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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.
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