A history of broadcast audience research in the United States, 1920-1980 with an emphasis on the rating services

An historical analysis is employed, describing the evolution of audience research from 1920 through 1980, with an emphasis on the rating services. The study places the rating service component of audience research in the context of research undertaken by a variety of participants, including national associations such as the National Association of Broadcasters, the Advertising Research Foundation, the National Cable Television Association; advertiser interests; broadcasters such as the major networks, stations, and station groups; and academic researchers.

Attention is given to the impact of competition among rating services and among broadcasters and advertisers in influencing audience research. The role of criticism is also described, including government investigations and client and public criticism.

Audience research has evolved with a number of trends that are identified by this study. From rather primitive beginnings, rating services have improved in the completeness, speed, and quality of their audience measurements. Completeness has taken the form of a progress toward full representativeness of audiences in terms of sampling, toward continuous time-reporting of audience viewing and listening behavior, and toward more accurate reporting of audience activity. Since the early days, audience analysis has progressed from somewhat cumbersome survey and fan mail analysis that often took months to produce to "instant" reports of some of audience viewing, including the overnight national television ratings that Nielsen provides and the totally electronic polls that some of the interactive cable systems such as QUBE provide.

In the qualitative dimensions, rating services, broadcasters, advertisers, and academicians have accumulated a body of research that reflects a variety of information about audiences. Among that variety are "lifestyle" variables, effects and effectiveness studies, and program preference dimensions.

The development of audience research has indeed been influenced by the needs and opportunities of the marketplace. When advertising became the means of support for radio, the first major regular rating services were developed to provide a basis for negotiating advertising rates. When television began to overtake radio as the chief broadcast medium, many new rating services emerged to accommodate that change, and older services readjusted their focus. Today, as cable, satellites, and home recorders begin to have a major impact on the structure of the broadcast media, audience researchers also begin to make necessary adjustments.

In the conclusions, a number of theoretical questions are explored. Speculation is made about the future directions of audience research, and how it must further change to accommodate expected media restructuring. A more global consideration is given about the role of feedback in mass media, and how theorists need to include feedback in the development of models of mass communication. Some criteria for the development of such models are presented. Additionally, a number of research possibilities are suggested which include some areas for the further development of descriptive analysis of audience research as well as some experimental possibilities.

The historical methodology included examination of pertinent books, trade publications, academic journals, company reports, newsletters, memoranda, and interviews with a number of audience researchers. A 50-page bibliography accompanies the study.