NEW YORK — It’s been discussed in radio industry circles for months. Now, Nielsen has officially revealed that, beginning in January, its Nielsen Audio arm will shift from a five-minute qualifier to count a radio listener to three minutes.
“As a result of this enhancement, radio and its advertisers will get credit for more of the audience that hears their ads and content,” the nation’s dominant audience measurement service provider claims.
In a client letter distributed Tuesday (11/12), Nielsen shared how, after five months of planning and data-driven analysis, it is moving forward with implementing “a significant enhancement” to Nielsen Audio.
It is a Portable People Meter-focused change, and one that Nielsen says will “modernize” its measurement service.
Explaining the move, Nielsen says, “Moving from a 5-minute to a 3-minute qualifier addresses industry feedback and aligns with today’s listening habits. By shortening the minimum amount of time required to be counted in the audience, Nielsen will capture more occasions and impressions than previously reported. This alone is reason enough to make this change, but the higher audience levels will also enhance how Radio shows up in the media mix and provide more robust inputs for attribution, outcomes measurement and market mix models.”
Overall, this change will, in Nielsen Audio’s words:
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Increase measurable ad impressions, with projected market-level radio audience growth of 24% across all PPM markets and stations.
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Provide more comprehensive daily cume reporting, expanding the base of panelists that make up each station’s ratings and adding granularity in audience measurement.
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Expand options for advertisers by creating more viable dayparts and format opportunities for better-targeted campaigns.
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Allow broadcasters to experiment with the length, quantity and placement of commercial stop sets to maximize tune-in.
A client webinar has been scheduled for November 19 at 3pm Eastern outlining the plan for the adjustment. “We’ll cover key milestones, timing, and available resources,” says Nielsen, which is also providing materials to help clients understand and prepare for the change. This includes a market-by-market grid detailing projected audience adjustments across demographics.
