How does this electronic radio audience measurement affect the private radios?
In 2001, Switzerland was the first country to introduce Radiocontrol (www.radiocontrol.ch), the new electronic device for radio audience measurement: A wristwatch that regularly measures the surrounding sounds. Before that, data on radio consumption was gathered exclusively by questioning, either person-to-person or by post or telephone. From questioning to measuring: a paradigm shift!
The development of this new audience research system has been made possible by the interdisciplinary cooperation of the various partners involved in the project, which was supported by the Swiss Commission for Technology and Innovation (CTI) and the publicly funded Swiss Broadcasting Corporation.
Swiss private radios had little influence on the development of the project, and when Radiocontrol was finally ready to replace the old research system, they had indeed no alternative to joining.
However, after one year's experience, there still remain a number of open questions and doubts. Martin Muerner, Vice-President of the Association of Swiss Private Radios VSP/ASRP (www.lokalradios.ch), has observed and accompanied the development of Radiocontrol closely ever since ist first steps. In his conference, he will present the private radios' views and analyzis, explain their reserves, and show how audience measurement results have to be considered in a different way since the change of methods.
Martin MUERNER (CH)