Nielsen has announced it will end the longstanding RADAR network radio measurement in 2024.
As part of the announcement, Nielsen claims the decision to shutter the service is due to the vast majority of its national network radio business conducted with its Radio Nationwide service.
RADAR was founded in 1972 as a method of measurement for network ad buyers to ensure their spots were running as promised. The tool eventually led to networks requiring radio affiliates to submit affidavits centered on agreed-upon spot times and lengths. The company was purchased by Arbitron in 2001.
Nielsen shared it was still “examining” how it would continue to monitor spot clearances going forward. The company’s Nationwide service uses estimates from 210 markets around the nation, releasing data twice a year compared to the four times a year previously seen with RADAR.
“You can also take a deeper dive into the individual DMAs and look at the stations that are affiliated with specific networks or stations that have other interest to you,” Nielsen Director of Data Science and Audio Insights Jane Shapiro said on a conference call explaining the changes to current clients. “You can start at the DMA level and look up and you can start at the DMA level and look down.”
