I was called for a radio survey

[Wildstyle K]

Well it sucks to see that even with radio, things (seemingly) don't get any better as you get older. I'm 30, and I was already worried enough about getting older from just turning 30. I already know that before I know it I will be in my 50's because time just seems to keep going by faster and faster. I surely hope there's an afterlife because I don't think the amount of time given on this planet is sufficient.

So I wonder; When I get older, what do I do if I still haven't lost my interest and fascination for radio and music? In addition to being shunned from radio (and other types of) surveys, what do I do when I scan the dial and there are no longer any stations catering to me? How would it feel? Or is it safe to assume that technology will advance and I would not have to worry about those things once the new technological ways of broadcasting are developed? How would it feel to listen to radio when all the hit music superstars are all younger than me? I could only imagine that this would be similar to how I feel listening to Justin Bieber and Demi Lovato, except on a much much wider scale! EVERYONE would sound and look like Justin Bieber and Demi Lovato to me!

And lastly, I wonder how Madonna feels; I felt funny enough just listening to the "kids" on my local rhythmic top 40 station make fun of Madonna because of her age and mentioning how she shouldn't perform during half-time at some event because no one from the younger generation even knows who she is or cares for her! Well... I guess as long as a majority of all the artists I grew up with and loved are still alive (and even making hits), I really don't have much to worry about when it comes to "getting old(er)". Besides... I heard 50 is the new 30, so I guess in that case, I could technically say that I'm 15 1/2.  :-\

What would Britney Spears, Snoop Dogg, or Lady Gaga look like as a senior citizen? Will anyone even remember the beginning of the electro-freestyle sound with Shannon's "let the music play" or Africa Bambaata, Egyptian Lover, or Debbie Deb? Would I still play any of those things? Would people STILL be rapping on everything in... well, 2040?!!? That's not so long away now that I think of it.. I can't imagine "How I met your mother" and "Seinfeld" looking the same way "M*A*S*H", "The Adam's Family"...etc. does right now. Family Guy would be the new Flinstones, and  Conan O'Brien would be the new Johnny Carson! I guess in 2080 and 2090, playing "the best of the 60's and 70's" would have a different meaning...

But then again, when it comes to surveys, maybe I shouldn't worry about being reminded of my age when they dismiss me because in 2040 0r 2050, I'm not so sure that we'd even still be relying on surveys to research and find out what people are doing within their own homes and daily routines of life.... if you catch my drift.. 

 

[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.

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.

Why would I lie about something like this? This was Arbitron calling. I got a first letter with $1 in it, then a phone call, then a second letter with $2 in it, then nothing. And the woman asked me what stations I'd listened to in the past 24 hours, honest.

 

[Groove1670]

So I wonder; When I get older, what do I do if I still haven't lost my interest and fascination for radio and music? In addition to being shunned from radio (and other types of) surveys, what do I do when I scan the dial and there are no longer any stations catering to me? How would it feel? Or is it safe to assume that technology will advance and I would not have to worry about those things once the new technological ways of broadcasting are developed? How would it feel to listen to radio when all the hit music superstars are all younger than me?

Don't think about it. Just enjoy life.

At 45, I am back in the radio business. I missed it, I'm excited. 10 years ago...no Facebook, twitter, apps, etc. I look at them as a tool to ENHANCE radio.

If Madonna was on tour, or the Police, Bon Jovi..etc. They would have bigger crowds and would outsell Beiber, Brittney, (they have) etc. So much for aging stars.

I was recently at a Duran Duran concert, and they had a bigger and more exciting crowd. The other stage a had a current chart topping act. The crowd was leaving because of the profanity, and was tired of the Autotune sound. The were going to the Duran stage.

Yes I like Katy Perry as much as I do the Beatles (I wasn't born when they were at their peak).

As far as performing at Half Time Shows, Tom Petty, the stones made a bigger impact than the Black Eyed Peas :. at the Super Bowl. I was also going to mention Janet Jackson. ;D

Andy Griffith, Leave It To Beaver, and many shows way before my time still air and are very popular. In fact niche networks that air those shows are gaining popularity.

Keep in mind, the 50+ crowd is one (will be) of the largest segments of the population. The problem Madison Ave. is going to have is how to get products and services in their hands.

The change has started. Look at the latest Cadillac commercials. Pretty Hip.

So yes 50... will be the new 30. With advances in medicine, exercise, and active lifestyles. Things are looking pretty bright.

Look out age 50 and radio. Here I come. ;D

 

[davideduardo]

The change has started. Look at the latest Cadillac commercials. Pretty Hip.

