Abstract:

In Canada a combination of factors both stimulate and impede audience research. The complex Canadian broadcasting system and the competition among research suppliers create a situation in which innovative research solutions are frequently proposed but not often realized. These factors have led us to adopt a prosaic research model which treats ratings as a "currency." This prevents both broadcasters and advertisers from fully exploiting audience research to help communicate effectively with the audience. My perspective is one which is relatively unbiased, given that CBC radio services don't accept advertising. CBC has subscribed to BBM (Bureau of Broadcast Measurement) syndicated radio surveys for over forty years and these surveys have always been and continue to be a valuable tracking tool. However, like others in the Canadian industry, CBC is interested more than ever before in other forms of research which supplement the traditional ratings. I believe that conventional television and radio in Canada, along with the new electronic media evolving from the convergence of broadcasting and telecommunications will require more multi-dimensional audience research. The current ratings methodologies, and many of those in development, strive to be as unobtrusive or "passive" as possible, based on the philosophy that measurement techniques which require little or no effort by a respondent will provide more accurate data. The quest for passive (or, more accurate) measurement is only half the story, however, and runs counter to some emerging trends in our industry. Passive measurement, which only tells the broadcaster or advertiser whether someone is physically near a radio or TV, will not be sufficient in a future where listeners and viewers on a daily basis will be exposed to potentially thousands of different programs and commercial messages via electronic media that will be omnipresent in the home, office and in public places. I would like to review some recent Canadian research that demonstrates that, like the media themselves, traditional audience ratings research is converging with other forms of data collection, promising research that will provide for an improved, interactive relationship with the audience.