Rajar Warns Of Drop In Reach In New Survey

RAJAR, following various press reports that radio stations were unhappy with latest RAJAR data has issued a statement outlining the changes that the new methodology has brought.

The increasing numbers of radio services meant RAJAR had to introduce a new diary format for respondents, a stick-in diary or PPD (Personal Pre-list Diary). RAJAR has now analysed the changes this different format has meant;

* Virtually all services, at national and local level, report an absolute drop in weekly reach * For each service there is a corresponding reduction in those listeners who listen for a short period of time. * Total radio listening shows a small increase in hours of listening for adults but a decrease for children * Many but NOT all services show a similar audience share and a similar daily reach to the previous system.

A key problem, which did not occur in the pilot test was a failure by respondents to stick in sufficient labels. New procedures should rectify this shortfall for Quarter 1 1996, and RAJAR expects this will pick up more of the lighter listeners. However, this means that the data for Quarter 4 1995 will include a method of ascription for lighter listening; ie the data will be modelled using data from Q2 to add back in the lighter listeners, thus making the Q4 data slightly more comparable than it would otherwise be.

Roger Gane said that there are only plans to model the Q4 data, and that (subject to checking) the correction of the label shortfall should mean that this will be the only instance necessary for the modelling.

Rajar Q4 1995 data is due to be released in February.

RAJAR: 0171 584 3003