[cma-l] Deducing FM listening figures

[Two Lochs Radio]

We have done our own surveys every few years. We have a very small population, and found funding for the first two surveys to mail every house in our postcode area. The third one was done in the street. We got 10-15% return rates on the postal ones, which in simple theory means a very good confidence level, and an impressive weekly reach figure of 70%. However, in my opinion it's quite likely that there may be an element of self-selection among respondents to a postal survey, in that those who do listen to the radio are probably more likely to respond than those who don't.

We offered shopping vouchers in a prize draw for the returned surveys, and while it does boost return rates it also runs the risk of receiving returns from people who don't care about the survey and make only a tolen response (or even a misleading one) just to get entered in the draw.

The survey results can be very useful indeed when making grant applications, and especially if you hire someone reasonably independent of the station to carry out the survey.

Alex
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Matthew Rogers 
  To: CMA-L 
  Sent: Wednesday, September 11, 2013 9:45 AM
  Subject: [cma-l] Deducing FM listening figures


  Hands up who gets asked, 'How many listeners do you have?' more than any other question..?


  I was just wondering if there was a semi-reliable or at least sector-wide way of telling listener figures without the assistance of Rajar? I'm aware of the '10% of the available listening audience' calculation and the 'online = 4.6% of total' calculation but these give wildly different numbers for Source FM and I guess I'm just wondering if this the same for everyone?


  Would there be any milage in asking Rajar to release a less expensive community radio package with limited shared information to CMA members? (sorry if this is an age old discussion)


  Cheers and gone..!
  -- 

  Matthew Rogers - Station Manager
  www.thesourcefm.co.uk
  Tel: 01326 211 782
  Mob: 07789746933
  Listen to Source FM Live


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