MRG MEETING – RAJAR

Last night’s MRG meeting asked the question ‘Rajar – How is radio’s new baby shaping up?’ John Stockley and Steven Finch from RSL reviewed the methodology involved and examined some of the results. Then Justin Sampson of the Radio Advertising Bureau asked ‘Is promiscuity good for you?’ and examined how increased choice is effecting listening patterns.

Forthcoming MRG meetings will include a ‘best of’ the Amsterdam Conference evening and an evening covering the tracking of video ads.

RAJAR: HOW IS RADIO’S NEW BABY SHAPING UP – JOHN STOCKLEY & STEVEN FINCH

John Stockley began by asking how radio’s baby is doing one year on? He believes it is doing fine, is healthy, putting on weight and maturing.

He recalled the gasps of disbelief at the first set of Rajar data released and then went on to examine some of the data from the first 4 Rajar surveys.

Stockley stressed that no real year-on- year comparisons can be made until the quarter 4 1993 data is released next January. What appears to be changes in listenership patterns may be due to seasonal variations rather than longterm trends. Steven Finch then exmained some of the technical details of the survey. The sample requirements currently have to allow for 160 radio services and the overlap in transmission areas mean there are 350 segments of different listening areas in the country. The order of stations listed in the diary is rotated resulting in 925 different diaries throughout the UK.

He then mmoved on to reponse rates. The response has been constant for the 4 surveys conducted so far, with 85% of diaries distributed in each quarter returned in a usable condition. Contact is made with 1 person in a household and diaries are left with them for allmembers of that houshold. Response rates among the points of contact are higher (89%) than for the other members (82%).

Finch then explained how the diaries are processed using an optical scanning machine to record the data.

RAJAR: IS PROMISCUITY GOOD FOR YOU – JUSTIN SAMPSON

Justin Sampson of the Radio Advertising Bureau presented part of a paper he delivered at the AIRC Programmers Conference in June. Sampson asked if increased choice is leading to promiscuity and a subsequent dissipation if the strong relationship that listeners have with radio, or are listeners able to choose a station that even more reflects their own values.

In looking at the question of how increased choice has affected listening behaviour he defines 4 variables of radio listening which can be indicators of loyalty to stations.

Indicators Of Loyalty

• No of stations per week

• Weight of listening to a station

• Proportion of listening time with station

• Habituality of listening

Sampson examined these indicators by using 4 different radio market places. The average number of stations tuned into in each area gives an indication that increased choice is leading to increased station listening.

There is an indication that increased choice is leading to increased radio listening occasions. A pattern has emerged suggesting the higher a station’s reach then the higher the loyalty of that station. Stations which have a low reach appear to be used by listeners as top up listening to their main station.

% Of Listeners Who Listen To No Other

Service

Another measure of loyalty is to analyse the percentage of a listeners’ total listening time spent with one station.

Listener Retention

% Total Lstnng Time Spent With Station

In summary Sampson feels that promiscuity is good for commercial radio. Listeners are changing their listening habits to take on board the increased choice. He suggests that because the new stations are targeting groups of listeners with new formats to the UK, the size and loyalty of the BBC’s audiences is diminishing.