Jan 17

How do radio stations know how popular they are?

Consumerism., Life., Technology. 2 Comments »

How popular is that radio station?

Maybe I am the only person that ever thinks about stuff like this, but I’ve often wondered “How does a radio station know how popular it is”? How do they know how many people are listening? How do they know how much to charge advertisers, and how do they convince advertisers that they’ll reach as many people as they’re claiming?

I’ve wondered this for years until this evening, when I finally had time to do a little search.

It turns out, radio stations get their marketing data from a couple of different companies, the largest and most popular of which is Arbitron, a Public company traded on the NYSE. They collect rating and market data, and then, you guessed it, sell it.

But how do they collect the data?

Yes, that’s definitely the question I’ve always wanted to know. How the crap does the radio station know how many people are listening? I have to admit I’m a bit of a technology fan and always have been (If you haven’t guessed) and I could conceive of no technological way in which I found it feasible to monitor an entire market using existing radio technology.

Turns out, this life-long question ends in a very underwhelming way: A small sampling survey. Yes, the way they’ve been collecting data for years has been:

Selecting a random sample of a population in roughly 100 metros throughout the United States four times a year. An additional 200 markets are surveyed in the Spring and Fall. People in the sample are asked to maintain a written diary describing each radio program listened to. Each selected household agreeing to participate is provided a diary for each member aged 12 and older… A new random sample is selected weekly…

In my heart I’ve always known this was really the only way they could have done it, but finding out seemed to break my heart all the same. It must get cooler. It must! Does it?

Are there cooler, more awesome ways? YES!

So it turns out Arbitron has done what you probably thought would have been pretty bad-A to begin with. They created a little device called the PPM, or Portable People Meter. This hardcore piece of equipment is about the size of an oldschool pager. Its electronic ear literally listens and picks up inaudible data encoded into your audio, identifying the radio station you’re listening to. You wear this baby for a year (yes, apparently they do compensate participants. I wonder how much?) and then turn it back in. How hot is that? That’s just plain cool.

You need to be a rocket scientist to interpret Arbitron data

All good things come to a dissapointing end when you find out two things:

1. You can view the radio station data online for free (here)

2. The data is so difficult to interpret, they teach courses on it

What Is AQH Share?

Average Quarter-Hour Persons (AQH Persons)
The average number of persons listening to a particular station for at least five minutes during a 15-minute period.

Share
The percentage of those listening to radio in the Metro who are listening to a particular radio station.
[AQH Persons to a Station / AQH Persons to All Stations] x 100 = Share (%)

Looking at my local market, I still see things like SP06, SU06… and so on, and I have NO idea what the heck all that means.

What have we learned from all this?

I think of stupid stuff while driving in the car, or sitting in the bathroom, or daydreaming at work.

What’s your favorite “Potty Question”?

Potty questions is defined as: A question no sane person would ever consider except when given a ridiculous amount of ‘free-time’ in which they’re not able to freely do anything but, uh, sit and think. (More Potty questions)

Jan 09

No more TV Converter Box coupons? I have a solution!

Consumerism., Life., Politics., Technology. 1 Comment »

According to the NTIA, the DTV Coupon program is out of $$$. This means that everyone who continues to order coupons will be placed on a waiting list.

There's no more money, Lucy!

From the DTV2009.gov official transition website:

 

The TV Converter Box Coupon Program has reached its funding ceiling. However, coupon requests from eligible households will be filled on a first-come-first-served basis as funds become available from expiring coupons. You will not receive coupons until funds becomes available. If you would like to apply for a coupon today and are eligible, you will be placed on a waiting list.

 

As one of my co-workers pointed out, our Federal Government enjoys printing money at the drop of the hat. Is it really that hard to print more coupons?
 

Maybe they’re afraid that the DTV Coupon Market will become saturated with coupons, thus lowering the value of converter box coupons, and driving up prices of the converter boxes! 

Jan 06

Utah Governor Huntsman to propose $3.00 tax on…

Consumerism., Life., Politics. No Comments »

… cigarettes, in order to eliminate food taxes.

http://deseretnews.com/article/0,5143,705275669,00.html

Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. wants to raise cigarette taxes by enough so the state can afford to finally eliminate state sales taxes on food purchases despite the troubled economy. 

The exact amount of the governor’s proposed increase has not yet been determined, his spokeswoman, Lisa Roskelley, said, but he is expected to recommend raising the tax on a pack of cigarettes to around $3.

The current tax on each pack of cigarettes is $0.70.  The governor is apparently expected to raise the ciagarette tax 400%! That’s an enormous tax raise.

Now first, let me get this out of the way: I’m a politically conservative individual who doesn’t smoke, or drink. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever, in the entirety of my life had a cigarette in my mouth.

I’d like to say, I commend the governor’s desire to get rid of sales tax on food purchases.  In a trouble economy, that really does assist the residents of Utah, and can make a big difference on household budget.

that being said, the state needs the tax money. So, we’ve got to get it from somewhere. But consider this: Currently, the state of Utah is sharing this burden of tax to fill whatever monetary needs the state has. Huntsman proposes that we cut those contribution all the way down to only the people that smoke?

I know that smoking is a big health-no-no, and I realize that motivating people to quite is a great thing. But this goes way beyond that. I know you can argue that “well they don’t have to buy cigarettes!” but comeon’, really? Targeting a couple hundred thousand smokers with a multi-billion dollar budget that was previously filled by millions of people? That’s just not right.

