Abstract:

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.