Which group of radio listeners is most influential when it comes to radio ratings?
For radio programmers, the questions don’t get much bigger. Intuitively, it would seem like the power listeners would fit the bill, given their extensive exposure during a typical week. Surprisingly, however, Nielsen research shows that there’s more influence in the middle of the road than at the extremes, and those findings hold true across portable people meter (PPM) and diary listeners.
To arrive at these findings for PPM listeners, Nielsen broke down some behind-the-scenes data and examined raw listening numbers for the broad spectrum of listener types aged 25 to 54. When they plotted the findings across a traditional two-axis graph, Nielsen found that the ratings impact was far greater among the group of listeners who are using the station in moderate levels each week, but aren’t necessarily super-users.
To illustrate, the chart below includes plotted raw listening data over a three-month period from a major classic hits station in a major market from several years ago. The vertical axis is for the raw quarter-hours of listening time, while the horizontal axis plots the total number of panelists exposed to the station.
So while it’s important to maintain the loyalty of the super-listener, it’s worth paying more attention to the listeners who have the potential to be true ratings makers—the ones you can cultivate into heavier users.
