Television stations and the adoption and application of psychographic research

The purposes of this study were: 1) to determine the extent to which U.S. commercial television stations have adopted psychographic research strategies in order to influence a target audience; 2) to assess the degree to which station management perceive such research to be useful and; 3) to learn how television broadcasters are using this form of audience research at their stations.

A national survey of television station General Managers was conducted. Each respondent was sent a questionnaire regarding: their awareness of the research strategy; their station's adoption of psychographics; their perceptions of the utility of the research; the application of the method at their facility and; their estimates of psychographic's strengths and weaknesses.

It would appear that few stations in the country are using psychographics and those that are tend to be concentrated in large markets. Those General Managers most aware of the research were in the largest markets and were at stations ranked high in relation to the rest of the competition in their market. The audience research appears to be used most often in the areas of advertising time sales and station promotions. It is used least often in the areas of program development, program scheduling, and program theme development.