U. S. Radio (Jan-Dec 1960)

report from Young Firm Studies 'Advertiser Areas' and Car Ownership It agency reaction endorses the new "advertiser area" survey of Adam Young Inc. as a valuable research tool, the representative firm intends to encourage The Pulse Inc. to conduct regular quarterly or semi-annual reports on all major markets. At the same time, of course, the firm is seeking support from all its stations. The purpose of the "advertiser area" plan is to create a uniform area by which to measure the listening of radio stations. The idea for the plan was set forth last spring (See The Young Proposal, April, 1959) . The results of the first two studies were released last month — one for Tulsa and the other for Pittsburgh. Much spadework had to be accomplished first before the surveys were taken. In each case, agency agreement was sought on appropriate areas that conformed to client distribution. It was the intention of the Young organization to develop an area of "maximum advertiser interest." As the firm celebrated its 15th anniversary it also has been busy in another area of radio research — automobile ownership in relation to listening. It commissioned Pulse to conduct a special survey of Portland, Ore. A sample of 1,000 radio homes in the metropolitan area were interviewed. The questions asked were these: • "Do you own an automobile?" • "What is the make and year?" • "Which of these stations did you or any member of your family listen to yesterday?" (Cards with call letters were shown on a rotating basis.) The final compilation shows the make and year of car ownership by station tune-in, as well as percentage of car ownership by station. In discussing the role of radio as the firm marks its 15th milestone, Adam Young, president, states that people listen to different radio stations because they find them "companionable." He says, "Because radio has become the personal medium, a station has to appeal to an individual rather than a group of people. "The station of the future will not try to be all things to all people, but will carve out a niche for itself. We can see this forming in market after market. Our research indicates that this is the trend radio will take." In regard to research, Mr. Young, of course, is very enthusiastic over the "advertiser area" concept. Seven points, the company believes, are represented by this new study: 1. "It will, we hope, provide a common denominator upon which to evaluate the quantitative values of radio stations ... a denominator that is larger than the customary metro area, which handicaps radio with respect to newspapers. 2. "It will provide this measurement in an area selected not by stations but by the advertiser himself. 3. "It will encourage more money into radio research since stations will realize that such surveys carry a greater degree of acceptance than surveys specifically tailored to their coverage characteristics. The norm will be rightfully the 'area of maximum advertiser interest.' 4. "It will provide a better means of comparing radio with newspapers. 5. "Expansion of these surveys into the top 100 markets would remove the necessity for future coverage studies since over 75 percent of all U. S. counties could be measured on a regular basis. 6. "The need for using coverage data, such as NCS :^2 which is over three years old, would be unnecessary. 7. "A greater confidence in the tools for measuring radio's effectiveness will result in expanded use of the medium by advertisers." • • • MEMO _ to: OMT^^^^ WOMBER TWO m 6^ ^^ ^ «^«.if i^^^ kevv-b KEWB BERMUDA BUILDING 2150 FRANKLIN • OAKLAND 12. CALIFORNIA EXbrook 7-2891 TEmplebar 6-0910 ROBERT M. PURCELL, president MILTON H. KLEIN, general manager THE KATZ AGENCY, INC. National Sales Representatives A Servicr of Crouell-CoUier ROBERT M. PURCELl, Director Q^i, WSGN carries the audience in Birmingham THE PULSE — October Mon.-Sat. 6 am -6 pm National Representative: Venard, Rintoul & McConnell, Inc. Southern Representative: James S. Ayers Company U. S. RADIO January 1960 51