«U 375 ( fit 3 § a V 3! REX-2 A q an? «AV 7! new 1. a mmmnmmmmn LL WW2 1293 00989 5586 E l ... AHA-w». {My 1. 1,305? ABSTRACT AN AUDIENCE AWARENESS STUDY OF WKAR RADIO, 1975 BY Gary A. Kishi This study was undertaken to determine the dimensions of the WKAR Radio listening audience, the dimensions of the non-WKAR Radio audience, overall audience preferences, awareness of WKAR Radio and its programming and identifi- cation of promotional outlets for WKAR Radio. A telephone survey was conducted among 1,101 tele- phone households in Lansing and surrounding communities. Some 220 WKAR Radio listeners were identified and asked in-depth questions about programming and the station's image. All respondents were questioned about media con— sumption, travel patterns, and radio station preferences. Approximately 20% of those surveyed could be classi- fied as WKAR Radio listeners, people who listened to WKAR Radio at least once a week. Some 43% of these listeners said they listen almost every day. In the entire sample 6.6% named WKAR Radio as their favorite station. WKAR Radio listeners are fairly young, with 27% of the AM listeners and 40% of the FM audience Gary A. Kishi between 20 and 29 years of age. They also tend to be highly educated, with 30% of the AM audience and over 50% of the FM audience holding college degrees, and nearly 30% of the PM audience holding advanced university degrees. WKAR Radio listeners listen because of the "music" and "overall format." They like the "overall coverage" afforded by WKAR Radio’s news department. Over one-third of WKAR Radio listeners tune randomly to select programs, another 17% rely on on-air promotions, while nearly 13% use the "WKAR Program Guide." The non-WKAR Radio listener tends to be less well educated; over half have a high school degree or less. Over 75% of non-listeners tend to tune radio programs randomly, with WITL and WVIC being the most popular radio stations. Many non—listeners claim that they have never heard of WKAR Radio (39%) or do not list a reason for not listening (13%). Both the WKAR Radio listeners and non-listeners regularly read the State Journal, with the Detroit Free Press a distant second place. Also, about 60% of both groups commute to work in an automobile, most taking between 10 and 30 minutes, with few driving longer than a half hour. The heaviest radio listening time for both groups is during this "drive time" in the mornings. AN AUDIENCE AWARENESS STUDY OF WKAR RADIO, 1975 BY Gary A. Kishi A THESIS Submitted to Michigan State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS Department of Telecommunication 1976 Accepted by the faculty of the Department of Telecommunication, College of Communication Arts and Sciences, Michigan State University, in partial ful- fillment of the requirements for the Master of Arts degree. ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would first like to acknowledge the contributions and outstanding efforts of my fellow research and friend, Frederick Jacobs, without whom this project might never have gotten off the ground. I would also like to thank the management and staff of WKAR Radio, especially Steve Meuche and Dan Wardlow, for their helpful comments and contributions. The student research assistants, whose patience and attention to details made this study a success are: John Casey, Brad Graham, Fred Doekler, Diane Kurylo, Loreene Zeno, Leslie Sappanos, Jayne Marsh, Connie Nold, Margaret Kehrer, Tom Wilson, Chuck Lenoski, Paul Jacobs, Eric Ringquist, Dave Walker, Bill Eldred, and Eric Schwarzkopf. My debt of gratitude to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, who financed this study. Finally, Dr. Thomas Muth, my thesis advisor and critic, who encouraged me throughout the program. iii Chapter I II III IV APPENDICES A TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION. The Problem. METHODOLOGY . The Study Design . . The Sample . . . . Interviewer Selection and. Administration . . . . The Questionnaire. Coding . RESULTS AND ANALYSIS. All Listeners. . WKAR Radio Listeners SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS . SAMPLE DRAw FROM 1975- 76 LANSING AREA MICHIGAN BELL TELEPHONE COMPANY DIRECTORY . . . . INTERVIEWBR INSTRUCTIONS. QUESTIONNAIRE . "WHY DO YOU LISTEN TO WKAR RADIO?", RESPONSES O O O O O O O I O I O 0 "WHAT COULD WKAR RADIO DO TO IMPROVE ITS PRESENT PROGRAMMING?", RESPONSES. "CAN YOU THINK