Since starting this column back in 2023, I’ve eschewed interviews as there are plenty of others in the vast content you can read in Barrett Media. Occasionally though, an interview with someone you may not have heard about can offer some enlightenment. For my first interview column, I spoke with Dan McDonald, who is Vice President of Research for the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) in Washington.
Dan is a friend of mine and prior to my move out of the DC area, we spent a number of hours talking about any number of topics while enjoying the offerings at Brewers Alley in Frederick, Maryland. Dan and I will both offer a hearty endorsement of that fine establishment. If you visit, be sure to try my favorite, the nut brown ale.
Prior to arriving at NAB, Dan spent time in research positions with Viacom/CBS and Comcast among other stops. While not a radio person, he’s worked hard to understand the measurement issues in our medium during his NAB tenure.
Whether your company is a member or associate member of NAB, the organization advocates on your behalf. The key radio issues remain the AM For Every Vehicle Act (just reintroduced) and the Local Radio Freedom Act, which is the continuing effort to quash performance royalties. And yes, Dan has some involvement with those in a support role.
When it comes to ratings, NAB is involved directly through two groups, the Committee on Local Radio Audience Measurement and the Committee on Local Television Audience Measurement, better known by their acronyms, COLRAM and COLTAM (full disclosure: I’m a member of COLRAM), both of which are run by NAB. Both large and small broadcasters are represented on both committees and Dan is always looking for potential new members.
NAB also holds two seats on the Media Rating Council (MRC), which accredits (or doesn’t accredit) any number of measurement services. Dan acts as NAB representative for MRC and votes for what he perceives the members want and if that’s not clear, what he sees as being in the best interests of NAB members.
COLRAM has a unique role today. While the MRC is pre-eminent, that group can only evaluate services that desire MRC accreditation and submit to the MRC audit and review process. COLRAM can talk to any company, whether it’s Nielsen Audio or a startup that you may not have heard of before but has visions of bringing a service to market. COLRAM members and NAB staff gain insight and the vendor receives unblemished feedback from potential clients. This “sounding board” role is one of COLRAM’s most unique functions.
Dan’s perch at NAB gives him a clear view of the changes going on. During our chat, he cited a “fundamental shift in the idea of how we are going to measure media” citing bias, the incredible amount of choice, and the granularity of the measurement. He believes panels need to shift from “controlling” to “informing” audience estimates given their size relative to big data sources (see my discussion of the Nielsen Panel + Big Data service a few weeks back). Of course, the “bogeyman is cost.”
Dan sees the future for audio measurement as a merger of the Nielsen video and audio panels although he recognizes not all NAB members agree with that view. Nielsen has discussed this in the past and I’ve taken them to task for the lack of movement. Today, Dan will tell you that the panel sizes are “woefully inadequate”.
What if your station/cluster (NAB member, of course) is having issues with Nielsen Audio or any other measurement service for that matter? If it’s a contractual matter, don’t talk to Dan…NAB can’t help you there. If the problem is methodological, Dan may be able to offer some guidance, but the NAB operates on a bigger scale.
NAB is best known for working with Congress, holding conventions, and working on technical issues. But NAB does have a research component and Dan’s a good person to know. And if you have an idea for COLRAM, such as a new service or just a question that the committee can delve into, let him know. NAB works for the membership, sometimes in more ways than you may have assumed.
Let’s meet again next week.
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