Sponsor (Apr-June 1964)

search. He sils in on just about all Broadcast Rating Council meetings, so he knows exactly what program ratings acid up to. The rules are divided into two sections. The first section covers "ethical and operational standards" — or how to get started: ETHICAL AND OPERATIONAL STANDARDS 1 . Each rating service should try constantly to control bias and distortion, as well as human error in all phases. 2. Each rating service is expected to permit reviews and audits of its procedures. (They don't have to reveal strictly business matters — just facts that have a bearing on the audience-reports they issue.) Such audits may be performed by the BRC or its designated Certified Public Accountant. 3. The anonymity of all interviewers, supervisors and other service personnel should be preserved. (As part of his auditing process, however, a CPA would have the right to check with these people to verify their work.) 4. If a respondent has been led to believe — directly or indirectly — that his anonymous participation in a survey will be protected, then his name shouldn't be told (outside the rating service). There are two exceptions, though: A respondent may be identified, as part of an audit or BRC hearing. Or the rating service, itself, may give his name to another reputable research organization so they can reinterview him as part of a special research study. SAMPLING DESIGNS, PLANS 5. The sample design for each rating report should be resonably representative of ■"the universe being measured'" — i.e.. households. individuals, t\ sets, or \\hate\er. Air significant deviations must be clearly described. 6. I he sampling plan of each SUrvej must also be clearK suited — especially such matters as how the sample was selected, callback nrocedures, substitutions, and the like. RECORD-KEEPING 7. Each rating service shall maintain, for 12 months, records of: A. All attempts to elicit information, as required by the particular research technique used — whether by placing diaries or meters or by obtaining interviews. B. All instances in which such attempts were unsuccessful. That includes outright refusals, not-athomes, extra interviews (or correspondence) with another member of the same household, telephone stoppages (whether a busy signal, no answer or a broken connection), or. in the case of mail, returns from postal authorities or simple failure to reply. C. Likely reasons for that noncooperation, provided these are known to the field worker. (He must also consider the reasons reliable, not mere excuses. ) D. Which replies (whether by household or individual) represent the original sample and which are first, second, third, etc. substitutions. (Where replacements have been resorted to, the same information is required as in A, B and C above. ) 8. Appropriate quality control measures shall be taken. These should cover both external and internal operations oii the rating service— whatever, in fact, may "exert significant effects on the final results." Specific areas for quality control are: data collection, editing, collating, tabulating and printing. Extra records must be kept on: /. All successful attempts to collect information. 2. All unsuccessful attempts, including probable reasons therefore. .?. Whether usable replies represent the original sample or substitutes. 4. Rosters of interviewers and supervisors, including details of their work assignments. 5. Signed interviewer certificates authenticating their reports. 6. Notes on possibly erroneous returns, including the disposition made of them. FIELD PERSONNEL AND WORK 9. All field personnel (includii supervisors) must be thorough trained in their work. Such training must assure th they know the responsibilities J their position, that they understai — and adhere to — their instruction and that they recognize and avo, any act that might prejudge, co dition, misrepresent or slant fin results. 10. Field work of each ratir service should be verified by per odic but unpredictable spot check Such spot checks (or other verii cation ) are intended to cover a field personnel, supervisors as we' as interviewers. i 11. To encourage high perform ance levels among field personnel they should be told that their wor will be checked from time to timi Then, every effort should be 11130' to keep spot-checking plans cor fidential so that workers cannot di; guise their performance. 12. Each rating service must als keep for 12 months records of bot. interviewers and supervisors. Thes must list such items as name, dat of work, time, type of work, loca tion of work, manner of payment and the like. 13. At the end of each project workers will be asked to sign cer tificates authenticating the wor performed. Such a certificate could read a follows: "I person ally have conducted the above in terviews. Number to a specified in the instructions." An; | pertinent exceptions must be list ed and attached. 14. When the information the receive from respondents appears t( be in error, rating service employee must make written notes to tlia effect. For example, a meter report tlia shows continuous "usage" of V or radio for an abnormally long pe riod of time — such as all nightshould be challenged in writing Similarly, a diar\ that notes the be ginning of programs but not tin endings should be questioned. Hr rots in program titles, call letters 0 channel numbers should also h pointed out; they may indicate tlia 34 SPONS0I