Posts in "Hot Topics"
June 26, 2025
Filed Under: Hot Topics
I finally got around to watching the movie A Complete Unknown. This is not a review, though Timothy Chalamet was brilliant. It’s more of an observation. Re-hearing so many groundbreaking songs that Bob Dylan created further re-affirmed not only his brilliance, but his immense contributions to the world of music.
I will now resurrect an old question – how will radio handle Bob Dylan’s eventual passing. The man is 84 years old and, not to be morbid, will eventually shuffle off this mortal coil.
How will radio react to this event? You can be sure that the New York Times, AP, Reuter’s, etc. already have obits in the can. CNN and other television networks will produce five-minute retrospectives. You can be sure Sirius/XM will devote an entire channel to the artist. What’s radio’s plan?
Read More…
June 20, 2025
Filed Under: Hot Topics
Welcome back for our final tour of the MAY radio ratings landscape. So far we have seen the usual spate of the usual suspects scoring their usual numbers. We have also had some surprising plot twists to keep us entertained. Not to mention seeing how the three-minute rule has changed PUMM levels as compared to last year. The one consistent theme of that data is that there is no consistency from market to market.
As always, The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC., would be unable to bring you this vital information 13 times a year without the strong support from the crew at XTRENDS.
The MAY book ran from MAY 1ST through the 28TH and did feature the Memorial Day holiday. Buckle up, here we go…
Read More…
June 18, 2025
Filed Under: Hot Topics
Here we go again. Another spate of radio ratings to digest. Belly up to the buffet, dear friends, as The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – along with the ratings royalty from XTRENDS – wield our Ginsu knives with perfection to slice and dice the numbers into a consumable form. Whether you’re a picky eater or a true gourmand, there is something here for everyone.
The MAY survey ran from MAY 1ST through the 28TH. This was a time period punctuated by strange weather and another holiday weekend. Here’s what happened…
Read More…
June 17, 2025
Filed Under: Hot Topics
The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – along with the intrepid data diviners from XTRENDS – are back to regale you with more stories and sagas from the MAY survey. There were the requisite number of triumphs and tragedies, victories and defeats along with the mind-numbing regularity of the same old trends. Fortunes rose and fell based on a small percentage of the population. Yes, it’s a system that causes those outside of our industry to cock their heads like a curious dog. But it’s what we signed up for.
The book ran from MAY 1ST through the 28TH. It was an odd weather month that culminated in a three-day holiday weekend. Let us begin…
Read More…
June 16, 2025
Filed Under: Hot Topics
Ah, MAY—the month that can’t decide whether it wants to be spring or summer. It’s the time when allergies wage war with your sinuses, and the promise of warmer weather is just enough to lure you outside, only for you to realize you’re woefully unprepared for the sudden downpour. Somehow, MAY manages to be both charming and infuriating, like a radio host that talks over your favorite song.
This was also the rare month when the calendar matched NIELSEN’s approximations as the survey ran from MAY 1ST through the 28TH. We all saluted Mom and there was a three-day federal holiday contained within the 28 day sweep.
The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – in close cooperation with our cohorts at XTRENDS – present, for your dining and dancing pleasure – MAY.
Read More…
June 12, 2025
Filed Under: Hot Topics
Time Waits For No One
Your time is valuable—and it’s finite. Today’s radio programmers are juggling more responsibilities than ever. While we often joke about our ability to multi-task, the reality is that no one can truly master multiple tasks at once. There’s always something else pulling at our attention.
Read More…
June 5, 2025
Filed Under: Hot Topics
That seems to be the “phrase that pays” so far in 2025. On that topic, did you see the article in Inside Radio last week about programmatic advertising? As is often the case, it highlighted the power and pitfalls of digital advertising.
Read More…
May 29, 2025
Filed Under: Hot Topics
We’re now four surveys into the new reality of the three-minute qualifier in PPM markets, and one thing is clear: radio has benefited from this new reporting procedure. If you’re a faithful follower of this missive, you know we compared Q1 2024 with Q1 2025 and found that, across several demos, all the major dayparts, and the most common formats, AQH is up in double digits. (If you haven’t seen those comparisons, the links are below.)
So, what’s next? What can Nielsen do to provide an even more accurate account of radio listening? Read More…
May 22, 2025
Filed Under: Hot Topics
Why is it that in some markets we see status quo in survey after survey, while in others we witness wild swings almost every month? Is it market conditions? Are some stations actually marketing? Or is it just the mood swings of the panel? These are some of the great mysteries of radio life.
Alas, while The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – along with the number’s gurus from XTRENDS – may have some insight into this after years of observations, the sad truth is that every market has its own idiosyncrasies.
As we wrap up the fourth month under the new three-minute reality, we find the one consistent theme has been a lack of consistent themes. The APRIL survey began on APRIL 3RD and ground to a halt on APRIL 30TH. Here’s our final look at this survey:
Read More…
May 21, 2025
Filed Under: Hot Topics
It’s that time again – time to marvel at the magical numbers that tell us just how much people love their radios. Or, if we’re honest, at least how much they tolerate them between Spotify sessions. Wait, did I say the last part out loud?
The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – in quiet collaboration with the math mages from XTRENDS – are back to demonstrate the power of radio. Yes, we believe – and if you’re reading this here missive, you do, too.
We are now four months into the three-minute reality, and we have seen PUMMS on the rise. Every market is different and these next five are a perfect example. The APRIL survey ran from APRIL 3RD through APRIL 30TH and unfolded thusly:
Read More…
I finally got around to watching the movie A Complete Unknown. This is not a review, though Timothy Chalamet was brilliant. It’s more of an observation. Re-hearing so many groundbreaking songs that Bob Dylan created further re-affirmed not only his brilliance, but his immense contributions to the world of music.
