How the Nielsen Takeover Impacts You

If you’ve been around the radio industry for at least 15 minutes, you know that when one company buys another – things change.

You’ve likely seen the recent news that Nielsen Audio (nee Arbitron) will be increasing sample sizes in many PPM markets ranked 31+. This is the first of what is likely to be many more changes to the ratings game for radio.

But, what will those changes bring?

Nielsen has talked in public statements about their plan to integrate Arbitron into the larger company. They have stated their intent to export Arbitron’s radio measurement process to international markets.  They plan to introduce a process to “marry” existing retail data with audience data to help broadcasters and advertisers prove ROI. And they are looking at opportunities for providing audience information about people that are listening to audio streams.

We would like to say that the Ratings Experts at Research Director, Inc. have a crystal ball and can accurately predict what the future holds for PPM and Diary markets. The truth is – no one knows exactly what is coming down the pike.

What we can do is help you monitor and navigate these waters while allowing you to keep your eye on the ball, making sure your stations are successful.

Many of the basics will always apply. For example, how frequently do you check to see how well represented your key demos are on the PPM panel or Diary sample? In Instant Answer, you can see every survey whether there are sufficient meters or diaries in the demos that are critical to your success.

This report makes it easy to see that Women 25-34 are underrepresented, so their listening levels will be weighted up, while the opposite is true for Women 35-44.

Index of Average Daily In-tab Meters vs. Population by Demographic Cell

This could be a boon to your station’s ratings – or a bust. But, without this kind of information – how will you know?

For over 20 years we have been partnering with great radio stations across the U.S. to help them gain a greater understanding of what their numbers mean. And, we help them stay ahead of the curve with our deep understanding of how the system works.

How can we help you win today? Fill out the form below to request a free consultation and find out.