Alô Marktest...

In a story with resonance to those of us in radio, Nielsen has announced that it is dumping its phone-based sample for its paper diary samples, and is transitioning to a system that uses addresses instead.

Why?  Because of the swift decline of TV homes provided by the landline telephone sample frame.  Nielsen indicates that it only covers about 75% of households in their diary markets.  They also report that this problem is especially prevalent in homes where the family head is 35 or younger.

We've seen this data before - every year in the Jacobs Media Technology Poll.  First, Gallup, now Nielsen.  And of course with PPM.  As we predicted several years ago when this problem first came to light, the "Cellphone Only" dilemma impacts every researcher and marketer who conducts telephone interviews and promotions - from callout to perceptual studies to telemarketing.

Stations should definitely be asking these questions the next time your station commissions new research or buys an audience promotion that utilizes the telephone. » Jacoblog