October 10, 2025
Back from the shadows again The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – along with those masters of the dark NIELSEN arts from XTRENDS – bring you our final installment of the SEPTEMBER saga. This is a drama that writes itself (if only). It features the usual suspects, surprise encounters, and heartbreaking, if not tragic, defeats. It is the reality that shapes careers – which is probably the most frightening aspect of this story.
Come on this journey with us. One that began on AUGUST 21st and reached its final destination on SEPTEMBER 17th. There were school buses to catch, dorm rooms to decorate, a three-day weekend and, thankfully – lots and lots of football. Let us begin…
Read More…
October 9, 2025
What is it about SEPTEMBER that inspires so many songwriters? Does it have something to do with failed summer romances? Is it the crispness of the fall air? It can’t be the rhyming pattern because other months have three syllables. And we’re not talking one-offs here. There are some truly iconic SEPTEMBER songs. As a matter of fact, if I just type the line “Do you remember…” you automatically have that ear worm stuck in your head.
You’re welcome.
The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – in close cooperation with the data diviners from XTRENDS – are not here to discuss cultural trends. Our job is to present the facts as we see them. The SEPTEMBER survey ran from AUGUST 21st through SEPTEMBER 17th. It features the back-to-school daze, football and a three-day holiday weekend. Here’s how it played out:
Read More…
October 8, 2025
SEPTEMBER. A time of renewal. When our lives return to the routine. When the air is crisp with the aromas of autumn. There’s apple cider, football, and way too much pumpkin spice. (True story: A local storage facility is advertising pumpkin spice storage units. This is getting out of hand, people.)
The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – along with algorithmic alchemists from XTRENDS – are back with another round of ratings hijinks. The SEPTEMBER book ran from AUGUST 21st through SEPTEMBER 17th. Along with the usual life stuff that listeners were dealing with, there was a three-day weekend wedged in there somewhere. Let’s proceed with the data dump…
Read More…
October 7, 2025
Though this series of roundups are focused on the NIELSEN version of SEPTEMBER, the reality is that this survey traversed two distinct worlds. It ran from AUGUST 21st through SEPTEMBER 17th. As such the first half of the book was all about last minute vacations and the beginning of the school year. Then came a three-day federally mandated weekend. This was followed by a return to whatever normal schedules are and, of course, football.
The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – along with our running mates from XTRENDS – are here for all of it. Settle in as we regale you with stories of ratings and rankings. We do this because of our love of the game…
Read More…
October 6, 2025
It seems every week there is an article in the trades about the power of AM/FM radio vs. the online listening environment. Our percentages are great. People spend more time with radio than any ad supported digital platform.
Yay for us.
There is one small problem here. Buried in Edison’s Q2 2025 Share of Ear report was this nugget.
Read More…
