Radio is changing faster than ever. If media buyers and marketers are to keep up with performance in this accelerating market, BBM must move toward continuous measurement.
BBM Radio is already reviewing practices related to sample size, as well as frequency of measurement and reporting. But media players are still only making decisions based on two survey releases per year in most markets and three in the larger markets – and each is only based on a limited number of weeks. (BBM currently only surveys eight weeks for each of the Fall and Spring surveys in most markets, and four weeks during the summer in larger markets only.)
Our experience with buying extensive amounts of radio here in Canada and throughout the U.S. has convinced us that we need data to be released quarterly. Why?
1) The radio industry has seen an unprecedented number of format changes in the last two years. By the time BBM releases a survey for any given market, stations will have likely changed format, thereby rendering much of the data for the ‘current’ survey useless. If a station changes format in November, then its performance can’t be gauged until late May. Many a radio dollar is spent over the course of these six months, and those estimates are often a shot in the dark.
2) Continuous measurement will provide some consistency throughout the year in order to help gauge listening patterns, as opposed to relying on just 16 to 20 weeks. Under the current method, November, December, January, May and June are completely disregarded.
3) Radio stations save their more lucrative promotions for the survey periods in an attempt to ‘buy the book’ by offering prizes like cars, houses, or cash. This brings into question the reliability of data based on a contest that only runs for a short period of time. It also forces all stations to spend against each other only twice yearly, as opposed to strategically planning campaigns to reach listeners throughout the year.
4) Television audiences are currently measured and reported on a daily basis, thereby providing buyers and clients with timely data. It’s a key feature when selling the media. The lag in radio reporting of up to six months is resulting in a serious credibility issue for the industry overall. If TV can manage ongoing measurement, albeit with a much larger revenue base, can radio not replicate this model at least in key markets?
5) Continuous measurement will add to the cost of the survey process. However, assuming that BBM currently employs part-timers thrice yearly, the organization may see cost savings by maintaining a stable workforce. As well, we hope that the funds currently spent by broadcasters on interim proprietary studies can be directed towards BBM in order to benefit the entire industry. Proprietary studies tend to be self-serving and do not carry the same credibility with buyers that BBM does.
The industry experimented with continuous measurement for a time back in the ’90s by using rolling averages. Granted, it experienced some problems (notable among them were small samples sizes and data interpretation), but the concept was, and still is, viable.
Perhaps we can look to Arbitron in the U.S. as a guideline.
Arbitron essentially employs continuous measurement by surveying 48 weeks, supported by quarterly reporting periods. (Monthly data is also made available to broadcasters, although this data is broader in nature and tends to be used only as a point of reference between surveys.) Thus U.S. buyers are provided with much more timely data than what we have here in Canada.
BBM’s adoption of four releases per year will offer a reasonable solution to bridge the currently ineffective timeline between surveys. Ideally, we would recommend monthly reporting of broader based data, but we appreciate that financial constraints may preclude this as an option.
The change towards continuous measurement and quarterly reporting will require our industry to educate sellers and buyers in the best ways to use the data. In the U.S., for example, it is common for buyers to average surveys, whereas we rarely do that here in Canada.
More timely data will provide us the flexibility to determine what the best practices are.
Marilyn Sherman is VP, media and Ed Weiss is VP, associate media director at Toronto’s Echo Advertising. They can be reached at
msherman@echoadvertising.com and eweiss@echoadvertising.com.
