EBBOTT REACHES PINNACLE GUY ZAPOLEON'S HISTORY OF THE FUTURE CALLOUT FRUSTRATION WHAT ABOUT ONLINE RESEARCH? COME GOLF WITH US!!!

GUY ZAPOLEON'S HISTORY OF THE FUTURE

There was a time 15 years ago, when callout was not part of a programmer's standard set of "tools for the Hits!" Back then most programmers didn't haven't have a comfort zone with callout and instead, still relied on national charts, single sales, and requests to determine rotations. A handful of programmers in the know, rode "callout" scores and "library testing" to big successes. We found that on a 1 to 10 scale, where 1 is the most conservative light listener, and 10 is the most active heavy listener, and 5 was where the majority of your listeners were, callout captured the majority with a good representative balance of light medium and heavy listeners. After those notable successes the industry embraced callout and for the last 10 years, its has become the norm for determining Hit songs. However because of the onslaught of telemarketing and other calls to the household, and the development of caller ID, its nearly impossible to reach your average person! Instead, you reach the person who has time to talk to anyone who calls, and that sure AIN'T average these days. While callout was representative of statistically, reliable average listeners just a few years ago, today it seems apparent that the majority of callout respondents are light and medium-light listeners and do not truly, represent enough of your medium and heavy listeners. Some people insist that the person who participates in callout is the same type of person who will accept a ratings diary. This may be true to some extent, but regardless, this person is less and less indicative of your real-world listener, which is why people meters have become so important to worldwide ratings companies. Also, keep in mind that if you play only to the most conservative, non-Internet savvy people then you are playing to the past, and a new, more targeted station, that appeals to your medium and heavy listeners, can likely steal your franchise. See a demo of "OnlineTRACKER" Internet Research »

CALLOUT FRUSTRATION

Traditional callout has become so frustrating for most programmers because it can take up to 10 weeks to identify a hit. The sad thing is that most programmers are projecting songs to powers and medium based on national spins -- a huge mistake since national spins is just one programmer watching another and less and less based on real research. I know of many songs recently, that made it into the Top 10 but never ever tested in either traditional callout or online research. That's one huge advantage that online research has -- the ability to identify hits much faster than traditional callout. I watch so many people who don't have online research, prepare to dump a song that becomes a hit for that station 3-4 weeks later! Visit zapoleon.com »

WHAT ABOUT ONLINE RESEARCH?

So what about online, Internet research? Three or so years ago, when some of the first online research companies launched, many said online, Internet research is way too active and not representative of your average listener. However, as the majority of your listeners have an email address, and are more and more internet savvy, online research IS indeed, representative of that huge chunk of your listeners, that callout now misses -- your medium and heavy listeners. These are the people who have busy lifestyles (as most of us do) but can sign on and rate your music anytime they want -- day or night! They will participate in an online survey when they'd never welcome a phone call from a callout company let alone be around when that company called them. Many people also questioned the methodology, saying it isn't random enough! But in reality, if its done correctly, it's just as random with your select quotas, as any callout company that is now forced to work their database over and over again for sample. They key to these systems is to continue to build your database, which online research companies do thru a radio stations own airwaves, or through a databasing program the radio station may have. For now, we would recommend using both methodologies (if you can still afford it), since traditional callout tracks down the most conservative part of your audience and internet research tracks down the more active medium and heavy listeners. Your powers would be determined by those songs that do well with traditional callout and online. Internet DOES have a very big advantage in times like these...it's very inexpensive and can use MUCH larger, unlimited numbers within the samples! Contact guy@zapoleon.com Click here to Email Guy Zapoleon »