Yes, those commercials are aimed at 35-49, with an appeal to the same muscle car spirit that the Camarao and such directed at 25-34. Now it's 400 HP with leather seats. ...but it is still the car my grandmother drove, and I would not drive one were it a gift and they paid me to drive it.

Cadillac is feverishly working to shed the "it's the last car I'll ever own and dadgummit it's going to be a good one" image, just as Chrysler is trying to look Urban and Lincloln is attempting to get rid of the Town Car "I drive the same car that they will drive my surviving family to at my funearal in" feel. Even Mercedes is bringing out a new, euro-styled entry level car to try to reverse the aging of its consumers, which would otherwise kill the marque in time.

 

[badjef]

I'm 55, it's time to die of old age.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[KFodor]

Sometimes if you don't get past the screening...it may not be Arbitron.

Radio stations in markets such as New York also do all types of music research as well by means
of both internet and call out.

If you don't match the age/gender target of that station (or don't mention the right stations),
you will be thanked and given a goodbye.

 

[bigtom101]

Yes, those commercials are aimed at 35-49, with an appeal to the same muscle car spirit that the Camarao and such directed at 25-34. Now it's 400 HP with leather seats. ...but it is still the car my grandmother drove, and I would not drive one were it a gift and they paid me to drive it.

Cadillac is feverishly working to shed the "it's the last car I'll ever own and dadgummit it's going to be a good one" image, just as Chrysler is trying to look Urban and Lincloln is attempting to get rid of the Town Car "I drive the same car that they will drive my surviving family to at my funearal in" feel. Even Mercedes is bringing out a new, euro-styled entry level car to try to reverse the aging of its consumers, which would otherwise kill the marque in time.

I have always loved Caddy's. 23 y/o Jewish male. But that crossover SUV is too small. Give me a DeVille or a Escalde. With the "Superfly" soundtrack in the CD deck...

 

[badjef]

Yes, those commercials are aimed at 35-49, with an appeal to the same muscle car spirit that the Camarao and such directed at 25-34. Now it's 400 HP with leather seats. ...but it is still the car my grandmother drove, and I would not drive one were it a gift and they paid me to drive it.

Cadillac is feverishly working to shed the "it's the last car I'll ever own and dadgummit it's going to be a good one" image, just as Chrysler is trying to look Urban and Lincloln is attempting to get rid of the Town Car "I drive the same car that they will drive my surviving family to at my funearal in" feel. Even Mercedes is bringing out a new, euro-styled entry level car to try to reverse the aging of its consumers, which would otherwise kill the marque in time.

I have always loved Caddy's. 23 y/o Jewish male. But that crossover SUV is too small. Give me a DeVille or a Escalde. With the "Superfly" soundtrack in the CD deck...

"...just be thankful for what you got..."

(This would have more effect with musical notes instead of quotation marks)

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[mary]

got called again, I hung up on them this time

 

[Silkie]

See that? Told ya they would call you back.

 

[bigtom101]

I have always loved Caddy's. 23 y/o Jewish male. But that crossover SUV is too small. Give me a DeVille or a Escalde. With the "Superfly" soundtrack in the CD deck...

"...just be thankful for what you got..."

(This would have more effect with musical notes instead of quotation marks)

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

William DeVaughn would work too...

"Diamond in the back, sunroof top...diggin the scene with a gangsta lean..."

Midnight blue DHS. Chrome wheels please with whitewalls...

 

[blackgold]

When I got called for a radio survey, the lady just kept asking questions ad nauseaum! I tried to hang up, but I was bullied into continuing. I missed 2 important calls as a matter of fact. The lady calling was representing WSSH-FM 99.5(which was on at the time of the survey, which was December 1994)! :-[

 

[Silkie]

Oh, they would hang up on me if it were the radio station up the road, because I would tell them how their jock doesn't have a clue how to advertise on behalf of a customer. I would tell them that people in town are getting tired of the bull@%#& being thrown across the airwaves in this direction and tired of having to make phone calls to businesses to let them know that they might be shortly inconvenienced by regulators because of the manner in which advertising was delivered, and don't fwiggin' call me back while you are paying that piece of trash who doesn't understand class.

You need to learn to give them an earful if it is a station rather than Arbitron, especially when they are causing harm to a community not even remotely related to their market.

 

[Silkie]

Incidentally, you should tell them, "I like CBS 101.1 FM, and that is what I listen to", and they will tell you they want you to complete their little form.  For my part I would tell them that I said what I have to say and there is nothing more to say. It's a nice station, with great tunes and people who are professionals, so why not?

