Posted on 11/12/2007 5:26:08 AM PST by MindBender26
The test of a new method for measuring radio audience in New York showed big ratings declines for stations appealing to blacks and Hispanics last week, causing considerable consternation among station owners and programmers.
Arbitron, which measures ratings for the radio industry, has been testing a new electronic measurement tool that monitors exposure to radio stations throughout the day. The results of the so-called personal people meter in New York followed the pattern set by two earlier tests, in Houston and Philadelphia, in which stations appealing to minorities also fell.
The results also seem to echo a decline in ratings for minority television programs when Nielsen Media Research switched its measurement system in 2004. The change led to an intense lobbying effort by networks and some black leaders to postpone the widespread introduction of the new ratings system.
In Arbitron’s New York test, WPAT 93.1, a Spanish-language adult contemporary station, was ranked No. 7 in Arbitron’s summer ratings but fell to No. 19 in October’s personal people meter test among 25- to 54-year-olds. Sister station WSKQ 97.9 dropped from No. 4 to No. 7.
“No format changes were made. This is the same music, the same on-air personalities, and yet we’ve seen severe shifts in reported listening,” Frank Flores, the general manager of the WSKQ and WPAT, said.
Other stations with high proportions of minority listeners were similarly affected. The urban adult contemporary station WBLS 107.5 dropped from No. 1 to No. 12. The urban contemporary station WRKS 98.7 fell from No. 3 to No. 9.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
No listeners? No ads dollars. (Ala Air America)
RIP
So minorities either were less accurate in their estimates of listening time for particular stations or lied. Wierd result that their would be a difference between minorities and whites on that.
I think it's just as likely that the people doing the tallying were fudging the numbers in the name of "diversity". Or perhaps both, explaining the large drop for some stations.
Accurate rating system developed. Women and children hardest hit...
Yes but Mark Levin’s ratings are way up with this new method!
I imagine Congress will be wanting to take a look at this.
Well, the new methodology measures personal exposure to the broadcast. Since Mark Levin's voice can cut through sheetrock, lumber and steel, one radio tuned to his program can expose an entire apartment block!
Before or after they look into steroids in baseball and lifestyles of the rich and famous preachers?
Another possible title would have been, “Minority businesses to pay less to advertise; profits to rise.” But noooo, that would be too positive.
causing considerable consternation among station owners and programmers.
That makes more sense.
“Minority businesses to pay less to advertise; profits to rise.” But noooo, that would be too positive.
___________________
You are right!
Congress will insist that they implement a “progressive” rating system where the disadvantaged listeners are weighted more in calculating Arbitron numbers.
In any news outlet, the way a story effects a media company will be, by far, the most important thing. It is like when a rancher hears a cow was hit by a truck, he is more likely to be concerned about the cow than the driver.
But you are right. This story means that minority businesses have been overcharged for advertising for years. That is the real scandal, here.
Women and MINORITIES hit hardest.
So, now that there is an accurate way to measure listeners, the minorities want to go back to the "paper ballot". Does this sound familiar?
Reminds me of back in the early 1980's when gays made an intense lobbing effort to squash information about the outbreak of Aids and how it would adversely affect public perception of gays. Meanwhile, millions got death sentences.
Witholding info is never a good thing in a free society!
I want to go back to electronic voting with back up paper ballots. Optically scanned paper ballots with the ballots kept on file.
I don’t know if any minorities want to go back to the paper ballot, but I KNOW air America does. Does air America have any minority on air talent?
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