Posts in "Hot Topics"
March 26, 2025
Filed Under: Hot Topics
Once again, we’re going boldly forward into the past. The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. along with the math mavens from XTRENDS, better known as the “innies” to our “outies,” bring you the latest edition of radio’s version of microdata refinement. The FEBRUARY survey provides us with our second look at what the three-minute qualifier has produced. While we mainly focus on shares, we are looking at PUMM changes from both the previous survey and FEBRUARY 2024. So far, the results have been … interesting.
The following analysis covers the period from FEBRUARY 6TH through MARCH 5TH. It contained a three-day weekend and the usual spate of lousy seasonal weather. And we can assure you, no goats were harmed in the production of this blog.
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March 25, 2025
Filed Under: Hot Topics
Back from the shadows again, The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – along with the black ops number generators from XTRENDS – are here to reveal another set of data points from the FEBRUARY survey. This is the second book in the new three-minute reality series. We will reveal how market PUMM has been affected from both the previous survey and this same time last year.
It’s a somewhat complicated plot line so you may want to turn on the subtitles, so you don’t miss any nuances in our dialog. The book ran from FEBRUARY 6TH through MARCH 5TH. It did have one three-day weekend and the requisite bad weather. Here’s how it unfolded ….
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March 24, 2025
Filed Under: Hot Topics
When the JANUARY numbers were released, there were a myriad of hot takes about what the new three-minute qualifier wrought upon the radio world. The reality we witnessed – and wrote about – was a bit more nuanced. When comparing JANUARY to HOLIDAY, there were dramatic increases in AQH persons. The year-over-year metrics were quite a bit less dramatic. The one solid conclusion? Every market was different.
Now we move on to FEBRUARY. Will the AQH leap from the previous survey be as profound as last time? What about when compared to 2024? Read on ….
This book ran from FEBRUARY 6TH through MARCH 5TH and did feature one federally mandated holiday weekend. The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – working hand in glove with the algorithmic alchemists from XTRENDS – are here to tell the story of FEBRUARY.
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March 20, 2025
Filed Under: Hot Topics
You wake up with a start. Cold sweat on the back of your neck. Your heart is racing, and you expect the hotline to ring at any moment.
You just had “the dream.” Anyone who has ever been on the air at a radio station has had a version of “the dream.”
An old college radio friend of mine, who has not been on the air since then, says he still occasionally has “the dream.”
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March 13, 2025
Filed Under: Hot Topics
Now that the first tranche of three-minute qualifier data is in your hands, what should you be looking at?
Let’s begin by saying that whatever you unearth is just a first pass. We would not recommend making any changes or assumptions on such a small sample size.
Second, while national results are interesting you should focus on your market and stations. We saw a great variance in increases from market to market.
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March 5, 2025
Filed Under: Hot Topics
Tomorrow join Research Director, Inc.’s Steve Allan along with McVay Media President Mike McVay and Radio Ink Online Editor Cameron Coats for a LinkedIn Live event. They will discuss the fallout from the first month of ratings data under the new three-minute qualifier. This free event is presented by Radio Ink and sponsored by Marketron. While you may be diving into your numbers, here is a great opportunity to get a more global perspective on how this fundamental change to Nielsen ratings has rolled out.
The webinar is at 12 Noon ET tomorrow, March 6th.
You can register here: https://www.linkedin.com/events/the3-minutedifference-nielsen-s7299885599757385728/theater/.
February 27, 2025
Filed Under: Hot Topics
The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – along with the buckaroos from XTRENDS – are back in the saddle again with our final batch of ratings results for the JANUARY survey. As you know, this book is noteworthy for two reasons.
First, it is the month where much radio listening is reoriented after the reign of musical terror brought on by the notorious TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA.
Second, there was this NIELSEN rule change that dramatically affected how listening is reported. You may have heard about the three-minute qualifier. So far, we have seen some wild fluctuations in how market PUMM has increased across the four demographics we cover. If you’re just joining the party, we are looking at the percentage change of PUMM from the HOLIDAY book to the JANUARY survey. This one ran from JANUARY 9TH through FEBRUARY 5TH. It had a three-day weekend, lots of football, and plenty of bad weather.
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February 26, 2025
Filed Under: Hot Topics
For those of you just tuning in, here’s where we are. The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – in cooperation with the masters of the algorithm from XTRENDS – have been doing our normal deep dive into the monthly PPM data. However, this particular survey comes with a twist. We are getting our first look at how the three-minute qualifier has affected the ratings.
In our first two episodes, we saw, as expected, a minimal effect on station shares in the four demographics we cover. We did expect significant PUMM growth in every market, and that is what is occurring. What has come as a surprise is the wide variations in PUMM growth we are seeing from market to market. Will that trend continue with our next batch of contestants? Read on…
The JANUARY survey ran from JANUARY 9TH through FEBRUARY 5TH and did feature a long holiday weekend and signaled a return to normal-ish listening patterns in the wake of Santa’s demise. Note that all PUMM changes are book-to-book numbers.
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February 25, 2025
Filed Under: Hot Topics
The big reveal continues as The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – in close proximity to our fellow numbers nerds from XTRENDS – are back to see what AMERICA’S new radio ratings reality has produced. If you tuned in for our previous episode, you saw that the growth in market PUMM across the four demos we examined was all over the place. Will that trend continue with our latest installment? Read on.
The JANUARY survey ran from JANUARY 9TH through FEBRUARY 5TH. It contained one three-day weekend, playoff football, and some really lousy weather. Oh, yeah, it also measured listening differently than ever before.
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February 24, 2025
Filed Under: Hot Topics
And so it begins. Welcome to the first book of the rest of your radio life. The JANUARY survey marks the beginning of the three-minute rule era. The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC., along with our compatriots from XTRENDS, have been anxiously awaiting this moment. Yes, we are ratings nerds.
A few housekeeping notes. The survey ran from JANUARY 9TH through FEBRUARY 5TH. There was a federally-mandated three-day weekend in there, playoff football, and some really lousy weather.
Besides our normal analysis of the numbers, we will be adding in a new wrinkle. We always show how the market cume has changed every month. As we adjust to this new reality, we will also be listing the percentage change of market PUMM by demo. For this book, we will compare it to the previous survey. In future roundups, we will look at year over year.
Let’s do this…
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