentive stock options described
     in Section 422 of the Code, and all provisions of the Plan relating to NSOs
     shall be construed in conformity with this intention.

               2.19.5  Gender. Unless clearly inappropriate, all nouns of 
     whatever gender refer indifferently to persons or objects of any gender.

               2.19.6  Singular and Plural. Unless clearly inappropriate, 
     singular terms refer also to the plural and vice versa.

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               2.19.7  Severability. If any provision of this Plan is determined
     to be illegal or invalid for any reason, the remaining provisions are to
     continue in full force and effect and to be construed and enforced as if
     the illegal or invalid provision did not exist, unless the continuance of
     the Plan in such circumstances is not consistent with its purposes.

     3.  Stock Subject to the Plan.

     Except as otherwise provided in Section 12, the aggregate number of shares
of Common Stock that may be issued under Options or as Restricted Stock through
this Plan may not exceed Two Hundred Fifty Thousand (250,000) shares. Reserved
shares may be either authorized but unissued shares or treasury shares, in the
Board's discretion. If any Awards of Options and Restricted Stock hereunder
shall terminate or expire, as to any number of shares, new Options and
Restricted Stock may thereafter be awarded with respect to such shares.

     4.  Administration.

     The Committee shall administer the Plan. All determinations of the
Committee are made by a majority vote of its members. The Committee's
determinations are final and binding on all Participants. In addition to any
other powers set forth in this Plan, the Committee has the following powers:

          (a) to construe and interpret the Plan;

          (b) to establish, amend and rescind appropriate rules and regulations
              relating to the Plan;

          (c) subject to the terms of the Plan, to select the individuals who 
              will receive Awards, the times when they will receive them, the
              number of Options, Restricted Stock and/or SARs to be subject to
              each Award, the Option Price, the vesting schedule (including any
              performance targets to be achieved in connection with the vesting
              of any Award), the expiration date applicable to each Award and
              other terms and provisions and restrictions of the Awards (which
              need not be identical) and to amend or modify any of the terms of
              outstanding Awards;

          (d) to contest on behalf of the Company or Participants, at the 
              expense of the Company, any ruling or decision on any matter
              relating to the Plan or to any Awards;

          (e) generally, to administer the Plan, and to take all such steps and 
              make all such determinations in connection with the Plan and the
              Awards granted thereunder as it may deem necessary or advisable;
              and

          (f) to determine the form in which tax withholding under Section 15 of
              this Plan will be made (i.e., cash, Common Stock or a combination
              thereof).

     5.  Eligible Participants.

     Present and future directors, officers and key employees of the Company
shall be eligible to participate in the Plan. The Committee from time to time
shall select those officers, directors and key employees of the Company and any
Subsidiary or affiliate of the Company who shall be designated as Participants
and shall designate in accordance with the terms of the Plan the number, if any,
of ISOs, NSOs, SARs and shares of Restricted Stock or any combination thereof,
to be awarded to each Participant.

     6.  Terms and Conditions of Non-Qualified Stock Options.

     Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Committee, in its discretion, may
award an NSO to any Participant. Each NSO shall be evidenced by an agreement, in
such form as is approved by the Committee, and except as otherwise provided by
the Committee in such agreement, each NSO shall be subject to the following
express terms and conditions, and to such other terms and conditions, not
inconsistent with the Plan, as the Committee may deem appropriate:

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          6.01  Option Period. Each NSO will expire as of the earliest of:
  
               (i)   the date on which it is forfeited under the provisions of 
                     Section 11.1;

               (ii)  ten (10) years from the Award Date;

               (iii) three (3) months after the Participant's termination of 
                     employment with the Company and its parent and Subsidiaries
                     or service on the Board for any reason other than for cause
                     or death or total and permanent disability;

               (iv)  immediately upon the Participant's termination of 
                     employment with the Company and its parent and Subsidiaries
                     or service on the Board for cause;

               (v)   twelve (12) months after the Participant's death or total 
                     and permanent disability; or

               (vi)  any other date specified by the Committee when the NSO is 
                     granted.

          6.02  Option Price. At the time granted, the Committee shall determine
the Option Price of any NSO, and in the absence of such determination, the
Option Price shall be One Hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of the
Common Stock subject to the NSO on the Award Date.

          6.03  Vesting. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee and set 
forth in the Award agreement, NSO Awards shall vest in accordance with Section
11.1; provided, that in no event shall an NSO granted to a Participant who is
subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act be exercisable earlier than six (6)
months from the Award Date.

          6.04  Other Option Provisions. The form of NSO authorized by the Plan
may contain such other provisions as the Committee may from time to time
determine.

