In the current issue of my Radio Programming Letter, I discussed the inanity of using “dial testing” to measure, moment by moment, a morning show’s effectiveness.
In a nutshell: You cannot measure the effectiveness of individual parts of a personality-driven show while the show is in progress.
Any readers (of the Programming Letter or of this blog) who want to weigh in on this subject, here’s your chance.
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The company you’re talking about inflicted that dial test method to our morning show. Talk about somebody who didn’t have a clue. Luckily, just when we were ready to quit they fired the guy.
Actually, I wasn’t talking about any company in particular. It’s the methodology that’s flawed, and people who rely on it to “test” a morning show often base major decisions on flawed methodology — with dire consequences.
Any personality in a market where PPM is the measurement tool is going to get to experience behavioral research of every minute of every day, so we can start to literally compare how listeners respond to everything on the air and compare that to all sorts of research we have been using. Relevance and engagement are the name of the game. Content must consistently connect. However, if you’re a great jock who always relates well because you understand your target, there’s nothing to fear. My personal rule #1 for PPM: No matter what anyone says, there are no experts yet. It’s too early. We’re all still trying to figure it out.
Thanks for the blog, Dan. I love your content!
-J.
https://aoprep.blogspot.com/
Any personality in a market where PPM is the measurement tool is going to get to experience behavioral research of every minute of every day,
And even that will be misused by people who don’t understand research or statistics. PPM provides data but not behavioral interpretation. Meanwhile, most people confuse “correlation” with “causation.”
“Hey, look, there’s a big drop-off every day at this time!” If the same thing happens at that time each day, you’ve got a correlation.
But are so many people leaving because they don’t like what they’re hearing? Or is it because it’s 7:50 and in that particular market the standard workday starts at 8:00?
(Being a world-class programming consultant, Jaye already knows this stuff. But this a group conversation.)
I’m not anti-research; I’m anti-incompetent research (which is rampant in all fields, not just radio) and anti-Active Stupidity justified “because the research said so.”
Re: Correlation vs. Causation: Sometime remind me to explain how it’s been proven that churches promote the proliferation of liquor stores.
I love your content!
Thanks very much, Jaye. I just steal it all from Ira Glass.
Great topic Dan. I like how you simplified this. I always think in terms of a joke. No one wants to hear an asinine story about three priests and a rabbi walking into a bar. But the punch line at the end would be meaningless with out it.