OF A SHORT PHRASE THAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE WKAR-AM?", RESPONSES. "CAN YOU THINK OF A SHORT PHRASE THAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE WKAR-FM?", RESPONSES. STATION LISTENERS BY AGE AND EDUCATION. iv Page h-h-b LON!” 11 12 35 49 53 54 57 67 69 71 72 74 Table 9A 9B 10A 10B 11 12 13 14 LIST OF TABLES ”Is your home radio AM, PM, or both?" "Do you have a radio in your car?". "Is your car radio AM, PM, or both?". "Do you regularly read a newspaper?". "Do you ride in a car to work?" "How long does it take you to drive to work?" . . . . . . . . . . . "Do you ever ride on a city bus?" "What radio station do you listen to most often?". . . . . . . "Why do you listen to this station?". Total sample's station preferences by age. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . "In your opinion, what radio station offers the best news coverage?" "Why is this station best for news?". "Where do you find out about the radio programs that you listen to?" . . . "What time of day do you listen to the radio?" . . . . . . . . . "What time of day do you usually listen to the radio?" (asked of WKAR-AM, PM, or both listeners; two responses combined) "Why don't you listen to WKAR Radio?" Page 12 12 l3 14 15 15 16 17 19 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Table 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 "If WKAR Radio carried a radio program produced for children between the ages of five and twelve, do you think your children would listen?" . "What would be the best time of day for a children's radio show?" "WKAR Radio often carries gavel-to- gavel coverage of legislative hearings and conferences. If you knew about this type of coverage, would you listen?". . . . . . . . . "Would you listen to legislative coverage?" (WKAR listeners only). "What is your age?" "What was the last year of school you completed?" . "What is your race? Sex . Geographic location . AM, FM, or both by age. AM, PM or both by education . Listening frequency . "What is your favorite program on WKAR Radio?". . "What other programs do you listen to on WKAR Radio?" (second and third choices). . . . . . . . . . Aided recall - WKAR-AM. Aided recall - WKAR-FM. "What don't you like about WKAR Radio?" "How did you find out about programs on WKAR Radio?" (two choices). "Have you ever seen information about programs on WKAR Radio in a newspaper?" vi Page 28 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 37 38 4O 41 42 43 44 45 Table 34 35 36 H1 H2 "Which newspaper?". "Have you ever heard announcements on WKAR Radio about programs on the station?" . . . . . . . . "DO they (on-air promos) help you select the programs that you listen to on WKAR Radio?". . Combined "radio station most listened to" and "other stations that you listen to” by "education". "Radio station most listened to" by "age" vii Page 45 46 46 74 75 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Public radio has evolved as the portion of the medium which serves many specialized interests. Unlike commercial radio, which strives to capture a mass audience, public radio purports to program to minority groups who are not regularly served by commercial stations. This alternative programming has led to audience assess— ment problems which are peculiar to public broadcasting. Commercial broadcast rating services are structured so as to measure the mass audience of the commercial radio station. Because public radio stations program to more specialized and smaller audiences, they are diffi- cult to detect and seldom appear in the ratings. A public radio station may operate for years without clear empirical data relating to its audience composition. Yet paradoxically it is the public radio station that needs the audience composition information most urgently. Unlike the commercial broadcaster, who can measure suc- cess in terms of commercial minutes sold, audience numbers and cost-per-thousand, public radio must measure its success in terms of fulfillment of audience needs. Not the needs of the mass audience, but the specialized 1 2 minority audience's, be they ethnic or social or just a preference for music not available on local commercial radio stations. Public radio's success is dependent upon the effective identification of these needs, pro- gramming to serve them, audience promotion to assure listeners and feedback from the target audience. In 