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A couple of items.
I heard a lot about electronic audience measurement while at
the NAB a few weeks ago….some pro some con.
All I know is in this radio industry we need a PPM or some
other electronic device to create listenership accuracy. The
tests results that have been published so far are nothing
new to knowledgeable programmers. For example, we have known
for years that the top of the hour mystique does not exist.
We know that listeners don’t write down their real listening
times...but an electronic measurement will give us the real
world. We have known for years by ROI (yep, return of
investment) that radio beats the hell out of our media
competitors in ROI most of the time. And the reason for
winning the ROI battle is that there are twice as many
listeners (my estimate, but it is close) who listen to the
radio weekly according to PPM than the diary method. We have
known/guessed that we have more audience mid-day, in the
evenings and weekend…just like PPM states. What I didn’t
know for sure…because of the morning drive blockbuster diary
listenership tabulation…is that mornings has twenty percent
fewer (approximate) PPM listener measurement than the
diaries. So what??? We now have twice as many listeners all
other times as we thought all along….we are now in the
circulation business to a great extent…but we still have a
wonderful AQH as well to also sell. Let me put it another
way…please someone hire me to sell mid-days with the
increased electronic results. I ask not for a salary, but
only a percentage of the INCREASE of advertising that I will
sell monthly. Hey, I’ll be opening bank accounts all over
town. Everyone else can sell morning and afternoon drive.
I’ll make a fortune selling the electronic mid-days. Or
heck, if mid-days are taken give me the weekend and/or
nighttimes. I can assure you my new rate card will reflect
at least a twenty per cent increase just as the electronic
listening measurement dictates. So…what I see for the top
fifty markets is a new twenty percent audience/revenue gold
mine. As I have written before I am concerned that the
smaller markets…under market size 50….will not have the
bucks to buy into an electronic system and will be stranded
with the diary method….but I sure hope I am wrong.
Another fun thing is happening. I am writing to you from
Palestine, Texas, where my Dallas, Texas, brother in law
Bubba (I have written about him in the past) and his
partners closed on the purchase of a terrific AM-FM combo. I
am in Palestine for a week to help with the transition of
control. Bubba and his partners are in a lot of businesses
such as banking, enormous real estate holdings, a management
company, a title company, etc. This is their first venture
into radio and I am having a great time watching Bubba get
his arms around radio like the other 44 businesses he runs.
It is terrific. Bubba is a non practicing attorney who is
very, very bright….and I can assure you that he will be a
terrific radio owner. I have already taught him LOCAL,
LOCAL, LOCAL. He gets it. From time to time I will write
about new radio ideas from his fertile brain. You will find
them refreshing. I have watched him become successful over
the years….I WAS THERE to watch…...and I am now HERE
watching with admiration!!!!
e-mail Kent
kent@kentburkhart.com
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