Abstract:

This paper begins by discussing the changing media scene in Britain, with particular reference to the emerging need for fast reported, accurate data on daily or weekly media audiences. In the past this has been available only for the television medium but the increasing dynamism of the press (for example its use of promotional tools like bingo, the increasing number of new publications and the problem of circulation shortfalls resulting from industrial disputes) now demands similar short term data for the press. The need is for immediacy in research rather than the provision of historical data. The telephone can now offer this facility. Penetration in Britain is 80%, and the evidence is that data gathered by phone at least matches in accuracy that collected by personal interview. The paper reports evidence for this view and highlights the speed with which telephone audience research data can be made available. The application of the telephone to monitoring advertising effectiveness is then discussed and a Post Office case history reported. Finally the future scope and potential of Videotex for media research is described.