1975 a Corporation for Public Broadcasting Grant for $20,000 was awarded to WKAR Radio for station pro- motion. Some $5,000 of this was allocated to an audience study which would be used to determine where the remain- ing promotional funds could best be spent. This author was named research director along with Frederick Jacobs, an Instructor at Michigan State University's Department of Telecommunication. A telephone survey of over 1,000 households was conducted in the Greater Lansing area. The study's specific objectives were: to determine the dimensions of the WKAR Radio audience, listener awareness of WKAR Radio and its programming, the dimensions of the non-WKAR Radio audience and why they do not listen, overall audience preferences in radio programs and news, and tile identification of promotional outlets for WKAR Radio. The Problem In 1970, Dr. Thomas F. Baldwin made an extensive study of WKAR Radio's listening audience. However, after five years many changes had occurred in both WKAR Radio's 3 programming as well as in the Lansing radio market. WKAR Radio's management felt that a new audience study was needed to determine whether programming and market changes had affected the WKAR Radio audience and to determine where listeners obtain information about spe- cific radio programs. In addition, they wanted to test public reaction to legislative hearings and conference coverage, and reaction to starting a children's radio program. WKAR Radio has two distinctive broadcast services, WKAR-FM, which is primarily a fine arts service, and WKAR—AM, which is more news and public affairs oriented. Programming, especially on the AM service, changes in character throughout the broadcast day. Management believed that WKAR-AM listeners tuned in for specific programs of interest rather than listening for several hours at a time. The identification of specific programs by the listener would therefore give the best indication of programming effectiveness. The PM service, because of its fine arts programs, had developed an audience following which WKAR Radio management wanted measured, along with specific programs. CHAPTER II METHODOLOGY The Study Design In order to measure WKAR Radio's listening audience, it was anticipated that a large number of people would have to be questioned to find a statistically significant number of WKAR Radio listeners. Basing estimates on the 1970 Baldwin study, it was decided to require 1,000 completed interviews. Because of the large number of completions required and the high cost of other survey methods, it was decided to use the telephone survey method. The low cost, high completion rate, speed and accuracy of the telephone survey were desirable. How- ever, it was realized that a telephone type survey would not include unlisted telephone numbers and households without telephones. The Sample The sample was drawn from the 1975-76 Lansing area telephone directory. Communities included in the survey: Lansing, East Lansing, Dansville, Dimondale, Eaton Rapids, Holt, Okemos, Mason, Potterville, and areas near Lansing, including Aurelius, Onondaga, Bath-DeWitt- S Laingsburg, Grand Ledge-Wacousta, Perry-Shaftsburg and Williamston. The sample was stratified-random, with each community in the directory weighted proportionately to all of the others (see Appendix A). Skip intervals were computed and template overlays were constructed for each telephone directory division. Government pages were eliminated from the page count and were not a part of the sample frame. Likewise busineSs telephones, where identifiable, were eliminated and the next resi— dential telephone number substituted in its place. Because of expected disconnected telephones, refusals and no answers, the sample was overdrawn by 60%. The total sample consisted of 1,632 telephone households. Interviewer Selection and Administration The interviewers were all upper-level, Telecommuni— cation majors at Michigan State University, with the exception of one upper-level Advertising major. Several of the interviewers had completed course work in audience studies; others had participated in previous telephone surveys. Ten male students and six female students participated as interviewers. All of the interviewers attended a training session, during which the questionnaire and administrative pro- cedures were explained in detail. Each interviewer received a set of instructions