I did that one time too, but I used a specific genre, not a station.

 

[Wildstyle K]

So I wonder; When I get older, what do I do if I still haven't lost my interest and fascination for radio and music? In addition to being shunned from radio (and other types of) surveys, what do I do when I scan the dial and there are no longer any stations catering to me? How would it feel? Or is it safe to assume that technology will advance and I would not have to worry about those things once the new technological ways of broadcasting are developed? How would it feel to listen to radio when all the hit music superstars are all younger than me?

Don't think about it. Just enjoy life.

At 45, I am back in the radio business. I missed it, I'm excited. 10 years ago...no Facebook, twitter, apps, etc. I look at them as a tool to ENHANCE radio.

If Madonna was on tour, or the Police, Bon Jovi..etc. They would have bigger crowds and would outsell Beiber, Brittney, (they have) etc. So much for aging stars.

I was recently at a Duran Duran concert, and they had a bigger and more exciting crowd. The other stage a had a current chart topping act. The crowd was leaving because of the profanity, and was tired of the Autotune sound. The were going to the Duran stage.

Yes I like Katy Perry as much as I do the Beatles (I wasn't born when they were at their peak).

As far as performing at Half Time Shows, Tom Petty, the stones made a bigger impact than the Black Eyed Peas  :. at the Super Bowl. I was also going to mention Janet Jackson. ;D

Andy Griffith, Leave It To Beaver, and many shows way before my time still air and are very popular. In fact niche networks that air those shows are gaining popularity.

Keep in mind, the 50+ crowd is one (will be) of the largest segments of the population. The problem Madison Ave. is going to have is how to get products and services in their hands.

The change has started. Look at the latest Cadillac commercials. Pretty Hip.

So yes 50... will be the new 30. With advances in medicine, exercise, and active lifestyles. Things are looking pretty bright.

Look out age 50 and radio. Here I come.  ;D

FASCINATING COAST TO COAST PROGRAM TONIGHT!
They are discussing the book "30 Lessons For Living" with the author as a guest on air, talking about how people change as time passes and they get older. The number one message delivered on the show was "enjoy life now because it's short". The number one regret about life among older folks when asked was not making mistakes and didn't have anything to do with past affairs or employment...etc. It was worrying and not doing things when the chance was available. They're also discussing the fear of death and how being afraid of death is a "young folks thing", in addition to other things like how we're about to have a huge growth in the elderly population due to modern technologies and medicines and how it could become a disaster because we are definitely not prepared for the baby boomer generation to be the next generation of senior citizens! Imagine that; The baby boomer generation getting older IN ADDITION TO medicines and ways of life helping people live longer.... Anyway, there are other things they're discussing (communication, retirement, texting, social security, Betty White, extended job requirements, social media, resentments, experiences, etc.) that I will not get into here. No talk about falling outside of survey age requirements, though.

I guess the main messages are
1. Time flies and passes before you know it. Worry less, take more risks now.
2. If you want to do something, do it now.
3. You're much wiser when you're older...


In many ways, "don't worry" can be easier said than done.

ON ANOTHER NOTE:
I enjoyed the Madonna performance during the Superbowl. Yes, people did have negative things to say about her because of her age, but she still has it in her. I can tell that even though she may look different on the outside, she still feels the same inside as when she was younger, based on the type of song she's currently releasing. I guess this is the same way Rick Dees feels as people in the Los Angeles section make fun of him for chasing and trying to keep his CHR Top 40 image....

Anyway, I'll wrap it all up with this song from Jay-Z. You can tell that the rapper truly felt it and started reviewing his life when he wrote "forever young" in 2009 as he approached 40 and the sound of top 40 also began to change around the same time as hip hop (the music of the generation who are now the parents) began to decline. JAY-Z "YOUNG FOREVER" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1nbvplgElw





...And before anyone even thought that hip hop would ever take over CHR from about 1997 - 2007:
ALPHAVILLE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkzNv7SWfYg

 

[Ai4i]

I love playing with these guys' heads:
We can talk about whether I am a homeowner later, but I really want to hear more about these awnings.
What do you mean, Frontier Long Distance is based in New Jersey, what kind of frontier is that, every square inch of the state has been mapped, zoned, and the malls are being built, I thought you were in Northern Alaska.
Yes I would love to hear about lowering my mortgage, I finance real estate, tell me what kind of rate you can offer me.

 

[njradionj]

Has a DXer here ever done one of these? I get my news from WBBM, my baseball on WMVP, and my favorite music station is Wired 96.5 and yes I live in Morris County, why do you ask?