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Are They Listening More or Less?
February 23, 2015
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. Among a sample of over 2000 respondents in the latest NuVoodoo Ratings Prospect Study, among those using radio at a sufficient level to show up in the ratings, we see that TSL momentum - how many are listening more compared to how many are listening less - is slightly positive overall and only negative in the aggregate among a handful of music format partisans. We hate seeing any respondents reporting that they're listening less to Broadcast Radio, but it's heartening to see a slightly larger group of respondents report that they're listening more in the past six months.
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Among a sample of over 2000 respondents in the latest NuVoodoo Ratings Prospect Study, among those using radio at a sufficient level to show up in the ratings, we see that TSL momentum – how many are listening more compared to how many are listening less – is slightly positive overall and only negative in the aggregate among a handful of music format partisans. We hate seeing any respondents reporting that they’re listening less to Broadcast Radio, but it’s heartening to see a slightly larger group of respondents report that they’re listening more in the past six months.Â
When we isolate the 12.4% reporting less usage and ask what’s caused them to listen less, the top answer is too many commercials. As well, there’s lots of trial going on with alternative delivery systems. And, hidden in the pack of the top answers is they simply have less time to listen.Â
Conversely, among the 14.5% reporting more usage, the number one response is that they have more time to listen. While local news events and sports teams can have an impact as well, better station programming has a huge impact here – both in terms of getting the music right and hosts who connect with listeners. Though the numbers are smaller, there’s clear impact for both station contests and external advertising.Â
We can’t grant people more time to listen. Realistically, we may not be able to reduce inventory (though it’s worth reviewing what stations sounded like with the lower inventory limits that were common in the 80’s – it really was better). We can’t have an impact on the emergence of new listening options, but we can continue to invest time and resources in making the music we play as perfect as possible for those who tune in. We can invest in hosts who connect with listeners and make them want to listen every day (and sometimes get them to extend a listening occasion, because the content is just that compelling).Â
We’ve written in the past about how contesting connects with the same psychographic that is likely to participate in the ratings. So, contests can be effective in adding to the value proposition that a station presents. We know from experience that advertising can have an impact, but it needs to connect with the right people at the right moment.Â
Next week we’ll take a look at the TSL momentum of Pandora – and what causes some people to listen more…and causes others to listen less.
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