Edison Research Country Study Now Online

Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc.® and Edison Research have posted the full results of their National Country Radio P1 Study online in the form of a video slideshow, complete with audio commentary. The presentation, which was originally given this year at CRS-40 in Nashville, may be viewed at either www.CRB.org or www.EdisonResearch.com. According to Tom Webster, Vice President of Strategy and Marketing for Edison Research, the study revealed particularly noteworthy trends regarding repetition in country radio playlists, how listeners are finding new music, syndicated versus local programming and the importance of social networks. This is the fourth year the National Country Radio P1 Study was conducted and presented at Country Radio Seminar®. The CRB/Edison Research survey is the largest ongoing Country Radio P1 study of its kind. Webster pointed to four actionable items, summarized below, that stations should consider as a means to help increase their listenership.

1) Leave Deeper Footprints. Marketing initiatives and promotions should be run through an additional “filter” to ensure that listeners are benefiting as much as possible from their local stations. Of those surveyed, 84 percent agreed that country music “makes a positive contribution to American life.”

2) Expand Your Presence on Social Networks. Nearly two out of three respondents indicated having a profile on at least one social networking website.  Webster encouraged stations to advocate a policy of hiring employees with “digital literacy.”

3) Take Repetition Seriously. Results of the study showed that 51 percent of those sampled agree that stations play certain songs to the point that it “becomes annoying.”  “Stations have to do more than just talk about variety, they have to find ways to build a deeper bench,” Webster warned.

4) Think Visual. Music video channels and network television appearances were the second and third most popular means of discovering new music, according to those surveyed. “Incorporate video elements of the artists wherever possible,” Webster said.