While I want the food tax gone as much as the next guy, we shouldn’t unjustly target groups to fulfill those needs.

Nov 20

Utah citizens ripping off beer companies – wow

Consumerism. 6 Comments »

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=4847389
Beer companies paying for consumers’ groceries
November 19th, 2008 @ 10:14pm
By Courtney Orton
Your next trip to the grocery store could cost you nothing, thanks to beer companies. Tonight we have information on how to shop on beer companies’ tabs.

Jaclyn England You don’t have to drink it. You don’t even have to buy it. But you do have to find a beer rebate to start getting checks in the mail from beer companies.

It’s a discovery Jaclyn England made a year ago when she found a stack of beer rebates at the grocery store.

“Some of them say: ‘You must purchase this such-and-such beer.’ But the great thing about Utah is that it says: ‘No beer purchase required in the state of Utah,’” England explained.

England started using them, and she’s been getting money in the mail ever since. “Frequently, I’ll tell my husband, ‘Tonight’s dinner is sponsored to us in part by Bud.’ Because Budweiser buys our food half the time,” she said.

Pizza, crab legs, chicken wings, deli meats and cheeses, sandwiches, bottled water; you name it, as long as it shows up on a beer rebate, England throws it in her cart.

“You can get kind of creative with it. You can get like a Papa Murphy’s take-and-bake, or like the rotisserie chickens from Costco, places like that; and as long as you’re spending at least $15 worth, you get $15 back,” England explained.

The beer companies are banking that if you’re buying those items, you’ll also be buying some brew.

“What they’re doing is linking their beer brand with other really positive things that you might do to celebrate: a football game, a party, a holiday,” said Peggy Lander, with Richter7 advertising.

It’s easier than couponing, and there’s no cutting and no clipping. “There’s no looking for this specific brand and making sure that you’re buying the right size and the right brand. It’s anything you want,” England said.

The rebates aren’t always where you’ll notice them. “Most of us breeze right by them. But if you keep your eyes open, you can get a lot of great deals and a lot of free items,” England said.

Most of the time they’re not in the beer aisle. “They’re usually on a display. There’s usually a stack of beer and then a poster with them on there,” England said.

England says she gets $50 to $200 worth of free food a month, and she finds other rebates that save her even more money every month. Find out what those are tomorrow morning at 6:00 on Eyewitness News Today.

E-mail: corton@ksl.com

This is definitely one of those Utah things. People who are taking advantage of this “opportunity” are simply lying to themselves. Talk about ripping people off.

Don’t get me wrong, there is absolutely nothing wrong with taking advantage of a legitimate offer from a corporation. even if that legitimate offer seems “too good to be true”. Companies create those kinds of deals because no matter how sweet the deal, they know they’re getting more sales, more recognition and more loyalty. So taking advantage is no big deal.

But taking advantage when you’re the type of person who has absolutely no intention of ever purchasing their product? I may be assuming a lot, but my assumption is that the lady in the article, and likely many of the Utahns that would take advantage of this fantastic offer would never have any reason to purchase beer or other related alcohol products.

And if that’s the case, talk about ripping cold hard cash right out from the beer companies fingers. You can justify it all you want: the beer companies are evil and are just using this tactic to get our money. That was one comment on KSL’s article comment board. But the reality is, they give something in hopes that from a lot of people, they’ll get something in return. If you’re certain you’ll never take advantage of their products/services, and you repeatedly take them for $50-$200 bucks a month, you’re a thief.

Nov 13

Humorous Craigslist post – You just don’t get it, do you son?

Consumerism., Life. 2 Comments »

http://saltlakecity.craigslist.org/wan/917179130.html

Wanted: Car financed by private owner. $250-$300/mo (Salt Lake)

Reply to: sale-917179130@craigslist.org [?]
Date: 2008-11-13, 4:57AM MST
Saw someone do this about a month ago. I asked them if they would email me if it worked out for them and they just emailed me to tell me that they finally got a car. Hoping some kind soul can do the same for me.

I have a steady job that I’ve been working at for over a year but just have bad credit thanks to some crappy room mates about 6 years ago. Long story, but I will will give references, paycheck stubs and other info if needed.

Ideally this will be a newer vehicle. I’m open to any offer. But you get extra cool points (and more money/mo) for BMW, Dodge, VW or Mercedes. Again, I’m open to any offer.

$250 is the minimum, $300 is the max. More if you can finance me a BMW, 350Z, Audi of some kind or Dodge Magnum. SUV’s and trucks will be considered only as a last resort.

Email ASAP because winter is coming and I need a car fast!!!

So let me get this straight: 6 years after “someone else” ruined your credit, you still can’t get an auto loan? Hmm… I’m no banker or financial expert, but my guess would be it’s not just your room mates that hosed your credit.

And you’re hoping that someone will take it upon themselves to practically give you their vehicle, and hope/trust that you’ll make your 300$ payment every month, on time, until the vehicle is paid off?

But despite your crappy credit and inability to get an autoloan because of something that supposedly happened 6 years ago, if only someone could find it in their heart to get you that Audi, BMW or Mercedes Benz. Oh and then of course, you can pay more.

Gee mister… you’re like a creditor’s dream come true. Where do I sign up?

Just so you know, it’s not the financing options that bother me – its your ridiculous request for cars you clearly shouldn’t driving, when financially they should be the furthest thing from your mind. That’s all!

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