Radio Listening Databank

Detailed information for Fall 2007

Status:

Inactive

Frequency:

Annual

Record number:

3153

The databank permits users (including government departments and agencies, specifically the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission, associations, academics, and market researchers) to analyse the use of radio by Canadians.

Data release - September 18, 2008

Description

The databank permits users (including government departments and agencies, specifically the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission, associations, academics, and market researchers) to analyse the use of radio by Canadians. The information is used for programming, planning, monitoring of policies and for market research.

The survey data collected by BBM Canada come from a stratified sample of Canadians aged 12 years and over. Their listening during a specified seven-day period is collected by means of a diary-type questionnaire and is recorded in quarter-hour intervals. Households included in the sample are sent one diary for each household member. The diaries are designed to record the listening of each individual household member 12 years of age or older. Demographic characteristics (including age group, sex, education, occupation and linguistic characteristics) are also collected on this document. The results of eight seven-day periods during the fall are combined to produce the Fall Sweep Survey which forms the basis for the "Radio listening: data tables" (online catalogue number 87F0007XIE, free).

Reference period: Fall

Subjects

  • Culture and leisure
  • Television viewing and radio listening

Data sources and methodology

Target population

Data collected by the BBM survey represent the radio listening of all Canadians aged 12 years and older with the following exceptions:

- residents of the Yukon
- residents of the Northwest Territories
- residents of Nunavut
- residents of communal institutions (e.g. prisons, hospitals, college dormitories)
- residents of Indian Reserves
- residents of households where no member speaks either English or French
- residents of households which have no telephone service

Instrument design

This methodology does not apply.

Sampling

This is a sample survey with a cross-sectional design.

The ten provinces of Canada are geographically divided into approximately 400 mutually exclusive units called cells. For the most part, these cells are counties, census divisions, census agglomerations or other areas defined by Statistics Canada.

For each cell BBM determines the number of respondents necessary to provide statistically significant data. Both the estimated size of the cell population and the level of detail (e.g. demographic groups) required are considered in calculating the required sample size. Records of response rates and statistics on the composition of families in the cell are used to calculate the number of households to which diary packages must be mailed to achieve the representative sample.

Various suppliers provide computerized telephone listings, which come from the latest available phone directories and cover most of Canada. If telephone listings for rural areas are not covered by the suppliers' lists, BBM tops-up the list with telephone directories, chosen manually by BBM staff. Once all the listing data has been computer-entered, they are postal-coded and assigned a geographic cell number.

Data sources

Data are extracted from administrative files.

Using CATI (Computer-assisted Telephone Interviewing) technology, the BBM Enumeration departments in Montreal and Moncton recruit households to participate in each upcoming BBM survey.

Suppliers provide a list of households and a sample is taken. Each household is contacted via a phone call and an adult contact name is created. From one responsible adult, enumerators collect the name, gender and age of every person in the dwelling, their preferred language of correspondence and the correct mailing address. The age required is from 12 years of age and older.

Respondents may request their diaries in either English or French. Diary packages (introductory letter, diary, incentive and return envelope) are assembled by a direct-mail company and delivered to the sorting plant for mailing. Selected cooperating households receive a one-week diary for each household member along with a small cash token one week prior to the designated survey week.

BBM also contacts each household by phone just prior to and during the designated survey week to confirm that the diary has been received, and to encourage participation and the prompt return of the completed diaries at the week's end. A reminder notice is also sent by mail. BBM also does a follow-up phone call at the end of each survey week to remind respondents to send back the diary.

Error detection

Diaries are sorted and deemed to be early, good or late returns. To facilitate the editing process, BBM staff sort the diaries by cell and proof each diary to ensure that it has been properly completed. Specifically, they check that the required demographic questions have been answered and that the quarter-hour entries will allow to identify the station to which the respondent was tuned.

Occasionally, respondents have trouble identifying the stations to which they tuned. Sometimes, the quarter-hour entries contain fractured or invalid call letters, channel numbers, program names or network IDs. Senior diary processing staff use their broad knowledge base in this area to decipher and fix almost all station ID problems. These staff also routinely spot diaries that are missing key pieces of data (age, sex, language, call letters), then contact the respondents and question them about the missing or conflicting data.

The information collected from all of the returned diaries is keyed into computers. Next, respondent and keying errors are highlighted and fixed via numerous computerized "discrepancy" checks and reports.

Computer control files are used to define the geography used by BBM and to list the stations available in Canada. Additional files track things such as time zones. BBM maintains meticulous controls to ensure that all diary entries are explicit before being stored on the computer system to await final processing.

Finally, the Survey Controls Coordinator gathers and inputs any additional data required to process each survey. Information from returned diaries is entered into computers, subjected to a series of comprehensive edits and quality checks, projected and processed.

Imputation

This methodology does not apply.

Estimation

This methodology type does not apply to this statistical program.

Quality evaluation

The basic listening data are acquired from BBM who maintains meticulous controls to ensure that all diary entries are explicit before being stored on a computer system, then subjected to a series of comprehensive edits and quality checks, projected and processed.

The information on specific radio station formats is provided by the CRTC, verified by Statistics Canada then compared to last year's formats.

Prior to dissemination, combined files results are subject to a detailed review regarding the changes that happened in the radio industry during the reference period, then analysed for comparability: historic trends, and comparisons with other data sources.

Disclosure control

Statistics Canada is prohibited by law from releasing any data which would divulge information obtained under the Statistics Act that relates to any identifiable person, business or organization without the prior knowledge or the consent in writing of that person, business or organization. Various confidentiality rules are applied to all data that are released or published to prevent the publication or disclosure of any information deemed confidential. If necessary, data are suppressed to prevent direct or residual disclosure of identifiable data.

BBM has established a number of reporting standards or minimum sample requirements. Neither BBM nor Statistics Canada will release data where the number of valid respondents for a specific area or demographic group falls below the reporting standard.

Revisions and seasonal adjustment

This methodology does not apply to this survey.

Data accuracy

While the return rate, at 40.2%, is modest by Statistics Canada standards, it is in line with Canadian and international broadcasting industry practice for audience measurement. It is recommended that the data be interpreted with caution.

Documentation

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