June 20, 2024
Even if you’re only paying cursory attention to the political landscape, you know that this year’s races are going to be historic. This is not a bold statement, as every presidential election has the potential to bring about huge societal changes. Add to this the fact that, at least at the top of the ticket, the current polls say this year’s race is in the “pick ‘em” category.
This column is not about politics, however. It is about the power of radio. According to a recent Nielsen study, radio could be the secret weapon in the political advertising wars. Read More…
June 13, 2024
Ah, MAY, the quintessential embodiment of spring’s resplendence, where nature orchestrates its most enchanting symphony. As APRIL’s showers subside, MAY emerges like a grand maestro, conducting an opus of verdant vitality and blooming beauty.
Pretty impressive opening graph, right? Thing is – it was written by ChatGPT after this prompt: “wax eloquent about the month of MAY.” It also went on for four more paragraphs…
Welp, until Skynet officially takes over, it’ll be up to The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – along with the living breathing numbers nerds from XTRENDS – to make sense out of the monthly ratings. As mentioned, we’re dealing with MAY – a survey that ran from APRIL 25TH through MAY 22ND. No big holidays but we did remember to call Mom and get our STAR WARS geek on.
This is what reality looked like….
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June 12, 2024
Welcome back to another episode of that popular radio game show: What’s up with the numbers? We have a new batch of contestants ready to confront their demons or celebrate their victories. The stakes are high but so are the rewards. As always, your hosts are The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. (or, as spell-check suggested, the “ravings” experts) as well as those spreadsheet superstars from XTRENDS.
The MAY survey ran from APRIL 25TH through MAY 22ND. There were no official three-day weekends, but we celebrated Mom, nerded out on STAR WARS, and saluted our Armed Forces.
Let the games begin….
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June 11, 2024
Every 28 days there are people – like you – who are experiencing the ebbs and flows of the NIELSEN ratings cycle. Sure, you may have some clues as to how the book will turn out prior to its release, but nothing quite matches the emotional anticipation of that data download. Is it going to be a good day with fist pumps abounding? Will it be a day for self-reflection and navel-gazing? Or will it be a “meh” experience? Whichever way the meter turns, The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – along with a significant contribution from the math mages from XTRENDS – are here to put it all into perspective.
Our current subject is MAY. A survey that began on APRIL 25TH and reached its resolution on MAY 22ND. We celebrated Mom, our Armed Forces, and a sci-fi franchise. Other than that, life was whatever passes for normal these days…. Read More…
June 10, 2024
Like crabgrass in your lawn, The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – along with the data diviners from XTRENDS – are back to take another stab at the ratings. This is our first look at the MAY survey, which ran from APRIL 25TH through MAY 22ND. There were several notable celebrations during the month: Mom, CINCO DE MAYO, and that totally nerdy day devoted to the STAR WARS franchise. Oddly enough, it was the second survey in a row that did not contain a federally-mandated three-day weekend. Go figure.
Fasten your seat belt, and keep your arms and legs in the vehicle at all times. We’re in for a bumpy ride.
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