"Bob Dobbs" wrote in message
news:4963308e.2011750@chupacabra...
David Eduardo wrote:

The ratings in the US, Arbitron since 1965, are accurate enough for
advertisers to use the data for over $15 billion in radio buys.

Because accuracy is an intangible concept
that they'd rather not admit to lacking.

We know with great precision the margin of error of any random proability
survey. The accuracy of radio ratings is perfectly adequate for advertisers
to make decisions and investments, and for stations to evaluate programming.

If there's any doubt why the quality of radio has suffered it's because
some gullible PDs bought into the myth of what some numbers salesman was
peddling as popular. I remember when station personnel would go to the
parking lot at a local supermarket, peek into car windows and see where
the dial was, Of course that's no longer possible.

Program Directors don't subscribe to ratings... station owners and managers
do, as ratings are 95% a sales tool. In rated markets, stations do
proprietary research to evaluate programming issues.