explaining how to handle various anticipated problems (see Appendix B). In 6 addition, the interviewers interviewed each other and the research directors in order to familiarize them- selves with the questionnaire. The interviewers were paid $2.50 per hour and appeared highly motivated. Each interviewer had been carefully selected from a large number of applicants and, in every case, the directors were familiar with the interviewer's academic background and interests. Veri- fication of call-backs made by the directors on nearly 10% of the respondents detected few errors attributable to the interviewers. All of the dialing took place in the offices and production areas of WKAR Radio. Since the survey was conducted during the evening, there was no contact between the interviewers and the regular WKAR staff. The compact area aided in supervision and trouble- shooting during the survey period. Each evening, com— pleted questionnaires were counted and spot checked for administrative errors. The directors also listened to each interviewer at least once during the calling period to check for compliance with the instructions. In all checks, very few errors were found. In addition to completing the questionnaire, the interviewers noted the date and time of each call. If a ntunber was busy or there was no answer, up to three Call —backs were made on different days and at different hours . All interviews were conducted between 6 p.m. 7 and 10 p.m., from September 2-4 and September 8-10, 1975. Weekends and Fridays were excluded. Only six weekdays were required to complete over 1,100 interviews. The Questionnaire The questionnaire was designed to provide maximum results within the framework of a telephone survey. Several meetings were scheduled between the research directors and WKAR Radio management for discussion of the station's needs, and questionnaire design and modi- fications. In addition, the questionnaire's rough draft was circulated among WKAR Radio staff members for input and feedback. A pre-test was conducted by the research directors to determine questionnaire flow, sentence and phrase structure, and comprehension by respondents. A small, random sample of 50 Lansing area homes was selected. Care was taken to make sure that none of these phone numbers were redrawn for the actual sample. Based on the pre-test and subsequent meetings with WKAR Radio management, a few minor revisions were made to the questionnaire. The questionnaire appears in Appendix C. It is divided into three main sections: 1) Questions dealing with media usage and radio programming preferences (white). 8 2) Questions designed for WKAR listeners only (green). 3) Questions referring to special programs and demographic information (gold). The introduction of the questionnaire purposely did not mention WKAR Radio, to eliminate possible bias. Instead, interviewers explained that they were working on a Michigan State University research project in mass communication. In addition, WKAR Radio was not mentioned until the fifteenth question, to further eliminate pos- sible biases. Sections 1 and 3 were administered to all respon- dents. Section 2 was reserved for persons identified as WKAR Radio listeners. This determination was based on two questions: the first asked whether the respondent ever listened to WKAR Radio. A second verification question was added because of respondent tendency to simply assert that he or she was a WKAR Radio listener, whether or not this was actually the case. The verifi- cat:ion question referred to WKAR listening frequency. If ‘the respondent listened at least once a week, the interviewer proceeded with section 2, for WKAR Radio listxeners only. If, however, the respondent listened less than once a week, the interviewer skipped section 2 and proceeded to the final section. IWhile it is true that this procedure lowers the number' of individuals labeled "WKAR Radio listeners", 9 the research directors felt that this process would increase the reliability of data from WKAR Radio listeners. In addition, the WKAR Radio section of the questionnaire is rather lengthy and demands great detail about the station(s). Respondents who untruthfully asserted that they listened to WKAR Radio would have provided some long, uncomfortable moments for themselves and the interviewers. Section 2, the WKAR Radio section, consisted of unaided and aided recall of the