I was called for a radio survey

[mary]

when they found out I was over 54, they did not want to talk to me :-( Really stinks that over 54 your not eligible. I know many people over 54 that enjoy radio like I do. I should have lied, but wanted to see what they would do, I kinda knew it. :-( anybody over 54 on here? The advertisers thinks we don't buy, they are full of it, many do.

 

[BruceS8852]

Mary - you are the most distinguished listener of New York radio. Any radio station over the air or online should be honored to have you as a listener.

Bruce

 

[Silkie]

mary, they know you buy, but they also know that we are over it and spend sensibly for the best.

 

[TonySantiago]

Hey Mary,

I'm not over 54......yet but will be there soon enough.

My guess is that they were wondering if you use sun tan booths, get Brazilian Bikini Waxes, finding out where you're going for Spring Break, etc . Don't take offense. You matter! Everyone matters

 

[Silkie]

That's right. You have some time to think about it before they call again too. They will call again.

 

[radiopromoguy]

Many times radio surveys are done by specific stations. Don't take it personally... You just might be out of the demographic that that particular station targets.

 

[davideduardo]

Many times radio surveys are done by specific stations. Don't take it personally... You just might be out of the demographic that that particular station targets.

I don't know of any commercial station that would target 55+, and most stations will not even research the higher end of 25-54. A 35-54 targeted format would likely research 35-49, as nothing that the 50-54's might be different on would influence programming to the younger part of the target.

 

[Tom Wells]

OK. If called, I promise to lie about my age, because my tastes haven't changed.

 

[davideduardo]

OK. If called, I promise to lie about my age, because my tastes haven't changed.

Stations conducting research don't just stop with an age "gate."

Screening is typically several tiers deep. First, they determine if a respondent fits the age requirements. Then they will find out if they listen to radio "enough" to be useful... often a minimum of 10 hours a week or an hour or two a day would be required. Then they will find out the favorite stations, and ask how much they listen to each.

If the respondent fits the requirements, and listens enough to "your" station or one that is being targeted as a competitor and then they go through a questionnaire.

If you don't trigger the right gates to open, you will be thanked and dismissed.

 

[FrankF]

OK. If called, I promise to lie about my age, because my tastes haven't changed.

Stations conducting research don't just stop with an age "gate."

Screening is typically several tiers deep. First, they determine if a respondent fits the age requirements. Then they will find out if they listen to radio "enough" to be useful... often a minimum of 10 hours a week or an hour or two a day would be required. Then they will find out the favorite stations, and ask how much they listen to each.

If the respondent fits the requirements, and listens enough to "your" station or one that is being targeted as a competitor and then they go through a questionnaire.

If you don't trigger the right gates to open, you will be thanked and dismissed.

This had happened to me a few months back. I was asked those questions and once I told them I listened to Sirius most of the time, I was thanked and dismissed.

 

[ansky212]

Be careful when agreeing to respond to any survey over the phone. I did it once for some product and then I started getting calls with surveys every 2 days. Got really annoying...

 

[Silkie]

Better to refuse. They call again in a few weeks, and again and again until they decide to mail you $2. Then they call again to see if you got it and will participate in their survey. Continue refusing and they send you five one dollar bills ("Where's George"?).

That's how Arbitron does it anyway.

 

[CTListener]

Better to refuse. They call again in a few weeks, and again and again until they decide to mail you $2. Then they call again to see if you got it and will participate in their survey. Continue refusing and they send you five one dollar bills ("Where's George"?).

That's how Arbitron does it anyway.

I kept a diary for Arbitron (pre-PPM) a couple of years ago, when I was 54. I told them how old I was, I mentioned that I listened a lot to XM, out-of-market stations via the internet, even shortwave -- they still mailed me the diary, but said I could leave the shortwave stations out. ;D I was just re-contacted by them last month and took that preliminary interview again but never got a meter. Maybe I'm too old at 56.

 

[jhguthlac]

You should keep the age 54. Once you are over that, nobody cares about your opinions, listening choices, etc. I'm 60 BTW! For surveys though, I'm 54!

