MRUC wakes up before TAM’s announcement of radio tool

A few days before TAM will announce its radio listenership measurement tool, the Media Users Research Council (MRUC) has decided to evaluate the two methodologies used for measuring radio listenership – the day after recall (DAR) and diary methods.

While the MRUC commissioned Indian Listenership Track (ILT) is based on the DAR method, TAM’s methodology is learnt to be based on the diary method.

MRUC, which earlier worked in association with ACNielsen ORG-MARG, has now commissioned TNS to undertake a pilot study in Mumbai to assess and determine the most suitable methodology to track radio listenership, given the current expansion of the medium in the country.

The pilot study will be conducted in Mumbai with a panel of 400 each for both the DAR and the panel based diary methods. The fieldwork for the pilot study will be conducted in June and July and the results will be available by the end of July. The objective of the study will be to understand listenership patterns using these two methodologies and considering the factors of daily collection of diaries and weekly collection of diaries.

The differences in listenership trends between the DAR and diary methods will be assessed through coincidental checks. The DAR and diary data will be verified through face-to-face or telephonic verification of real-time listening, keeping in mind discerning audiences such as working men and youth.

MRUC commissioned the ILT in 2004, in Mumbai and Delhi, at a time when the FM radio industry had just begun to blossom. At the time, FM broadcasters such as Radio Mirchi, Radio City, Red FM and Radio One (then Go 92.5) approached MRUC to develop a radio measurement tool. That’s when it conceptualised the ILT, commissioned in association with ACNielsen ORG-MARG, using the DAR method after assessing it against the panel based diary methodology.

Today, the FM radio broadcasting scenario has witnessed a steep rise with the implementation of FM Phase II, under which 338 licences have been auctioned in 91 cities. It is increasingly emerging as an important and lucrative avenue for advertising in reaching segmented audiences.

The way things are shaping up, it seems we will soon have two measurement tools for radio, as in the case of television and print. It will be interesting to note which group succeeds in getting to be the industry currency.

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