Presentation on the many different types of research TV and Advertising companies use to measure there audience.

1. Audience
Research
James Miller

2. Purpose of Research
TV and Advertising companies will research
three things.
Audience- They need to know who their
audience is.
Market- They need to know what there
audience is and what there tastes and
preferences are
Product- How they are going to logistically
create the media product.

3. Why do companies spend
money on research?
Companies will often spend a large amount of money on research as it
is fundamental to the start of a successful advertising campaign.
Companies will spend money on research for numerous reasons for
example…
 Media products are expensive to produce ( successful adverts often
cost a lot to produce so if there is no responses or reactions then it will
be a waste of the companies money)
 To Attract the right audience ( If the advert did not attract the right
audience then it would have been pointless to create the advert for
the chosen target market so the brand or company may have to
change there products to match the more interested audience.)
 Audience reacts to it in the right way (If the audience did not react to
the advert in the right way then the message behind the advert will
be misconstrued which could mislead the audience)
 To ensure the product is completed to a budget (If the company
went over budget then they could suffer financially if the advert is not
a success)
 To ensure the product is completed on time (If the advert was aired
later than anticipated, the targets markets preferences could have
changed so the advert would not attract the right audience or get
the right reactions)

4. Advantages and disadvantages of
research
Advantages Disadvantages
Able to find out likes and
dislikes of audience
Can be very time
consuming
Vital information can be
discovered
Can cost a lot of money
Can be used to create an
audience information pack
or audience profile
Questions can be biased so
results are invalid
Able to define your target
audience
Responses can sometimes
be vague and not detailed

5. Types of research
Primary- Research that companies
undertake themselves.
Secondary- Research that has already
been conducted by someone else.
Qualitative- Research that is formed from
opinions and feelings.
Quantitative- Research that is based on
facts and figures. It can be used to show
numerical data or statistics.

6. Types of research (Advantages
and disadvantages)
Qualitative Quantitative Primary Secondary
Advantages • Able to gain more
detailed responses
• People are able to
expand on there
responses and
generate new
thoughts and
discussions which
were not previously
thought of
• Research is able
to easily be
conducted again
if a standard set
of questions is
used
• Prevents biased
answers as
questions do not
require a personal
response
• Researchers are
able to
specifically
conduct
questions that are
relevant to there
objective.
• New research so
answers are
accurate.
• Cheaper as
research has
already been
undertaken
• May be used to
help clarify the
main research
question
Disadvantages • Researchermust
have good skills to
conduct this form of
research
• Can be time
consuming so less
people studied
• Researcher
unable to see a
clear human
perception
• Results are limited
as they only show
a numerical or
statistical
responses
• Primary research
can be costly and
time consuming
• Can sometimes
be unfeasible
• Information may
only be relevant
to the time of
study- results are
invalid
• May not be
specific to the
researchers main
question.

7. Audience Research
Many companies find out
information about audiences
through many different ways.
Information about audiences
needs to be up to date and
valid at the time as the needs
and preferences change so
quickly. To keep up with these
changes Television companies
need to constantly research to
make sure there shows are
meeting those needs.

8. Ratings
Ratings are a key way to find
out information about an
audience. Ratings show how
many people are watching
a program at a specific
time. For example,
Overnights TV supply data
on audience numbers for
various UK TV shows.
Companies such as the BBC
could use this information to
make changes to schedules
as well as creative changes
to shows to make sure they
get the most viewers.

9. Interviews
Interviews are another way in which
Television companies take research.
Interviews can be structured with a
set of specific questions which need
to be answered or they can be in
depth to get more detailed answers.
The advantages of having interviews
are that you can directly get the
answers to the questions and you can
allow the interviewee to elaborate on
them if necessary however a
disadvantage could be the
interviewer could craft questions
which could get the answer that suits
them therefore making the research
invalid.

10. Focus Groups
Focus groups normally consist of a
small group of people who discuss
a particular topic along with a
moderator who may assist there
discussion. Focus groups are good
as you can easily measure
customer reactions which is ideal
for any advertising company.
Focus groups are also good as they
may suggest ways of improving
adverts or particular concepts.
However focus groups also have a
couple of disadvantages such as
the moderator being biased and
influencing the participants to go
along with there ideas.

11. Questionnaires
Questionnaires are another way
in which advertising companies
can research there audiences.
Questionnaires are small
documents with questions which
can be filled out by the
participant. Questionnaires are
good for advertising companies
because they can reach out to a
large amount of people quickly
however the problems with
questionnaires is that there is no
real way to tell how truthful one
of the answers is which could
mislead advertising companies
when they design and create
there adverts.

12. Classification
When researching, companies may use these categories.
 A- Top management, bankers, lawyers, doctors.
 B- Middle management, teachers, many creative jobs
e.g. graphic designer.
 C1- Skilled Workers, office supervisors, junior managers.
 C2- Semi Skilled Workers, tradesperson.
 E- Unemployed, students, casual workers
This is used so the researchers know the typical skill and
education the audience has and how they may or may
not relate to specific programmes for example A may not
relate or respond to a program about student life due to
the fact they are in a higher position than them on the
classification scale. Companies will have to target there
media products at a category which fits there target
audience.

13. Audience Classification
Audience classification is how researchers
categorise there audience. Audiences can
be categorised in various ways such as
occupation as well as typical behaviour
and preferences. This allows researchers to
find out which TV shows and Adverts are
popular with certain markets as well as
giving them the insights to appeal to other
markets.

14. BARB BARB (Broadcasters audience research
board) measures audience ratings
across the UK. They carefully choose a
panel of homes which represent
approximately 5,000 homes within the
UK. They choose the panel that fit to a
wide range of demographics. Each
home is fitted with a meter which is
installed by Kantar Media. It monitors
what programs the house owners are
watching as well as programs watched
seven days after the original
broadcast.
This is an accurate way for companies
to measure their audience as the
results are recorded during transmission
meaning they are valid however the
panel of homes may not always
represent the majority of the country
which could mislead advertisers in the
creation of adverts and programs.

15. Audience Measurement
Panels
BARB use audience measurement panels
using a Kantar Media monitor which records
what programs and adverts are being
watched and who is watching them. The
meter comes with a handset so it viewers
can record who is watching what program.
The Kantar meter records the audio track of
the program rather than the visuals which is
now an industry standard.

16. Nielsen
Nielsen research in a similar way to BARB
the use metering technology to analyse
the audiences viewing habits. Nielsen
states that “Knowing how and when to
reach prospective consumers is the Holy
Grail of audience measurement and
helps media companies and brands
make the right planning and
programming decision”
Nielsen also use video diaries as a way of
researching television audiences. The
audience record themselves what
programs they are watching as well as
the usual metering ideas.

17. Program Profiles
Thinkbox.tv states that Program Profiles are “A
means by which viewers to a channel,
programme or day-part may be broken down
across a single variable such as age or class,
always totalling 100.” Profiles are a count of
viewers which are categorised into certain
demographics such as age, gender etc. This
allows researchers to find out which categories
are mostly tuning into TV shows and which
categories they are maybe not focusing on.

18. Audience information pack
Once research has been undertaken by the
company on there audiences
demographics then then will produce a
pack on who there target audience is. The
pack will include there likes, dislikes, gender,
age, classification and there general
preferences. Companies will use these
Information packs to aim adverts and
products specifically to that audience to
ensure a greater response towards the ad.

19. Rates Card
Rates cards show the prices
and format for placing an
advert in a specific location.
Companies will refer to the
rates card to see how much
they will need to spend to
promote there message to
potential customers.