Study Compares Industry Perception With Fan Results

Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc.® and the Country Music Association have partnered to present a unique research project at CRS 2011, which tracks new media usage by country fans, as well as music executives’ perception of that usage.
The study dissects the awareness, interest in and usage of new media devices, social media, smartphone applications and radio station and artist websites in the country consumer’s daily life. It also polls participants on topics including music consumption, interaction with and purchase of music via new media outlets, radio listening versus television and Internet usage, and adoption trends of services such as Netflix, Skype and standard texting.
“I think one of the most interesting things about this year’s study is that it’s going to poll people within our industry, not just fans and radio listeners,” said Rusty Walker, president of Rusty Walker Programming. “It will be interesting to see how accurate we are in predicting the popularity of new media in the daily lives of our listeners. I’m betting there will be some surprises there.”
The study, conducted by Coleman Insights, covers a cross-section of 18- to 54-year-old country radio listeners who will be polled via online interviews. A significant sample of industry professionals including programmers, managers, and artists will be contacted as well. Surveying begins this month to ensure the most current findings.
The results will be presented Thursday, March 3, 2011, at 11 a.m. in the Nashville Convention Center. CRS 2011 runs March 2-4, 2011. The $499 regular registration rate is available at www.CRB.org or through the Country Radio Broadcasters offices at (615) 327-4487.