     7.  Terms and Conditions of Incentive Stock Options

     Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Committee, in its discretion, may
award an ISO to any employee Participant. Each ISO shall be evidenced by an
agreement, in such form as is approved by the Committee, and except as otherwise
provided by the Committee, each ISO shall be subject to the following express
terms and conditions and to such other terms and conditions, not inconsistent
with the Plan, as the Committee may deem appropriate:

          7.01  Option Period. Each ISO will expire as of the earliest of:

                (i)   the date on which it is forfeited under the provisions of 
                      Section 11.1;

                (ii)  ten (10) years from the Award Date, except as set forth in
                      Section 7.02 below;

                (iii) immediately upon the Participant's termination of 
                      employment with the Company and any parent and Subsidiary
                      of the Company for cause;

                (iv)  three (3) months after the Participant's termination of 
                      employment with the Company and any parent and Subsidiary
                      of the Company for any reason other than for cause or
                      death or total and permanent disability;

                (v)   twelve (12) months after the Participant's death or total 
                      and permanent disability; or

                (vi)  any other date (within the limits of the Code) specified 
                      by the Committee when the ISO is granted.

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Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions granting discretion to the Committee to
determine the terms and conditions of ISOs, such terms and conditions shall meet
the requirements set forth in Section 422 of the Code or any successor thereto.

          7.02  Option Price and Expiration. The Option Price of any ISO shall 
be determined by the Committee at the time an ISO is granted, and shall be no
less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of the Common
Stock subject to the ISO on the Award Date; provided, however, that if an ISO is
granted to a Participant who, immediately before the grant of the ISO,
beneficially owns stock representing more than ten percent (10%) of the total
combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or its parent or
subsidiary corporations, the Option Price shall be at least one hundred ten
percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock subject to the ISO
on the Award Date and in such cases, the exercise period specified in the Option
agreement shall not exceed five (5) years from the Award Date.

          7.03  Vesting. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee and set 
forth in the Award agreement, ISO Awards shall vest in accordance with Section
11.1; provided that in no event shall an ISO granted to a Participant who is
subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act be exercisable earlier than six (6)
months from the Award Date.

          7.04  Other Option Provisions. The form of ISO authorized by the Plan 
may contain such other provisions as the Committee may, from time to time,
determine; provided, however, that such other provisions may not be inconsistent
with any requirements imposed on incentive stock options under Code Section 422
and related Treasury regulations.

     8.  Terms and Conditions of Restricted Stock Awards.

     Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Committee, in its discretion, may
award Restricted Stock to any Participant at no additional cost to the
Participant. Each Restricted Stock Award shall be evidenced by an agreement, in
such form as is approved by the Committee, and all shares of Common Stock
awarded to Participants under the Plan as Restricted Stock shall be subject to
the following express terms and conditions and to such other terms and
conditions, not inconsistent with the Plan, as the Committee shall deem
appropriate:

          (a) Restricted Period.  Shares of Restricted Stock awarded under this
              Section 8 may not be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged or
              otherwise encumbered before they vest.

          (b) Vesting. Restricted Stock Awards under this Section 8 shall vest 
              in accordance with Section 11.2.

          (c) Certificate Legend. Each certificate issued in respect of shares 
              of Restricted Stock awarded under this Section 8 shall be
              registered in the name of the Participant and shall bear the
              following (or a similar) legend until such shares have vested:

                    "The transferability of this certificate and the shares of
                    stock represented hereby are subject to the terms and
                    conditions (including forfeiture) relating to Restricted
                    Stock contained in Section 8 of the Market Facts, Inc. 1996
                    Stock Plan and an Agreement entered into between the
                    registered owner and Market Facts, Inc. Copies of such Plan
                    and Agreement are on file at the principal office of Market
                    Facts, Inc."

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     9.  Terms and Conditions of Stock Appreciation Rights.

     The Committee may, in its discretion, grant an SAR to any Participant under
the Plan. Each SAR shall be evidenced by an agreement between the Company and
the Participant, and may relate to and be associated with all or any part of a
specific ISO or NSO. An SAR shall entitle the Participant to whom it is granted
the right, so long as such SAR is exercisable and subject to such limitations as
the Committee shall have imposed, to surrender any then exercisable portion of
his SAR and, if applicable, the related ISO or NSO, in whole or in part, and
receive from the Company in exchange, without any payment of cash (except for
applicable employee withholding taxes), that number of shares of Common Stock
having an aggregate Fair Market Value on the date of surrender equal to the
product of (i) the excess of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on
the date of surrender over the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the date
the SARs were issued, or, if the SARs are related to an ISO or an NSO, the per
share Option Price under such ISO or NSO on the Award Date, and (ii) the number
of shares of Common Stock subject to such SAR, and, if applicable, the related
ISO or NSO or portion thereof which is surrendered.

