Looks like radio will soon be working with guarantees similar to television in terms of audience delivery, via PPM. This trend may be started with a memo from Kathi Claire, MindShare, Partner, Senior Broadcast Negotiator to all Houston stations:
"To Our Houston Radio Partners:
MindShare is now going to post radio for all PPM markets. This will affect everything placed in Houston from this date forward, as well as for the 2008 Burger King already placed. I can now discuss ratings and demos with you. All buys will have to be guaranteed to deliver 90% of the total points for the estimate, with underdelivery weight run as requested at a later date.
I’ll re-send the 2008 1Q and 2Q BK skeds with the ratings soon. If anyone wants to drop out based on having to make a guarantee, you’ll have a week to do so after I send the numbers. Nothing already booked in 2007 will be posted (except through BK’s audit company which started doing this after the fact). Please make sure that all of your managers are aware of this. Thank you."
Kathi Claire mentioned that all calls on this go to Kathy Crawford, MindShare President/Local Broadcast. She, like others in the business were in a MRC meeting all day yesterday.
Concerns from radio on the issue could be summed up in a comment from one broadcaster, who did not want to be identified: "Logically, do I want to agree to posting when PPM shows Oldies WCBS-FM is the #2 Station among Men 18-24 in NYC or the #1 Station among Women 25-34 in Long Island…or more laughable….the #4 stations with teens in NYC?"
