Posts in "Hot Topics"
November 7, 2024
Filed Under: Hot Topics
Ron Harrell writes a weekly column for Barrett Media. It is insightful, observational, and well worth your time. Recently he opined about getting your music right and eliminating bad songs. Of course, he is right. Getting the music right is a fundamental tenet of any well-programmed radio station. I’m going to pivot on this and say that picking the right music for your format is the easiest task any programmer faces. Read More…
November 1, 2024
Filed Under: Hot Topics
What should clients look forward to from Research Director? What new things does RDI have to offer?
Marc: At Research Director we will continue to provide an excellent customer experience. We recognize that our clients are very busy and have limited time, so we are finding more efficient ways to deliver our customized services. We have expanded our client services team and have started using communication tools like Loom to provide a more personalized experience while making the most efficient use of our clients’ valuable time. Another new development we’re excited about is our Power Precision Marketing services, which takes the concept of micro targeting and delivers it to clients in a comprehensive and impactful manner.
Nicole: We are always looking at innovative solutions to meet our clients’ needs. Our new Loom video feature allows you to hear and see your CS consultant as they walk you through their observations of the materials that are available to you via email and C-Spots. This feature streamlines your experience, making it easier to navigate sales tools and materials, helping you get the most out of every resource.
What are you seeing in the Radio industry that has you talking?
Marc: Radio remains a powerful reach medium and we love working with the salespeople who are out there telling this story. Every station has an audience that can help certain advertisers increase their sales. The addition of digital offerings combined with broadcast spot schedules is providing effective multimedia campaigns and helping keep radio relevant. We just recently launched our “Power of…” approach to media. Leaning into the Power of Radio, we’re discovering a lot of advertisers are looking at which media is better, but we’re finding it’s not which medium is better, it’s how do we combine mediums to get the maximum impact.
Nicole: Radio stations are undergoing a digital transformation, integrating platforms like streaming and podcasts to reach broader audiences and adapt to changing listening habits. Podcasting is on the rise, with stations exploring new content to engage listeners through on-demand audio. There’s also a strong focus on diversity and inclusion in both programming and staffing, aiming to better represent various communities.
Why does the campaign “The Power of” mean so much to RDI?
Marc: As I said before, Radio remains a powerful reach medium. The actual story about the Power of Radio is so much better than the prevailing perception of Radio. The data supports the story. We just need to do a better job making sure the story is told. That is what is behind our Power of Radio initiative. Let’s work together to tell the story.
Nicole: The Power of Radio campaign is not just a promotional effort; it serves as a strategic initiative that aligns with RDI’s mission of revealing and promoting radio’s genuine impact. This focus supports our clients in leveraging the Power of Radio.
From your positions as CEO and COO, what are you trying to accomplish at RDI?
Marc: As CEO, I oversee a team of experts that love working with our clients to meet the challenges they face on a daily basis. Our secret sauce is excellent client service. We tell our clients what we are going to do, then we do it. Those that deal with vendors know that is a rare commodity in today’s business world. I’m super proud of our team for their dedication to helping our clients succeed. Our dedicated Client Services Consultants are second to none.
Nicole: Through innovative research methods, we enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of our projects, delivering more insightful results. In my role as COO, I ensure our team is focused on client satisfaction, driving us to consistently exceed expectations and ensuring high retention by providing exceptional, results-driven research.
What opportunities should RDI’s clients be looking for?
Marc: We always talk about trying to “grow the pie” of radio advertisers. We will be working together with our clients to identify opportunities for creating new local/direct radio advertisers in their markets.
Nicole: The opportunity to market relevant content amongst collaborators. The idea that they can jump onto our “Power of…” initiative to boost their own content to their clients/audience to magnify that. If those of us who are radio advocates work together to magnify our content and emphasis, we will have a greater impact on advertisers understanding the power of radio.
What do you expect in 2025 for both RDI and your clients?
Marc: Nielsen is in the process of implementing a significant change that will affect the quantitative ratings. This will impact almost every station. We are working with our clients to tell the story so the advertising rates track with the ratings growth. We will also work closely with our clients to help position radio and digital together. Research shows that advertisers don’t want to work with multiple media partners. Integrated campaigns are the best practice, and radio is well positioned to become partners with their advertisers to meet their advertising goals by offering multimedia campaigns.
Nicole: For RDI, there will be an increased focus on innovation as we develop new products andservices to stay competitive and meet evolving customer needs. For our clients, we anticipate a growing demand for digital solutions, with businesses seeking tools and platforms to enhance their operations, improve customer engagement, and boost marketing efforts.
October 31, 2024
Filed Under: Hot Topics
As you prepare to carve your pumpkins, The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – in cooperation with the algorithmic shape-shifters from XTRENDS – are ready to slice and dice another round of the OCTOBER survey. Which stations reaped ratings gold and which ones turned into pumpkins? This book ran from SEPTEMBER 12TH through OCTOBER 9TH. There were no big holidays to contend with, football was in full swing, and schedules had settled into more familiar patterns. Prepare your favorite pumpkin-spiced concoction and play along with us.