     An SAR granted in conjunction with an ISO or NSO shall terminate on the
same date as the related ISO or NSO and shall be exercisable only if the Fair
Market Value of a share of Common Stock exceeds the Option Price for the related
ISO or NSO, and then shall be exercisable to the extent, and only to the extent,
that the related ISO or NSO is exercisable. The Committee may at the time of
granting any SAR add such additional conditions and limitations to the SAR as it
shall deem advisable, including, but not limited to, limitations on the period
or periods within which the SAR shall be exercisable and the maximum amount of
appreciation to be recognized with regard to such SAR. If a Participant is
subject to Section 16(a) and Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act, the Committee
may at any time add such additional conditions and limitations to such SAR
which, in its discretion, the Committee deems necessary or desirable to comply
with such Section 16(a) or Section 16(b) and the rules and regulations issued
thereunder, or to obtain any exemption therefrom. Any ISO or NSO or portion
thereof which is surrendered with an SAR shall no longer be exercisable. An SAR
that is not granted in conjunction with an ISO or NSO shall terminate on such
date as is specified by the Committee in the SAR agreement and shall vest in
accordance with Section 11.2. The Committee, in its sole discretion, may allow
the Company to settle all or part of the Company's obligation arising out of the
exercise of an SAR by the payment of cash equal to the aggregate Fair Market
Value of the shares of Common Stock which the Company would otherwise be
obligated to deliver.

     10.  Manner of Exercise of Options.

     To exercise an Option in whole or in part, a Participant (or, after his
death, his executor or administrator) must give written notice to the Committee,
stating the number of shares with respect to which he intends to exercise the
Option. The Company will issue the shares with respect to which the Option is
exercised upon payment in full of the Option Price. The Committee may permit the
Option Price to be paid in cash or shares of Common Stock held by the
Participant having an aggregate Fair Market Value, as determined on the date of
delivery, equal to the Option Price. The Committee may also permit the Option
Price to be paid by any other method permitted by law, including by delivery to
the Committee from the Participant of an election directing the Company to
withhold the number of shares of Common Stock from the Common Stock otherwise
due upon exercise of the Option having an aggregate Fair Market Value on that
date equal to the Option Price. If a Participant pays the Option Price with
shares of Common Stock which were received by the Participant upon exercise of
one or more ISOs, and such Common Stock has not been held by the Participant for
at least the greater of:

          (a) two (2) years from the date the ISOs were granted; or

          (b) one (1) year after the transfer of the shares of Common Stock to 
              the Participant;

the use of the shares shall constitute a disqualifying disposition and the ISO
underlying the shares used to pay the Option Price shall no longer satisfy all
of the requirements of Code Section 422.

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     11.  Vesting.

          11.1  Options. A Participant may not exercise an Option until it has 
become vested. The portion of an Award of Options that is vested depends upon
the period that has elapsed since the Award Date. The following schedule applies
to any Award of Options under this Plan unless the Committee establishes a
different vesting schedule on the Award Date:

        -----------------------------------------------------------
          Number of Years Since Award Date      Vested Percentage
        -----------------------------------------------------------
             Fewer than one                            None
        -----------------------------------------------------------
             One but fewer than two                     20%
        -----------------------------------------------------------
             Two but fewer than three                   40%
        -----------------------------------------------------------
             Three but fewer than four                  60%
        -----------------------------------------------------------
             Four but fewer than five                   80%
        -----------------------------------------------------------
             Five or more                              100%
        -----------------------------------------------------------

     If a Participant's employment with the Company or service on the Board is
terminated due to: i) retirement on or after his sixty-fifth (65th) birthday;
(ii) retirement on or after his fifty-fifth (55th) birthday with consent of the
Company; (iii) retirement at any age on account of total and permanent
disability as determined by the Company; (iv) death; or (v) a change in control
of the Company (as determined by the Committee), the Committee may, in its
discretion, accelerate vesting. Unless the Committee otherwise provides in the
Award agreement, if a Participant's employment with or service to the Company
terminates for any other reason, any Awards that are not yet vested are
forfeited. A transfer from the Company to a Subsidiary or affiliate, or vice
versa, is not a termination of employment for purposes of this Plan.

          11.2  Restricted Stock and SARs. The Committee shall establish the
vesting schedule to apply to any Award of Restricted Stock or SAR that is not
associated with an ISO or NSO granted under the Plan to a Participant, and in
the absence of such a vesting schedule, such Award shall vest according to the
vesting schedule set forth in Section 11.1. In no event, however, will a SAR or
Restricted Stock Award granted to a Participant who is subject to Section 16 of
the Exchange Act be exercisable until at least six (6) months from its Award
Date.

          If a Participant's employment with the Company or service on the Board
is terminated due to: (i) retirement on or after his sixty-fifth (65th)
birthday; (ii) retirement on or after his fifty-fifth (55th) birthday with
consent of the Company; (iii) retirement at any age on account of total and
permanent disability as determined by the Company; (iv) death; or (v) a change
in control of the Company (as determined by the Committee), the Committee may,
in its discretion, accelerate vesting. Unless the Committee otherwise provides
in the Award agreement, if a Participant's employment with or service to the
Company is terminated for any other reason, any Awards that are not yet vested
are forfeited. A transfer from the Company to a Subsidiary or affiliate, or vice
versa, is not a termination of employment for purposes of this Plan.

