Making Some Points

October 17, 2025

We now have nine months of data on how Nielsen’s implementation of the three-minute qualifier has affected radio listening in the PPM markets. Results have varied by market, demo, and format. The top line number is – according to Nielsen – that listening is up by 17%.

While this does not appear to have had a dramatic impact on programming tactics, there are implications for the sales world. Wait, a programming guy is going to opine about sales? (I see collective eye rolls from all the sales professionals I worked with during my radio station career).

I am now – and have always been – a data guy. That’s what this opinion piece is all about.

While the new three-minute rule has proven that radio is a very strong reach medium, has it translated into additional revenue? Are we able to use this new data to show the power of radio versus our other media competitors? That does not appear to be the case, but feel free to correct me if I’m wrong.

What we DO want to guard against is losing revenue because of this change. For those advertisers who buy points-based campaigns this can be an opportunity to reduce their spend.

For example, a client has traditionally bought 100 points on your station. The campaigns consistently work so they continue to re-up their commitments. However, this new data shows that their 100 points were really 117 points.

Since agencies are always looking for ways to clobber radio, they could use this as an excuse to reduce their budgets. Their “logic” is that they can still reach 100 points for less money. Unfortunately for them, their logic is flawed.

In order to have the same reach as before, they must – at minimum – maintain their spending levels. Otherwise, they risk running a less effective campaign (which, of course, would be your fault).

The three-minute rule did not create new listening. It has more accurately recorded listening that already existed! To put it another way – advertisers have been getting a 17% “value added” increase since the dawn of the PPM era.

A quick programming note: perhaps we can use this new data to declutter our radio stations. Instead of sponsoring EVERYTHING, maybe we do a little less. Or, instead of throwing those sponsorships in as value added, we actually charge for them? But I’m a programming guy, so take that for what you will.

While radio may have its flaws, it remains a very powerful advertising medium. We have the facts to prove it. Perhaps this newer data can help change too many advertisers’ negative perceptions about the effectiveness of our platform.

It’s worth a shot.

-Steve Allan, Programming Research Consultant

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