Poll: One-in-five say PPM betters programming.

story by Inside Radio

Electronic measurement is now in 43 markets and its impact on programming is growing. From stopset placement to limiting air personality chatter, PDs are making major adjustments to adapt to the new ratings methodology. But are the changes for the better? One-in-five respondents to Inside Radio’s unscientific survey think PPM has improved programming quality.

A reader says, “PPM is making us concentrate on what’s coming out of the speakers instead of what our stock price is today,” while another asks, “What’s wrong with accurately measuring listenership and responding to their needs?”

More than four-in-ten (45%) say PPM has lowered programming quality by turning stations into bland, repetitive jukeboxes. One reader says, “Throughout the industry, we have seen a knee-jerk reaction that has limited radio’s ‘entertainment’ to a cookie cutter formula that is speculative at best.” Another person writes, “It has killed some great formats, such as smooth jazz.” And one reader adds, “Now radio is programming to technology not the true audience.” Another says, “PPM is like a PD playing Guitar Hero. They don’t know what they are programming on the radio but if the meter likes it, who cares.”

Slightly more than one-third (35%) believe the meter has neither improved nor hurt programming quality. One reader comments, “I think the technology is still new and the not everyone is taking full advantage of the data available to them.” Another person says, “It’s caused some stations to be better and some have gone the other direction. In general cost-cutting and forgetting radio is ‘show business’ has negatively affected overall programming quality more than PPM.”