     12.  Adjustments to Reflect Changes in Capital Structure.

     If there is any change in the corporate structure or shares of the Company,
the Committee may make any adjustments necessary to prevent accretion, or to
protect against dilution, in the number and kind of shares authorized by the
Plan and, with respect to outstanding Awards, in the number and kind of shares
covered thereby and in the applicable Option Price. For the purpose of this
Section 12, a change in the corporate structure or shares of the Company
includes, without limitation, any change resulting from a recapitalization,
stock split, stock dividend, consolidation, rights offering, separation,
reorganization, or liquidation and any transaction in which shares of Common
Stock are changed into or exchanged for a different number or kind of shares of
stock or other securities of the Company or another corporation.

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     13.  Nontransferability of Awards.

     ISOs are not transferable, voluntarily or involuntarily, other than by
will or by the laws of descent and distribution or pursuant to a qualified
domestic relations order as defined by the Code. During a Participant's
lifetime, his ISOs may be exercised only by him. All other Awards granted
pursuant to this Plan are transferable by will or by the laws of descent and
distribution or pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order as defined by
the Code, or in the Committee's discretion after vesting.

     14.  Rights as Stockholder.

     No Common Stock may be delivered upon the exercise of any Option until full
payment has been made. A Participant has no rights whatsoever as a stockholder
with respect to any shares covered by an Option until the date of the issuance
of a stock certificate for the shares.

     15.  Withholding Tax.

     The Committee may, in its discretion and subject to such rules as it may
adopt, permit or require a Participant to pay all or a portion of the federal,
state and local taxes, including FICA and Medicare withholding tax, arising in
connection with any Awards by (i) having the Company withhold shares of Common
Stock, (ii) tendering back shares of Common Stock received in connection with
such Award or (iii) delivering other previously acquired shares of Common Stock
having a Fair Market Value approximately equal to the amount to be withheld.

     16.  No Right to Employment.

     Participation in the Plan will not give any Participant a right to be
retained as an employee or director of the Company or its parent or
Subsidiaries, or any right or claim to any benefit under the Plan, unless the
right or claim has specifically accrued under the Plan.

     17.  Amendment of the Plan.

     The Board of Directors may from time to time amend or revise the terms of
this Plan in whole or in part and may, without limitation, adopt any amendment
deemed necessary; provided, however, that no change in any Award previously
granted to a Participant may be made that would impair the rights of the
Participant without the Participant's consent.

     18.  Stockholder Approval.

     Operation of the Plan shall be subject to approval by the stockholders of
the Company within twelve months before or after the date the Plan is adopted by
the Board of Directors. If such stockholder approval is obtained at a duly held
stockholders' meeting, it may be obtained by the affirmative vote of the holders
of a majority of the shares of the Company present at the meeting or represented
and entitled to vote thereon. The approval of such stockholders of the Company
shall be solicited substantially in accordance with Section 14(a) of the
Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

     19.  Conditions Upon Issuance of Shares.

     An Option shall not be exercisable and a share of Common Stock shall not be
issued pursuant to the exercise of an Option, and Restricted Stock shall not be
awarded until such time as the Plan has been approved by the stockholders of the
Company and unless the award of Restricted Stock, exercise of such Option and
the issuance and delivery of such share pursuant thereto shall comply with all
relevant provisions of law, including, without limitation, the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, the Exchange Act, the rules and regulations promulgated
thereunder, and the requirements of any stock exchange or national securities
association upon which the shares of Common Stock may then be listed or quoted,
and shall be further subject to the approval of counsel for the Company with
respect to such compliance.

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     As a condition to the exercise of an Option, the Company may require the
person exercising such Option to represent and warrant at the time of any such
exercise that the shares of Common Stock are being purchased only for investment
and without any present intention to sell or distribute such shares if, in the
opinion of counsel for the Company, such a representation is required by any of
the aforementioned relevant provisions of law.

     20.  Effective Date and Termination of Plan.

          20.01  Effective Date.  This Plan is effective as of the date of its
adoption by the Board of Directors; provided, however, that the Plan and any
Awards granted hereunder shall be null and void if shareholder approval is not
obtained within twelve months of the date of such adoption.

          20.02  Termination of the Plan.  The Plan will terminate ten (10)
years after the date it is approved by the Board of Directors; provided,
however, that the Board of Directors may terminate the Plan at any time prior
thereto with respect to any shares that are not then subject to Awards.
Termination of the Plan will not affect the rights and obligations of any
Participant with respect to Awards granted before termination.

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