Read More…
October 30, 2024
Filed Under: Hot Topics
Way back in ancient days when the Romans or Greeks or whatever dead civilization was naming our months, OCTOBER made sense. At the time it was the eighth month in the calendar and “octo” means eight. Fast forward to modern times and radio decided to co-opt the name and retitle it Roctober. We’ve railed about this in the past, but there is now a new bastardization of this period of time.
Apparently, the geniuses that run the marketing for the MINI line of automobiles have coined the phrase: MotorTober. I’m sure your initial reaction was just like mine – this will clearly compel me to go out and buy a brand new car. To their credit, the automaker admits that this is a “cheeky way to invite people into their nearest MINI showroom during the month of OCTOBER to test drive a new MINI.” Are you not motivated?
The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – along with our analytical partners from XTRENDS – will make better use of our time by dissecting more of the OCTOBER survey. This one ran from SEPTEMBER 12TH through OCTOBER 9TH and unfolded thusly:
Read More…
October 29, 2024
Filed Under: Hot Topics
As the acrid aroma of pumpkin spice wafts through the HVAC system, The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – in a closed order formation with the math mavens from XTRENDS – bring you another scintillating round of crackerjack ratings analysis. Also, as the baseball playoffs continue to unfold, we are here to reveal an amazing fact. The numbers nerds at XTRENDS have the uncanny ability to immediately calculate a pitcher’s ERA – in their head! Take that, BILL JAMES!
This is round two of our take on the OCTOBER survey, which ran from SEPTEMBER 12TH through OCTOBER 9TH. There were no mandatory holiday weekends, football was in full swing and life patterns were reset to their factory settings. Here’s what happened:
Read More…
October 28, 2024
Filed Under: Hot Topics
Ahhh, OCTOBER. The foliage, the taint of pumpkin spice on, well, everything, and the MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL post-season. The time when the biggest question on everyone’s mind in – why do fans boo when the visiting pitcher attempts a pick-off? Truly one of the most profound mysteries of our time.
The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – along with the seam savants from XTRENDS – bring you the latest in the NIELSEN numbers. The OCTOBER survey spanned the period from SEPTEMBER 12th through OCTOBER 9th. There were no federally-mandated holiday breaks, most people had settled into their regular schedules, and the election buzz was intensifying. Here’s how it affected the radio landscape:
Read More…
October 24, 2024
Filed Under: Hot Topics
For as long as I can remember, the holy grail of radio demographics has been 25-54. The cynics among us have often said this is a family reunion, not a homogenous group of people. To put this in contemporary terms, a 25-year-old is a digital native while a 54-year-old is a digital immigrant.
The fact is that radio’s demographics are aging. Look at your market and you’ll see that one of the strongest demos for radio listening is 55-64. Countless formats depend on – and deliver – rock star-level shares with this group. Classic Hits, Classic Rock, Adult Hits, News/Talk, Talk, Sports, and Urban AC all play extremely well with the age cell.
Yet, the sales target remains the same as it ever was. As a result, programmers do whatever they can to avoid those 55-64 listeners.
Read More…
October 17, 2024
Filed Under: Hot Topics
The buzz about the upcoming three-minute qualifier in the PPM measurement world has captured the industry. Without question, this will be a boon for our medium.
So let’s talk about the gaping hole that will still exist in PPM measurement. According to Edison’s Share of Ear, AM/FM radio (including streaming) is the dominant ad-supported platform, with an overall share of 68%. To state the obvious – the streaming portion of this audience is a huge, largely unmeasured market.
Read More…
October 10, 2024
Filed Under: Hot Topics
This time of year is special in my family. Last week my parents celebrated their 42nd anniversary; my wife and I will celebrate eight years of marriage on October 21st; and my mom was born on October 5th, 19*ahem* (don’t worry mom, I would never give that up).
What does this have to do with you? Well, you can learn a lot about your listeners’ milestones if you have access to quantitative data like Scarborough, Media Audit, and others.
Read More…
October 4, 2024
Filed Under: Hot Topics
After you do this stuff for a while, that old cliché becomes reality – the more things change, the more they stay the same. Month after month, survey after survey, the usual suspects are generally seen at the top of the ratings leaderboard. There was a time when we would see volatility – especially in the 25-54 sector. Now it seems like the status is quo in almost every demo except for those 18-34 young’uns. Is this because they are fickle and have little brand loyalty to radio? Or are they so screen-distracted that they cannot focus long enough on – squirrel! It will be interesting to see how the upcoming three-minute qualifier affects this.
The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC – in alignment with the number-crunching pishogues from XTRENDS – bring you our final installment of the SEPTEMBER survey. This ran from AUGUST 15TH through SEPTEMBER 11TH. School buses were on the streets, football was back, and there was a three-day weekend wedged in there as well. Here’s how it all played out:
Read More…
