Get A (Spot) Load O' this

[Radknowski]

Empower's new study shows that major-market radio is less cluttered than TV.
Julie Pahutski says "there's a perception of radio as being a very cluttered medium" - though the latest research shows that radio's spotload in many markets has fallen below 10 minutes an hour. While TV averages 12 to 14 minutes and (says Empower) magazines "typically are about 50% advertising." Empower MediaMarketing says its analysis of 15 radio markets shows D.C. and L.A. are the most cluttered. In fact they're the only metros in the study that averaged more than 10 minutes an hour.1

Obviously, Ms. Pahutski hasn't listened to Buffalo1 radio in the last three weeks. But I do love her name. Is it Pa-HUT-ski or Pa-HOOT-ski? In any event, it has a joyous sound to it. Better even that Mrs. Helfinger. The only way it might be better is if it were SOPHIE Pahutski. Anyway, her study is flawed, at least as it might apply to Buffalo. Is it any different in the Flower City?[/Mike]

 

[fredburg97]

Yes, let's discount all research. "It can't possibly be right, because I don't agree with it."

Nice.

 

[SirRoxalot]

Lies, Damnable Lies, and Statistics*

*kudos to Mark Twain, who "got" it...

How about if we discount meaningless research? It's absolutely possible that the spotload in most markets - including Buffalo - averages less than 10 minutes per hour. How meaningful is that when you consider that a number of bit players that average less than 5 minutes per hour get the same weight as big-timers running 14+ minutes per hour during the recent election season?

Television might be smarter than radio in that it runs shorter commercial sets more times per hour. Q107 in Toronto is making an interesting move - no commercial set longer than 2 minutes, but a lot of commercial sets in the hour. It will be interesting to see how ratings react to that approach.

I do know that it was possible during the election run-up to complete your daily Buffalo commute and hear only one song and an interminable stopset if you didn't punch the button. That doesn't serve either the listener or the advertiser.

 

[Radknowski]

Yes, let's discount all research. "It can't possibly be right, because I don't agree with it."

Nice.

Yeah, real nice, Fred (or might that be Jeff?)

Let's accept any "research" that's foisted upon us (for a substantial fee, no doubt) and accept it as absolute. We'll swear by it because a fee was paid for it and it would be corporate-counter-productive to question it, let alone question the parameters on which it's based.

I once worked with a consultant who had a PhD in statistical mathematics. Whenever he brought a 200 page research report to the station, he'd preface his remarks and analysis with a down home disclaimer, "remember, research isn't religion." I learned long ago to "question the questions," in other words, know what's being asked. Ever take a look at the Arbitron Nomograph? There's an eye-opener.

Anybody who plops down a research project and says "here's your answer" is selling you smoke. And anybody with an ear and ten fingers could have determined the research wasn't done in Buffalo over the last 30 days.

I don't discount research because it's reserach, nor because it may have been compiled by somebody who's smarter, more educated and more experienced than I, nor do I accept the musings of charlatans who insist the sky is green. As Bob Dylan prophetically sang, "you don't have to be a weatherman to know which way the wind is blowing."[/Truly Out. Mike]

 

[Mark_Giardina]

Empower's new study shows that major-market radio is less cluttered than TV.
Julie Pahutski says "there's a perception of radio as being a very cluttered medium" - though the latest research shows that radio's spotload in many markets has fallen below 10 minutes an hour. While TV averages 12 to 14 minutes and (says Empower) magazines "typically are about 50% advertising." Empower MediaMarketing says its analysis of 15 radio markets shows D.C. and L.A. are the most cluttered. In fact they're the only metros in the study that averaged more than 10 minutes an hour.1

This person also never listened to Rochester radio. It takes me 20 minutes (on a good day) to travel from my house to downtown. During that time span I was listening to an FM music station and most of the drive consisted of listening to nothing but commercials and "we will be right back with more music" promos. I heard just two songs during that time. If that's the "less is more policy", more is winning.