David Gleason's explanation of how Radio Research is done

Radio Research: The Varieties
Finding Out About the Audience

Arbitron uses the Personal People Meter (or PPM) in the top 48 markets to determine its radio listening estimates. Here I am holding my "Old PPM" (right) and the "new and improved" PPM (left) to show what a meter looks like and how big it is.

Much has been written about radio research. Some of my favorite articles are available on this page. And I am going to add a few observations of my own.

Arbitron is not the only radio research!

There are two broad areas of research of interest to radio programmers. First, and best known, is audience measurement research. Arbitron is the principal provider of this research in the United States and Puerto Rico.

Arbitron ratings or "audience estimates" are radio's report card. They tell us how well we have done at what we do. Arbitron reports are a snapshot of any station's performance at one point in time against all other competing stations.

Click Logo to go to Arbitron Website

Programmers should be most interested in the area of research which delves into the music and programming taste of existing and potential listeners. Among the types of research products available are perceptual research, format searches, auditorium music tests and call-out music research.

Armed with good research, a good programmer can build a great, winning radio station. Of course, a bad programmer can not be saved with good research. Research is a tool, and best used by sensible, intuitive programmers who can combine hard, quantified facts with the art of radio programming.

Selected Radio Research Companies

Broadcast Architecture
Coleman Insights
(Includes Free Reports on PPM, New Music, etc.)
Mercury Media Research
(Free and valuable blog)
Edison Media Research
(Excellent study on youth and media)

Some of the Radio Research Providers
(click one to go to their website)

I have been involved with music research since 1980 and have done perceptual projects such as focus groups and personal interviews with listeners since the mid-sixties. It's quickly learned what a valuable aid information can be. And it is easy to realize how failure to analyze before implementation is a formula for disaster; research alone will not solve problems, but the well planned implementation of research will contribute to success.

It is amazing how arrogant and disrespectful a programmer can be when they believe they "know what the listeners want" without ever asking the listeners what that is.

Radio is not a pure art form. It is a mixture of inspiration and information. Here is some information you may find useful and even inspiring. Click on any of them!