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Starting with the October PPM report, Nielsen Audio began applying modeling to help more accurately account for listening that is being done via headphones, but not being captured by the PPM device. While this modification is a positive move in getting closer to capturing all radio listening, there are definite winners and losers.
Every year, Nielsen Audio updates the population estimates for all of their markets. These new population estimates will be seen in PPM markets with the October survey, diary CDM markets with the October (August-October) survey, and diary 2-book markets with the Fall survey.
Why are changes in your market’s population estimates important?
Forget the Nielsen Audio estimates, you are losing cume every day. Sometimes, for reasons outside of your control, a certain portion of those who have tuned into your radio station in the past stop listening.
Why?
The recent release of Edison Research’s Infinite Dial data supports what most radio professionals already know. An increasing number of radio listeners are accessing the medium through non-traditional means.
The study goes into great detail on how P1s of various formats are becoming increasingly dependent on the use of devices like smart speakers. This is even more pronounced along generational fault lines. The much-sought-after younger demos are, quite naturally, more tech savvy than their older counterparts. This shows that radio’s future is still bright with the digital natives.
As we approach budget season, the usual arithmetic alchemy we use to predict the future has been rendered redundant. No one – and I mean no one – has any idea what to expect or predict for 2021.
Everything is clouded by the pandemic and the mixed messages we receive on how, if, or when it will end. We see this apply to radio listening. There has been no “V” shaped curve. It is more like a swoosh (Nike did not pay for that product placement). Cume is slowly trickling back while AWTE is well behind pre-pandemic levels.
Perhaps we can look across the Atlantic for a hint on what to expect in the future.
