M Wiht News Today

Once again, the intrepid ratings experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – in close proximity with the algorithmic alchemists from XTRENDS – prepare to go boldly forward into the past to analyze the MARCH survey. This is not a task we take lightly. Fates and fortunes rest on the outcomes of these monthly report cards. Plus, there are many curious eyeballs that are simply here to witness the carnage. Like rubbernecking on the interstate. This book ran from MARCH 2nd through MARCH ...

Back into the fray as the Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – in a tight formation with the data elves from XTRENDS – throw caution to the wind as we examine the carnage wrought by holiday music. This is the DECEMBER survey – a cautionary tale littered with the smoking hulks of station ratings caused by BURL IVES and his evil minions. Sure, one station usually stands above it all, but is it really worth the price? This book ran from NOVEMBER 11th through DECEMBER ...

In our previous episode, we postulated that the NOVEMBER survey would be marred by the stain of CHRISTMAS music. As it turned out, only one of the five markets analyzed had to deal with that painful CHRISTMAS SHOES song. Will that trend continue? This survey ran from OCTOBER 13th through NOVEMBER 9th. It did include that ridiculous time change and Election Day. Let’s see if Santa’s reign of terror began or if life was as it should be. This is the kind of pithy commentary The ...

The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – along with our partners in data from XTRENDS – are back at it, slaving over a hot keyboard to bring you another thrilling round of ratings results and analysis. The OCTOBER survey began on SEPTEMBER 15th and concluded on OCTOBER 12th. It featured the arrival of autumn, ROSH HASHANAH, YOM KIPPUR and that federal holiday almost no one takes off. It is also probably the last survey of the year that will not be haunted by the ghosts ...

The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – working hand in glove with the numbers crunchers from XTRENDS – are back for round two of our monthly foray into the Nielsen cinematic universe. In case you missed it, this month marks 10 years of our collaboration for this column. Stations have come and gone, entire broadcasting companies have disappeared, but still we soldier on because the ratings never sleep. This SEPTEMBER survey period actually ran from AUGUST 18th through ...

The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – marching cheek-by-jowl with the algorithmic aces from XTRENDS – are back for another slog through the numbers. We get our collective hands and keyboards dirty, so you don’t have to. Read with us as we plow through another five markets worth of data. We sort out the winners and those that did not win, seeking out the highs and lows of a survey that began on 7/21 and concluded on 8/17. There were no federally mandated holidays .....

The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – in league with the math masters from XTRENDS – are back with yet another thrilling, action-splattered episode of the ratings game. A reality show like no other that features drama, tension-building competitions, triumph, and tragedy. All emanating from a single 28-day period. This one began on JUNE 23rd and concluded on JULY 20th and is commonly known as “JULY.” It featured record-breaking heat, wildfires, vacations, ...

In the real world, JUNE marks the midpoint of the year. However, we don’t live in the real world. In the alternate reality known as the radio, upside down JUNE is just another 28 day grouping. This one ran from MAY 26th through JUNE 22nd. It featured a long holiday weekend, a salute to dear old dad, and the longest day of the year. It was also the beginning of the vacation season with the requisite traffic delays and flight cancellations. How did it all affect the average radio ...

As is our wont, The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – in close cooperation with the math wizards at XTRENDS – often ponder what songs pertain to the month we are reviewing. MAY is particularly vexing because it is not only a month – it’s an auxiliary verb (take that, sixth grade English). Many a song with MAY in the title may or may not be about the month. However, we did stumble upon one specimen that was, shall we say, a bit of a surprise. It comes ...

As we pre-game for every ratings foray, The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – with a strong but silent nod from the numbers crunchers at XTRENDS – tend to spend a little too much time on the mundane. Case in point: Did you know that APRIL is one of only three months that could also be a person’s first name? I mean, no one’s going to name their kid FEBRUARY, right? Perhaps we pre-game just a bit too much. This survey began on MARCH 31st and ended on APRIL ...