Ratings question

[Joseph Pappalardo]

> If the ratings services call a listener, and the listener, without
identifying call letters, says,
> "I'm listening to Air America," what does the ratings service record?

This may have chganged a bit recently, but for a long time this is the way
it was.

Arbitron keeps a "slogan file" on stations.

Stations are allowed to list slogans that might be used as identifiers by
listeners.

For example, the slogans listed for station WXXX might include:

"Soft Rock", "Johnny Jack in the Morning" & "Softy 101.1"

So that if anyone writes in their ratings diary at work listening to "Soft
Rock" at work between 9AM and 5PM", it would be attributed to WXXX.

I'm guessing that WXKS/WKOX probably has listed "Air America" in their
slogan file.

No station can use the same slogan as an idenifier.

Although, some stations can challenge the others use of a slogan.

When WMJX signed on, WILD was using the slogan "Magic 10-9-0".  WMJX
challenged them, showing that they didn't consistantly use it every hour,
and WILD lost the use of that slogan.

So, to answer your question, an entry or response of "Air America" (without
calls), would be attributed to WKOX/WXKS.

Outside of the Boston Metro (5 counties), and a little further west, it
would probably attributed to WMAS.

JP