Recently, we highlighted ten areas for improvement that I believe the radio industry as a whole needs to address right away. Another outside of its direct control deserves a review: the efficacy, quality, and transparency of listenership data, i.e., Nielsen’s radio ratings.
Let’s start here: The diary system is inefficient, clunky, and unreliable compared to digital measurement. This becomes more so dependent on the demographic group. The response from Nielsen is the cost of meters and finding panelists is too cumbersome and too expensive in medium and smaller markets. Then what the hell is the six-figure cost to operators in those markets going toward, especially when agencies have digital data in most of the top 60 markets for television and digital content platforms? Unacceptable. Further, the plan to move to an online platform takes an imperfect science and makes it even more complicated and frustrating to an understandably passive panelist, especially so when each member of the household is required to participate, and we all know it’s often one person filling it out for all
The sample sizes and weighting in “hard to target demos” are far too small in both diary and PPM measurement, and this is why you’ve seen concerns and, at times lack of accreditation by the MRC (Media Rating Council). The data can often be akin to a schoolteacher scaling a test for a class from a D to an A. This is only further complicated by the market maps used to define the MSA and some even the TSA (Total Survey Area) often concocted at the insistence of one or two owners in a marketplace to better the chance their station will rate highly as its signal or popularity is best in the favored area. In government and politics, that’s called gerrymandering. And their strong-arming in policies, including “Rating Distortion,” which recently made headlines, is beyond the scope of influence a vendor should give
Yes, competitors came and went (most gone for many years), and yes, Eastlan serves a number of markets and does an admirable job as an alternative available to some, but essentially, Nielsen has a monopoly on radio listenership data and wields that power in cost, by discouraging competition and often forcing programming and sales strategy to operate based on their parameters to succeed in their system to which the only alternative is not to subscribe (bow tie clocks, anyone?)
This is not an attack but a reality check on Nielsen and listenership gathering in radio in particular. Nielsen needs to improve, and radio needs to demand competing services, which would only improve the system. Regardless, a completely digital cell phone-based app that registers listening in real time, akin to how digital content platforms can show advertisers clicks, must come to broadcast radio and its streams.
Robby Bridges works for Press Communications where he serves as the VP of Programming for 99.7 and 107.1 The Boss. He also hosts the morning show ‘Robby and Rochelle’ alongside his wife, Rochelle. He’s been with the company/stations since September, 2021.
Prior to arriving in New Jersey, Robby spent decades working across the country in many top markets for many highly successful brands. Among them include Z100, WPLJ and Q102. He has also worked in Detroit, Boston, Providence, Portsmouth, NH, and served as an exclusive guest host for Scott Shannon on the True Oldies Channel.
To get in touch, reach Robby by email at RobbyBridges@hotmail.com.
