The advance in technology has been partially a consequence of the increase in radio programming. This accompanies and will continue to accompany the development of pre- programming of radio stations. Following a rationalisation of demand through pre-programming, radio stations need to ensure that they are included in the 'basket" or set of stations pre- selected and pre- programmed by each listener. This phenomenon is becoming more and more important because the number of stations heard is constrained. This article provides previously unavailable information on pre- programming and the number of stations heard in France. Potential demand is defined by stations that are pre- programmed while discriminating from actual demand which is represented by those stations to which the listener actually listens.
In France, radio audience measurement for people 15 years old or more is pre-eminently carried out using Mediametrie's 75000 Survey, whose methodology is generally known and accepted. Mediametrie is both attentive to its market and eager to see progress in the analysis of radio audiences; it has therefore undertaken tests to assess the feasability of radio audience measurement covering children. The tests were principally concerned with children's capacities to understand, identify and remember survey-related material. Carried out at the end of 1991 the study was based on the principles of the 75000 Survey, adapted to take account of children's characteristics. The results produced were very instructive: proportionately more children listen to radio than adults, but they listen for shorter periods. Contrary to popularly held opinion, more children listen to radio on school days than on non-school days, but on school days the time spent listening is shorter.