An introduction to Audience Research. Christine Wilson Senior Director, Strategy & Planning Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

Transcription

1 An introduction to Audience Research Christine Wilson Senior Director, Strategy & Planning Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

2 Audience Research: What is it good for? Meaningless statistics were up one-point-five percent this month over last month 1

3 But first, what is it? Popular images of Audience Research most often relate to ratings research around TV and Radio It s actually broader than that, using many different techniques and looking at a wide variety of events and media Definition of Audience Research: Using social science and market research techniques to study the traits of actual and potential audiences. As technology changes research has adapted to include web, podcasting, telephone downloads, etc. This presentation will deal mostly with TV and Radio 2

4 Now that I ve put you asleep with a definition, on with the presentation! 2 Themes: 1) Overview of audience research 2) Careers in audience research 3

5 OVERVIEW OF AUDIENCE RESEARCH

6 What types of questions can audience research answer? Four questions: How many and what types of people are watching or listening? Why do people watch or listen to the shows they do, and what kinds of shows do people want? How can I create a show that people will come to? How do I let potential viewers and listeners know about the shows I think they want to use? 5

7 How many and what types of people are watching? This is generally answered by ratings research Ratings are designed to track how programs are performing in terms of attracting different types of people They are used by: Network management to evaluate how their schedules are performing Producers and programmers to judge what types of programming is attractive to viewers Network sales and advertising agencies to buy and sell time 6

8 Ratings Research: Diaries vs. Meters Diary Measurement: A self-administered system to track daily media usage The respondent tracks daily radio or television habits in a diary, recording the station and program quarter hour by quarter hour Results are mailed to the supplier for tabulation The diary format looks something like this: 7

9 Ratings Research: Diaries vs. Meters People Meters: An electronic media monitoring system where minute-by-minute viewing behaviour is tracked. A panel based system, with groups in Designated Market Areas across the country. Panelists are all volunteers. The television set is measured for channel selection, and viewers report who is watching by a push button system. Next day results. 8

10 Who supplies the ratings? Television In Canada, Nielsen Media Research provides people meter results on a national basis and for major markets a national sample of about 3,500 homes Nielsen is privately owned and sells the data to networks, local stations and advertisers BBM surveys smaller local markets with diaries two major sweeps per year BBM is a cooperative made up of member broadcasters and advertising agencies 9

11 Who supplies the ratings? Radio BBM supplies ratings based on diary research Two major surveys per year Most radio analysis done at the market level, except for CBC CBC gets custom data to analyze at the national level 10

12 More definitions! REACH: The total number of people who watched at least one minute, or listened for at least one-quarter hour of a program. AVERAGE MINUTE AUDIENCE/AVERAGE QUARTER HOUR AUDIENCE: The average number of people that are watching a program each minute throughout the broadcast. The average number of people listening to a program through each quarter hour of the broadcast. SHARE: The average audience expressed as a percentage of the number of people watching or listening at the time a program was broadcast. RATING: The average audience expressed as a percentage of the total population. 11

13 An illustration of the different audience measures. October 12 to October 18, All Persons 2+ Program Network Day/Time Duration AMA (000) Share % Men Share % Reach Rating Points Hockey Night In Canada Game 2 CBC Sat. 7 PM 3 hrs , Royal Canadian Air Farce CBC Fri. 8 PM 30 min 1, , CTV Sunday Night Movie CTV Sun. 9 PM 2 hrs 1, , CBC National News CBC Mon-Fri 10 PM 30 min , Another World CTV Mon-Fri 2 PM 1 hr Oprah CTV Mon-Fri 4 PM 1 hr , Da Vinci's Inquest CBC Wed. 9 PM 1 hr , Source: CBC Research (Nielsen Media Research) 12

14 Ratings also allow more macro analysis to understand the audience environment Audience Share (%) - All Day (24 Hours) Specialty & Pay Channels U.S. Conventional TV Stations Canadian Conventional TV Stations 75.4% % Source: CBC Research (Nielsen) * Excludes viewing to CBC Affiliates in their own time. September to March seasons. 13