stations' programs, perceptions of the station(s), programming likes and dislikes, and suggestions for improvements. Coding The majority of the questions in all three sections were fixed-response types and, as a result, could be pre-coded on the questionnaire itself. In order to promote candid responses and to provide for unexpected answers, a total of ten open-ended questions was included throughout the body of the questionnaire. The open- ended items were coded by the research directors to insure accuracy. A large sample of questionnaires was randomly selected from the completed interviews so that effective categories could be devised for the open-ended questions. Each completed interview was coded onto a standard coding form from which computer cards were punched. A 10 computer printout revealed minor coding errors that were subsequently corrected before any computer runs were undertaken. The computer program was designed and developed by Marc Conlin, after consultation with the research directors. CHAPTER III RESULTS AND ANALYSIS The total analysis of the study has been divided into two main sections: 1) All Listeners. This includes WKAR Radio listeners, non—listeners, and the total sample. 2) WKAR Radio Listeners. This includes demo- graphic crossbreaks and results for questions administered to WKAR Radio listeners only. Of the 1,101 total respondents, 881 (80%) were identified as non-listeners to WKAR Radio. Using the verification process described in "The Questionnaire" section of this report, 220 persons (20%) said they listen to WKAR Radio at least once a week. Simply stated, one in every five persons surveyed listens to WKAR Radio at least once a week. The standard error for the entire study was never above 3.2%; the refusal rate was 7.4%; and the completion rate was 67.5%. 11 12 All Listeners Table 1. "Is your home radio AM, FM, or both?" All Non- WKAR Respondents Listeners Listeners (%) (%) (%) AM 3.7 4.0 2.7 PM 0.8 0.9 0.5 Both 95.2 94.5 96.8 Don't Know 0.3 0.3 --- N = 1,101 N = 881 N = 220 Table 1 shows that FM penetration among all three groups reaches 96% and above. The highest FM penetra- tion belongs to WKAR Radio listeners with 97.3%. Table 2. "Do you have a radio in your car?" All Non- WKAR Respondents Listeners Listeners (%) (%) (%) Yes 91.1 91.9 87.7 No (or no car) 8.9 8.1 12.3 N = 1,098 N = 879 N = 218 13 While in Table 2, the total sample and non-listeners were above 91% for car radio ownership, 87.7% of WKAR Radio listeners had a car radio. In Table 3, FM car penetration was nearly identical for all three groups. Table 3. "Is your car radio AM, FM, or both?" All Non- WKAR Respondents Listeners Listeners (‘8) CU (35) AM 52.5 52.5 52.6 FM 1.7 1.7 1.6 AM-FM 43.5 43.2 44.8 Don't Know 2.3 2.6 1.0 N = 996 N = 804 N = 192 Respondents were asked if they regularly read a news- paper, and two choices were allowed. A total of 1,367 responses were recorded, which means that 226 people made two newspaper choices. Table 4 illustrates how the three groups responded to the question. While only 16% of WKAR Radio listeners could not name a regularly read newspaper, or did not read one, over one-fifth of the other two groups fit this category. Among all three groups, the State Journal is the most regularly read newspaper; however, WKAR Radio listeners ranked the lowest in Journal readership (47.6%). 14 Table 4. "Do you regularly read a newspaper?" All Non- WKAR Respondents Listeners Listeners (96) (95) (‘3) State Journal 52.3 53.6 47.6 Detroit Free Press 18.0 17.9 18.5 State News 4.7 3.8 7.9 New York Times 1.2 .7 4.1 Ingham County News 1.1 .9 1.7 Wall Street Journal .8 .6 1.7 Detroit News .6 .7 .6 Towne Courier .6 .3 1.7 No, or don't know 20.5 21.7 16.1 N - 1,367 N = 1,075 N = 292 The second most regularly read newspaper, the Detroit Free Press, scored highest with WKAR Radio (18.5%). The State News was next in readership and was again led by WKAR Radio (7.9%). Among WKAR Radio listeners, the New York Times rated 4.1%, significantly above the other two groups. The other newspapers mentioned, Ingham County News, Wall Street Journal, Detroit News, and the Towne Courier, all scored under 2% among all three groups. Tables 5, 6, and 7 refer to transportation habits among the three groups. No significant difference was found, as approximately 60% of all respondents use a car for transportation to and from work. 15 Table 5. "Do you ride in a car