Whether Arbitron goes ahead with a prompt in diaries as reported above, terrestrial broadcasters should understand how much – or how little – satellite radio listening is really being reported. That according to programmer Frank Bell.
The VP of programming for Keymarket Communications said he reviewed Pittsburgh Summer ’05 diaries in Arbitron’s Columbia, Md. office this week. Of 3,340 in-tab diaries for Pittsburgh’s summer survey, a total of 42, or 1.26% of the sample, reported any type of satellite listening, he said.
These 42 diaries include every mention of XM (21), Sirius (17) or “other” (5) satellite channels. (The individual numbers add to 43 because one diarykeeper reported switching services in the car.)
Disputing reports in mainstream media hyping satellite radio, Bell said in reality, diary-keepers spend relatively few quarter-hours with satellite. He said total satellite usage was 1,380 quarter-hours, or 0.57% — barely half of 1 per cent — of all radio listening in the Pittsburgh market.
Bell’s findings were distributed to trade media by a radio PR firm.
Citing Arbitron Numbers, Programmer Questions Satellite’s Impact
Citing Arbitron Numbers, Programmer Questions Satellite’s Impact