15 Why do people watch or listen to the shows they do, and what kinds of shows do people want? Ratings tell you who has historically watched or listened, but tells you nothing directly about motivation. Various other methodologies help researchers figure out motivations and, therefore help programmers no how to more effectively produce programs appropriate to their audiences. Surveys Focus Groups Program tests 14

16 Surveys: Telephone or mail questionnaires Applications measuring tastes, attitudes and motivations for using media measuring how people react to current and proposed programs Measuring related lifestyle phenomena Strengths Generalizations and standardized Cost effective Weaknesses Best when you know what questions to ask Can t get deep or spontaneous answers to specific content Not very flexible 15

17 Focus Groups bring small groups of people in to respond to content through group discussion Applications Bring small groups into a facility to get their reactions to content or ideas Exploring how people think about things Getting reactions and ideas in people s own words Strengths Flexible Good for exploring Good for gauging in depth or complex reactions and feelings Weaknesses Not easily generalized to a larger population Results are often ambiguous Content experienced in un-natural setting 16

18 Program Tests mail out content and follow up with a survey Applications Testing video or audio, either existing programs or pilots Use a small sample of people ( ) send them material to watch in their own homes Have them answer questions over the phone Strengths Allows research to get reaction to specific content from a large number of people Content is experienced in natural setting Weaknesses Isn t as easily to generalize as survey results Not as flexible or as in-depth as focus groups 17

19 Demographics vs. Segments Traditionally, audience research has been organized around understanding different socio-demographic groups such as age and gender Those are the dimensions ratings capture and they are relatively straight forward to measure A more contemporary approach is to develop audience segments based on lifestyle, attitudes, motivations and relationships to media It is easier to think of audience and their tastes in media in those terms, rather than in terms of demographics the connections are more obvious e.g. An outward looking, active, reader is easier to program to than an year old male That being said, the groups or segments are more difficult to identify and to measure consistently 18

20 How can I create a show that audiences will come to? Surveys, focus groups and program tests can all be used in helping develop programs as well as gauging reaction to existing ones it is just another stage in the process Rather than measuring reaction to existing programs you try out ideas or concepts Easier in focus groups and program tests than in surveys it is easier to show people new things than to describe them In practice ratings, surveys, focus groups and program tests are all used at different stages of developing new programming and targeting it at appropriate audiences 19

21 How do I let potential viewers and listeners know about the shows I think they want to use? Audience research is also used to determine the best ways to publicize a new program or service Knowing how different types of people use media helps determine how you will construct a campaign to reach specific audiences In this way you use audience and market research in a broader context, extending to different vehicles for promotion and advertising such as newspapers, magazines and billboards 20

22 Developing a communications plan for different segments Media A B C D E F G TV (Overall) (programs available) CBC TV Radio (Overall) (formats available) CBC Radio National/Int. Newspapers (titles available) Local Dailies Local Weekly Magazines (types available) Web Excellent Good Not Good Poor 21

23 CAREERS IN AUDIENCE RESEARCH

24 Careers in Audience Research Three major areas for employment: Broadcasters Advertising Agencies / Media Buying Research Consultants 23

25 Broadcasters Can work in two areas: Program research Sales and marketing In Canada most broadcast jobs are on the sales and marketing side Because a lot of programming is bought from US or pre-formatted, most program research is about scheduling rather than about content In Canada, CBC is an exception, doing a lot of program related research 24

26 Advertising / Media Buying Helping advertisers plan a media buy to promote their products or services Providing research on various media to identify appropriate vehicles Use various types of audience research, across various media generally quantitative ratings oriented 25

27 Research Consultancy A number of research firms have media research as an area of specialization Carry out a number of types of research on behalf of, or in cooperation with broadcasters Use broader market research skill and apply them to audience research 26