Defining Media Audiences

BARB

The Broadcasters Audience Research Board (BARB) provides media producers with a wealth
of knowledge. BARB tracks the viewing patterns of over 5,000 homes in the United Kingdom
(Around 11,500 viewers in total.) BARB also provides details from DTRs and VCRs, such as
guest viewing and time-shifted viewing. They conduct research on both main and secondary
sets of views in various rooms in the building. The data provided by BARB is useful to media
producers because it allows them to distinguish various types of viewers and what channels
they watch. This is beneficial because it allows them to determine where they can target
their audience in the future.

However, one disadvantage is that most people today choose to watch movies and
television digitally rather than on a traditional television. This is a problem that media
producers will have to deal with in the future if they want to effectively categorize viewers.

RAJAR

RAJAR (Radio Joint Audience Research) is a non-profit organization that collects audience
listenership data for radio stations on a calendar year basis. The information is gathered by
putting a seven-day self-completion diary in each household with one adult (15+) and up to
two children (10-14 years). Each household will be asked to sort through place cards and
choose which radio stations they will or might listen to in different circumstances. The
information gathered is then shared with contracting stations on a quarterly basis.

RAJAR, like BARB, is quantitative analysis since the data obtained is numerical and can be
used to assess radio station listenership.

ASA

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) was established in 1962 to ensure that all ads are
"both honest and decent," whether they are broadcast on television, radio, newspapers, or
billboards. It is funded by an anonymous tax collected from advertisers and is independent
of the government. The ASA would consider both the overall impression generated by
marketing communications and the particular statements made. They investigate consumer
complaints, and the ASA is prepared to respond to these complaints and ensuring that there
are no problems with privacy security.
 ABC

ABC (Audit Bureau of Circulation) ABC (Audit Bureau of Circulation) ABC (Audit (used to
determine the way advertising is traded in the media industry in both broadcast and print,
throughout the UK). ABC collects data by categorizing people into social classes. This
suggests that people are grouped according to their social status or occupation. ABC uses
social classification to determine which groups of people will be watching or reading those
types of programs or magazines, allowing them to advise advertising agencies about the
best places to advertise.

Since it is conducted by each group's personal preferences for programs and reading
content, the study conducted by ABC is known as qualitative research. ABC, on the other
hand, may be classified as quantitative research since the data is portrayed numerically.