NIELSEN RUNS INTO FLACK ABOUT COST OF ITS NEW CONTINUOUS MEASUREMENT IN DIARY MARKETS

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Page from an actual Nielsen Audio Diary

Nielsen Audio announced early in 2019 that it’s new monthly continuous audience measurement in Diary markets will give stations and clients a quicker read on format flips and other market changes and give radio more credibility with advertisers. However, Nielsen failed to provide notice that prices for the data will rise.

According to a report in Inside Radio [link], stations will see rate hikes in the range of 5%-12% for the monthly ratings. The changes will begin in July 2019.

It is unknown whether public radio stations (and other noncom stations) will see rate hikes or how much the rate hikes might be. Carl Nelson, Manager of Client Services for the Radio Research Consortium (RRC) told Spark News in an email:

“RRC has not yet been offered a to-be-negotiated addendum to our Nielsen contract, so we currently don’t have any information about increases in rates for noncommercial radio stations.”

Inside Radio reported that many clients say they were broadsided by the price increase. They complained that they new higher costs were not disclosed early enough for budgeting purposes. Some clients has reportedly said they will not pay the new fees and leave Nielsen.

Continuous measurement for Diary markets has been discussed for several years. Nielsen clients in the largest markets have had monthly audience reports for quite a while via PPM methodology.

Because smaller market stations typically have less money for research, Nielsen Audio’s Advisory Council advised that there be no price increases.

When Nielsen initially presented the package of 12 “currency-grade reports” a year, based on a rolling sample, stations were excited. The new higher fees have damped that enthusiasm. Station managers were also disappointed when they learned the sample size for survey was not going to be increased. Nielsen Audio will be using the same number of respondents, but will spread the data over longer periods of time.

There is no word about when noncommercial stations in Diary markets will know what they will be asked to pay for the ratings,

MORE MARKETS WHERE NPR NEWS/TALK STATIONS ARE THE TOP RADIO NEWS SOURCE

In some Diary methodology markets, Nielsen Audio has been surveying radio listening four times a year. The Winter Quarter results are now being released. Few public radio stations buy all four reports – most have been getting only Spring and Fall Quarter “books.”

However, we found three Winter Quarter results with something for noncom stations to crow about.

In Richmond WCVE is the top radio news source.  WCVE has surged above Entercom’s commercial news/talk station WRVA.

Also, WCVE’s new full-time Classical music station seems to be establishing itself.

Other stations typically seen in Spring and Fall reports (WNRN, WVTF, etc.) are not available because they don’t subscribe to Nielsen’s Winter survey.

It is the same deal in Tucson. NPR News/Talk KUAZ now dominates iHeart’s KNST.

Also, KUAZ’s sister station KUAT, airing full-time Classical music, had a nice “bump” in the Winter book.

We wish we Nielsen number for AAA KXCI, a nifty community station that plays a spicy blend of tunes.

There is something new in New Orleans. Congratulations to Paul Maassen and the crew at WWNO for the strong initial showing by Classical 104.9 FM, a 24/7 Classical music station. The programming originates on WWNO HD-2 and then is repeated on a translator at 104.9 FM, where the listeners are.

In the radio news competition, NPR News/Talk WWNO continues to climb but still trails iHeart’s WRNO and Entercom’s WWL.