 

[Big Jay]

Mary, what actually may have happened is that they reached their limit of 25-54 or 55+ females for that geographical area. It may be just that simple. I agree with a previous poster. If ANYONE is the ultimate user of radio, it s you! And unlike us folks on the air, you can TAKE a survey. BE BIG! www.BigJaySorensen.com

 

[landtuna]

Calls to my home phone have 5 milliseconds to identify themselves or they get the dial tone. I am very intolerant of businesses that interrupt my peace and quiet. ;D

 

[davideduardo]

I kept a diary for Arbitron (pre-PPM) a couple of years ago, when I was 54. I told them how old I was, I mentioned that I listened a lot to XM, out-of-market stations via the internet, even shortwave -- they still mailed me the diary, but said I could leave the shortwave stations out. ;D I was just re-contacted by them last month and took that preliminary interview again but never got a meter. Maybe I'm too old at 56.

Ratings measure everyone age six and above. PPM is more household based, and unless all members of a household or dwelling unit participate, they are not accepted.

Arbitron does not care what you listen to or even whether you listen at all. Their job is to measure a representative cross sample of the population, which will include heavy user and non users and everything in between.

On the other hand, a radio station will have a very specific research target as to age, amount of listening, gender, ethnicity, etc. Anyone outside this target will be rejected.

 

[CTListener]

I kept a diary for Arbitron (pre-PPM) a couple of years ago, when I was 54. I told them how old I was, I mentioned that I listened a lot to XM, out-of-market stations via the internet, even shortwave -- they still mailed me the diary, but said I could leave the shortwave stations out. ;D I was just re-contacted by them last month and took that preliminary interview again but never got a meter. Maybe I'm too old at 56.

Ratings measure everyone age six and above. PPM is more household based, and unless all members of a household or dwelling unit participate, they are not accepted.

Arbitron does not care what you listen to or even whether you listen at all. Their job is to measure a representative cross sample of the population, which will include heavy user and non users and everything in between.

On the other hand, a radio station will have a very specific research target as to age, amount of listening, gender, ethnicity, etc. Anyone outside this target will be rejected.

So why was I asked how much I listen to radio and the stations I'd listened to in the past 24 hours in that preliminary interview? Once I told them I was willing to participate and there was no one else in the household, I should have been good to go, if nothing else mattered.

 

[Groove1670]

I don't know of any commercial station that would target 55+, and most stations will not even research the higher end of 25-54. A 35-54 targeted format would likely research 35-49, as nothing that the 50-54's might be different on would influence programming to the younger part of the target.

Bottom line. Speaking for myself. After you reach your mid 40's (like myself) you are pretty set in your buying decisions.. meaning it is difficult for me to buy or try new stuff. As a retail business owner also, it is easier for me to sell products and services to the under 40 crowd. Us over 40 folks worry about what tomorrow will bring (especially with the economy). Younger demos, no so much.

 

[davideduardo]

I kept a diary for Arbitron (pre-PPM) a couple of years ago, when I was 54. I told them how old I was, I mentioned that I listened a lot to XM, out-of-market stations via the internet, even shortwave -- they still mailed me the diary, but said I could leave the shortwave stations out. ;D I was just re-contacted by them last month and took that preliminary interview again but never got a meter. Maybe I'm too old at 56.

Ratings measure everyone age six and above. PPM is more household based, and unless all members of a household or dwelling unit participate, they are not accepted.

Arbitron does not care what you listen to or even whether you listen at all. Their job is to measure a representative cross sample of the population, which will include heavy user and non users and everything in between.

On the other hand, a radio station will have a very specific research target as to age, amount of listening, gender, ethnicity, etc. Anyone outside this target will be rejected.

So why was I asked how much I listen to radio and the stations I'd listened to in the past 24 hours in that preliminary interview? Once I told them I was willing to participate and there was no one else in the household, I should have been good to go, if nothing else mattered.

Probably the stations you listenend to were not the ones the client had specified, or you did not listen enough to the right ones.

Arbitron will use some warm up questions on the phone, but they will not ask about how much you listen in any period of time. No arbitron listening data is collected on the phone.