June 12, 2024
Welcome back to another episode of that popular radio game show: What’s up with the numbers? We have a new batch of contestants ready to confront their demons or celebrate their victories. The stakes are high but so are the rewards. As always, your hosts are The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. (or, as spell-check suggested, the “ravings” experts) as well as those spreadsheet superstars from XTRENDS.
The MAY survey ran from APRIL 25TH through MAY 22ND. There were no official three-day weekends, but we celebrated Mom, nerded out on STAR WARS, and saluted our Armed Forces.
Let the games begin….
Read More…
June 11, 2024
Every 28 days there are people – like you – who are experiencing the ebbs and flows of the NIELSEN ratings cycle. Sure, you may have some clues as to how the book will turn out prior to its release, but nothing quite matches the emotional anticipation of that data download. Is it going to be a good day with fist pumps abounding? Will it be a day for self-reflection and navel-gazing? Or will it be a “meh” experience? Whichever way the meter turns, The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – along with a significant contribution from the math mages from XTRENDS – are here to put it all into perspective.
Our current subject is MAY. A survey that began on APRIL 25TH and reached its resolution on MAY 22ND. We celebrated Mom, our Armed Forces, and a sci-fi franchise. Other than that, life was whatever passes for normal these days…. Read More…
June 10, 2024
Like crabgrass in your lawn, The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – along with the data diviners from XTRENDS – are back to take another stab at the ratings. This is our first look at the MAY survey, which ran from APRIL 25TH through MAY 22ND. There were several notable celebrations during the month: Mom, CINCO DE MAYO, and that totally nerdy day devoted to the STAR WARS franchise. Oddly enough, it was the second survey in a row that did not contain a federally-mandated three-day weekend. Go figure.
Fasten your seat belt, and keep your arms and legs in the vehicle at all times. We’re in for a bumpy ride.
Read More…
June 6, 2024
With apologies to Charles Dickens and the Tale of Two Cities, we’re analyzing the best of times and the worst of times … well, actually decades …
If you haven’t seen it yet, I encourage you to scroll through the crosstabs from the recent YouGov study. You likely saw the headlines in trades about the respondents’ attitudes towards radio (more on that in a bit). However, the entire study probed a wide variety of topics and was organized along a best/worst axis.
Read More…
May 23, 2024
You’ve probably read the recent report from Alan Burns & Associates about what women want from radio. If you haven’t then I urge you to do so – especially if you are programming a station that targets women.
Being the data geeks that we are, this comprehensive report was a wealth of information about the radio wants and desires for women. What struck me was that their overall feeling about AM/FM radio was positive.
Read More…
