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This report offers an overview of the methodolo-
gies used to measure radio across Europe. egta’s
objective is to give readers a better understand-
ing of the range of techniques and technologies
in use, and insights into the effects of introduc-
ing electronic measurement.
Radio Audience Measurement is carried out ei-
ther by declarative means (day-after recall (DAR)
or diaries) or through the use of electronic (pas-
sive) technology. The current state of play in Eu-
rope can be found in Figure 01. This report also
contains an analysis of the benefits and limita-
tions of each methodology.
The document includes a more in-depth look
at several markets that have introduced or that
have run trials of electronic measurement. The
US uses the Nielsen trademarked Personal
People Meter (PPM) for radio in a number of
the country’s largest designated market areas
(DMAs), with diaries for the remaining DMAs.
Electronic measurement has been introduced
for the radio advertising currency in a number of
European countries, including Switzerland, Den-
mark, Norway and Sweden, and tests have been
carried out in several other markets.
Representatives from the Netherlands, Sweden
and Italy – all countries that have recently intro-
duced or trialled new methodologies – provided
interviews for this document, which also draws
on multiple reports, forecasts and estimates,
data from egta members and a telephone survey
of audience measurement institutes in order to
compile the necessary data.
/ / An overview of existing RAM
methodologies for currency in
Europe
Radio Audience Measurement (RAM), in one
form or another, is carried out in almost every
European country, and has long provided the in-
dependent and audited data on which radio ad-
vertising has been traded. Unlike other electronic
media, such as television and online, the meth-
odologies used to measure radio differ quite
widely between countries.
Radio is a highly mobile medium, and an indi-
vidual listener’s pattern of consumption typically
takes place in the home, in the car or on public
transport, at work and elsewhere. It may take
place through an FM, AM or DAB+ (terrestrial)
signal, or the audio may be delivered via a con-
nected IP device. Whilst TV viewing is now ex-
tending beyond the living room screen, a large
proportion of television is still watched on one or
more devices in the home. Radio faces different
challenges that in turn account for the method-
ologies that have been developed to measure it.
This report focuses on the measurement of ter-
restrially delivered radio, whether by analogue
or digital transmission. egta will publish a sub-
sequent report in the coming months that gives
an overview of measurement techniques – cur-
rently in their infancy – that are being developed
to deliver standardised metrics for online audio
within some of the most developed European
markets. This report will also include strategies
that are being developed to combine data from
all forms of radio listening.
/ / Main methodologies in place
Radio is measured by two primary means: firstly,
asking people to actively remember or record
their listening behaviour over a period of time
(declarative); and secondly, by the use of tech-
executive summary