PPM Participants Believe Station Contests Rigged

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

http://news.****************/cgi-bin/rol.exe/headline_id=n33325

Transparency is the issue here

NuVoodoo Media Services announces that its recent NuVoodoo Ratings Prospects Study of over 3,500 subjects revealed that 49% of likely PPM participants believe most radio station contests are rigged -- and over half among 18-44 year olds. Among likely PPM participants who contests are rigged, some are aware that stations are trying to extract more listening, while even more complain about their inability to contact the station.

A lack of transparency also comes into play, with groups complaining they don't see or hear the prize drawings or they have suspicions most of the prizes aren't actually given away.

NuVoodoo Media Executive VP/Research Analysis Services Leigh Jacobs observed, "Our findings point to a need for greater transparency in radio contests. While these issues are less important to the large numbers of listeners who are not susceptible to contests, they are very important to the smaller group whose listening stations want to influence."

 

[davideduardo]

Transparency is the issue here

The real issue is that stations prepromote contests heavily, and execute them well in general, but they don't take credit afterwards. Often, the day after a contest is over, there is nothing on the air. Instead, they should be running winner promos and showing that the audience has been rewarded and is excited about the contest.

 

[FreddyE1977]

I think this just mirrors big-picture societal trends in that we are becoming
incredibly cynical about everything.

 

[Deleted User]

as a station owner or operator, you would have to be beyond stupid to even try this. The FCC has N.A.L.'d for minor infractions dealing with contests, and major ones too.

I wouldn't give my own Mother tickets if she was caller #9 when I was looking for caller 11

 

[TheBigA]

I wonder how many people feel this same way about lotteries or church raffles.

The irony is the reason the drawings aren't done on the air is because they'd hurt PPM numbers

 

[sack]

Totally agree, once theres a winner you hardly ever hear about it. I’ve always thought that was a waste of all that effort. The station wins with a compelling contest, then they throw all that away by ignoring it after its over. A lot of times its because the “paid promotion” part is over, the client has their mentions, and thats it.
Years ago I worked at a small station in North Carolina, and most of our promotions were “in house”, not much client participation, and certainly not client driven contesting. All of our big promotions always had follow up, and it was also a lot of fun to hear. Some listeners are just a hoot, and we could drag out the winning for almost a week. It wouldn’t be the same intensity, but more of the on-air people talking about what happened, about the winner,, sometimes even a quick interview with the winner. When I moved to bigger markets I was so surprised that there wasn’t much of a follow up, especially since bigger markets had bigger prizes. I was told, "the promotion is over, that’s all the client paid for". Seemed to me we were leaving “money on the table” in the way of listener good will.

 

[umfan]

"some are aware that stations are trying to extract more listening, while even more complain about their inability to contact the station."

What would be the point of a contest on the radio other than to extract more listening? Obviously when a caller # promotion is used getting through to the station would be difficult. I think the questions of the survey were asked in a way to elicit responses that could be milked for controversy. I do think the comments about promoting the winners have merit.