CRA Starts Using Watches to Measure Radio Listening

Commercial Radio Australia (CRA) has announced the recruitment in Sydney of the first panel participants to wear electronic watch meters to capture their radio listening. This is part of the roll out of GfK Radio360, which moves the industry from paper-based surveys to the majority use of e-diaries.

The current radio ratings system has been based on a representative sample of 60,000 consumers annually, using a paper or electronic listening diary to record which stations they listen to. Last September, CRA partnered with GfK to launch GfK Radio360, as part of its plan to move to a multi-mode / hybrid methodology, with data collected through a combination of diaries, live streaming data, and the use of watch meters. This system will offer access to panels of 400 consumers in each of the country's five metro markets. Panellists will wear an electronic watch meter to detect when they are in listening range of a radio broadcast, while providing encrypted anonymised information for validation that streaming data is accurate and deduplicated.

The GfK MediaWatch is also equipped with heat and motion sensors to confirm it is actually being worn. Participants will be selected for the Melbourne panel in the coming weeks, and the building of panels in Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth will begin as further shipments of the hardware arrive in the country later in the year. In addition, work is underway to enable the collection of live streaming data from radio station web sites, apps and player server logs.

CRA Chief Exec Joan Warner (pictured) comments: 'Through these changes, the industry will have for the first time a single source for live streaming data that is uniform and consistent across all the major commercial radio networks. This will provide clarity on the size and profile of radio's growing streaming audiences and help the networks and advertisers realise the significant opportunities in this area'.

Web site: www.commercialradio.com.au .