Ratings Matter

July 30, 2026

There has been a lot of buzz around the industry lately about the future of radio ratings. The rise of DTS Auto Stage has provided stations with a different look into how their stations are performing. The Cumulus-Nielsen dust up has caused broadcasters to wonder if there is a better way to quantify (and monetize) their performance.

However, back here in the present day, Nielsen remains our industry’s currency, especially in PPM markets. Most stations still rely on that data to monitor their brand’s performance and generate the lion’s share of their revenue.

At Research Director, Inc. we have been analyzing Nielsen née Arbitron data for over 30 years. The one question we continually ask is: are you maximizing your Nielsen investment?

Here’s a quick rundown on how you can save time and dig more deeply into your numbers:

• Our Instant Answer report breaks down each survey into bite sized parts that spotlight you and your competition. Best of all—it lands in your inbox within minutes of your data release. A true time saver.
• Our Exact Age Report for PPM markets breaks down listening by age, gender, and ethnicity. You see where you (and your competitor’s) AQH is coming from. Unlike the CPR reports, our Exact Age Report shows the entire market AND uses weighted data.
• The Hot Zip Report is similar to the Exact Age Report, except it breaks everything down by your market’s zip codes.
• Format Tracker shows you which format groups are winning or losing. And it tells you how well Nielsen is doing in sampling every available cell. Do you depend on Hispanic Women 35-44? You’ll see if Nielsen is delivering the sample you are paying for.

These reports also come with the kind of seasoned analysis and insight only The Ratings Experts (that’s us) can provide. This is not a one-size-fits-all approach. We are part of your team and help you make more informed strategic and tactical decisions.

Ratings matter. What you do with that information is even more important.

Let us show you how to get ahead…and stay ahead.

Ping me at: sallan@researchdirectorinc.com

The first one’s free…

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