×

Client Requests

REQUEST SENT

Your custom request has been sent. We’ll contact you if we have any additional questions.

* Indicates a required field.

  • MM slash DD slash YYYY
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Posts in "Hot Topics"

The Digital Dilemma

April 25, 2024

Filed Under: Hot Topics

For far too long, radio has been playing fourth fiddle to the digital realm as far as an advertising platform is considered. Now I’m not here to say that including digital as part of a comprehensive advertising campaign is something to be avoided. On the contrary, if a business is not ranking high in search nor gathering first-party data to communicate with their customers, they will have a hard time flourishing.

Read More…

RADIO RATINGS ROUNDUP, March 2024, Part IV

April 18, 2024

Filed Under: Hot Topics

It has come to our attention that up to this point we have droned on about so many aspects of MARCH that we left out one critical reference: March madness. Perhaps we were reticent to include this in the blog because of fear that the NCAA enforcement division – such as it is – would crush us with their proverbial hobnailed boot. Then we realized that as long as we did not capitalize the phrase or include other terms like sweet 16 or elite eight or final four, we’d be good. At least, that’s what the lawyers said.

As with every ratings survey, there is a touch of madness. MARCH is no different. This one ran from FEBRUARY 29TH through MARCH 27TH. The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – working hand in glove with the math maestros from XTRENDS – bring you the following analysis in living color …

(Yet another lineup change. Though the annual NIELSEN Market Definition Changes do not go into effect until the APRIL book, we have already changed the positions of DENVER and SAN DIEGO.) Read More…

RADIO RATINGS ROUNDUP, March 2024, Part III

April 17, 2024

Filed Under: Hot Topics

Of all the events that were part of MARCH, the most perplexing is DST. That would be Daylight Saving Time (we’ll avoid a rant about the people who insist on pluralizing the second word).

No one really knows why we do it. Babies and pets don’t get it. And it screws up the already funky circadian rhythms for morning shows. At least Leap Year makes scientific sense.

The MARCH survey ran from FEBRUARY 29TH through MARCH 27TH and besides the clock change thing, the month had several religious celebrations, a changing of the season, and a day when everyone was supposed to wear green. It’s like a law or something.

The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – in cahoots with the oracles of the numbers at XTRENDS – bring you part three of our latest audio – er, radio – ratings rundown.

A scoring change of note. NIELSEN initiated its annual Market Definition changes with the APRIL survey. While this did not technically affect the market rank order for MARCH, we made the change anyway. This month’s roundup reflects one of those changes.

Read More…

RADIO RATINGS ROUNDUP, March 2024, Part II

April 16, 2024

Filed Under: Hot Topics

In our previous installment, we established the versatility of the word “march.” A quick search revealed the many supposedly famous people who were gifted the surname MARCH. Veteran radio folk will remember LITTLE PEGGY MARCH (of “I Will Follow Him” fame). There’s the two-time Stanley Cup winner for the CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS, “MUSH” MARCH. And believe it or not, there are two famous women named APRIL MARCH. One is a contemporary singer-songwriter. The other was an exotic dancer billed as the First Lady of Burlesque.

And now you know.

However, our purpose here is to explore more recent history. Specifically, the MARCH survey, which ran from FEBRUARY 29TH through MARCH 27TH. We had an equinox and a time change, and many people decided they liked corned beef and cabbage. The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – along with the numbers diviners from XTRENDS – invite you to find out what really happened out there….

Read More…

RADIO RATINGS ROUNDUP, March 2024, Part I

April 15, 2024

Filed Under: Hot Topics

MARCH is an interesting term. Sure, it’s the third month of the year. But it is also a verb (“Forward march!”) And it can be a plural noun (Google “The Welsh Marches”) However, it is probably best known as the first name of a famous rabbit.

For our purposes, the term is the NIELSEN designation for the third survey of the year. This one began its, uh, march on Leap Day and came to a halt on MARCH 27TH. It featured no official holidays – unless you celebrate green beer – but it did require many of us to re-learn how to set the clock on our microwaves.

The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – in close cooperation with those masters of the numerical dark arts at XTRENDS – now bring you the latest in the ratings game:

Read More…

Radio’s Relevance

April 11, 2024

Filed Under: Hot Topics

You probably saw The Ad Bargain study released last week about the effectiveness and relevance of audio, excuse me, radio ads. While it seems the main emphasis of the study is to pump up podcasting, there were several of nuggets that pertain to the original audio medium – radio. Read More…

ZIPping Through the Data

April 4, 2024

Filed Under: Hot Topics

We recently ran across an article from the Christian Music Broadcasters that preached the value of using your zip codes. In this context, they are referring to a station’s database. While this is a more stable data set than the Nielsen PPM panel, there are opportunities to use both databases to a station’s advantage. Read More…

Place a Bet on Radio

March 28, 2024

Filed Under: Hot Topics

On March 11, 2024 North Carolina became the 30th state, in addition to the District of Columbia, to legalize sports gambling. This revenue category has grown exponentially over several years and will continue to grow as other states follow suit. Estimates have the sports betting industry spending over $2 billion in advertising, with radio capturing greater than its historical 7% share.

Read More…

RADIO RATINGS ROUNDUP, February 2024, Part IV

March 21, 2024

Filed Under: Hot Topics

Ahhh, FEBRUARY. The time of winter’s nadir. The buzz from the holidays has receded and the warmth of spring is still a dream in the distance. The days are still too dang short, and football is over. Sure, pitchers and catchers report, but that only intensifies the gloomy nature of the month.

Sorry, we need a moment…

OK, The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – along with the logarithmic legends from XTRENDS – will get it together so we can bring you another round of ratings results. The month in question began on the 1st and ceased to be on the 28th. There was a holiday weekend, meteorological predictions from a fat rat, and the stress of choosing just the right romantic gift. Hopefully, we will also see a return to more normal listening behavior.

Read More…

RADIO RATINGS ROUNDUP, February 2024, Part III

March 20, 2024

Filed Under: Hot Topics

Here’s another useless FEBRUARY fact for you. It is the only month that can pass without having a full moon. Betcha won’t see that on Jeopardy.

But we are not here for trivial factoids or meaningless drivel. No, The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – in a close-knit formation with the numbers crunchers from XTRENDS – are here to deliver industry-relatable knowledge. We are dealing with the ratings: that 28-day recurrence that can, among other things, lead us to question our very existence. Yes, it is that important (except when it isn’t).

The FEBRUARY survey ran from the 1st through the 28th, had a long holiday weekend and features a rodent predicting the weather. It does not get stranger than that.

Read More…