to work?" All Non- WKAR Respondents Listeners Listeners (%) (%) (%) Yes 59.8 59.3 61.9 No 39.5 39.9 37.6 Sometimes/no car .7 .8 .5 N = 1,092 = 874 N = 218 Table 6 shows that, while 63.5% require between 10 and 30 minutes to 69% of WKAR Radio listeners take the Table 6. "How long does it take you of all respondents drive to work, nearly same amount of time. to drive to work?" All Non- WKAR Respondents Listeners Listeners (%) (%) (%) Less than 10 min. 27.1 27.4 25.9 10 to 30 min. 63.5 62.2 68.9 30 to 60 min. 4.8 5.3 3.0 More than an hour 2.6 2.7 2.2 Don't know 2.0 --- --- N = 661 = 526 N = 135 l6 Commuters spend a significant amount of time in transit, as 70% of the total sample and non-listeners need more than 10 minutes of driving. Again, WKAR Radio listeners led the other two groups, as over 74% require 10 minutes or more to get to work. WKAR Radio listeners also use a city bus system more than the other groups. Table 7. "Do you ever ride on a city bus?" All Non- WKAR Respondents Listeners Listeners ('5) (95) (‘3) Yes 9.9 8.8 14.5 No 84.1 86.4 75.0 Sometimes 6.0 4.9 10.5 N = 1,100 N = 879 N = 220 If the "yes" and "sometimes" responses are combined, one-fourth of the WKAR Radio listeners use the bus sys- tems, as opposed to under 14% for non-listeners. Respondents were asked to name the radio station they listen to most Often. The ranking differs con- siderably for each of the groups. 17 Table 8. "What radio station do you listen to most often?" A11 Non- WKAR Respondents Listeners Listeners ('5) (‘5) (96) WKAR-AM 3.1 - - 15.5 WKAR-FM 3.5 - - 17.3 WILS-AM* 8.2 8.6 6.4 WILS-FM* 4.1 4.0 4.5 WVIC-AM-FM 14.0 16.1 5.5 WFMK 5.4 5.2 5.9 WJIM-AM 12.0 13.1 7.7 WJIM-FM 5.1 5.0 5.5 WITL-AM-FM 14.1 16.2 5.5 WJR 13.4 12.8 15.5 WOOD-AM-FM 3.0 3.4 1.4 WUNN 2.5 3.0 .9 WOAP .3 .3 --- CKLW .4 .5 --- Other 6.0 6.4 4.5 Don't know 5.2 5,4 4.1 N = 1,101 N = 881 N = 220 * Figures for WILS-AM and PM are usually combined. 18 Among the total sample and non-listeners, the most popular stations are WITL and WVIC. For the total sample, the WKAR Radio stations polled 6.6% (AM - 3.1%, PM - 3.5%). WJR Radio in Detroit was strong among both groups with approximately 13%. In addition, each station was analyzed by respondent age and education (see Appendix H, Tables H1 and H2). WKAR Radio listeners displayed loyalty, as WKAR-FM ranked first (17.3%) and WKAR-AM tied for second (15.5%) with WJR. It is significant to note that this question was asked before any mention of WKAR Radio appeared in the questionnaire. As a follow-up, respondents were asked to explain why they listened to their favorite station. Table 9A illustrates that "music" and the overall "format" (both with 23.5%) are the favorable qualities of WKAR-AM. In the case of WKAR-FM, however, music ranks much higher (64.9%), with "format" being another frequently mentioned category (21.6%). In each category, various stations received the highest percentages. For "music", WITL-AM-FM was first (81.2%); "news" - WJIM-AM (23.7%) and WJR (20.5%); "reception" - WJIM-FM (9.1%); "format" - WKAR-AM (23.5%) and WKAR-FM (21.6%); "no commercials" - WKAR-AM (8.8%) and WFMK (8.5%); "station is O.K." - WJR (2.7%); "nothing in particular" - WJIM-AM (26%) and WILS-AM (25.6%); and "personalities" — WJR (17.1%). 19 fizueu .a2 maH: maHz az --- o.mH N.N m.w N.N m.mm w.RH Am4u2u za-mSHz H.H m.4H H.HH m.m w.aH m.mm m.mH homuZU z<-maHz --- N.mH m.o4 H.HN a.m~ S.Hm --- “amaze 2a-az 0.5H o.m~ a. o.mH a.m m.m ... m. o.m~ AmOHuzv 2a-z<-mauz m.mN 5.0 5.0 m.m 5.0 -.- --- c.04 m.m4 nomuze 2a-eou -uo>ou -uo>ou -ho>ou mcflnuoz .coum kuoq opmum Hmcofiuwz Hamuo>o :wmzoc Mom umon :OMHNHM mHAu mw 5:2: .mo~ o~om A 24 daily schedule. The majority of stations program less identifiable music and news formats. It is possible that this programming technique explains why over three— fourths of non-listeners and over two-thirds of WKAR Radio listeners answered "random tuning" when asked how they find out about radio programs. Table 11. "Where do you find out about the radio pro- grams that you listen to?" All Non- WKAR Respondents Listeners Listeners (’3) (is) (’15) State Journal 6.6 5.8 9.6 Community Guide .2 .2 --- Detroit Free Press .6 .3 1.8 WKAR Program Guide 1.1 .1 5.0 On-air promos 8.9 8.7 9.6 Friends/people 6.1 6.1 6.4 Random tuning/other 76.4 78.7 67.6 N = 1,091 N = 872 N = 219 Table 11 shows that WKAR Radio listeners more fre- cnaently find out about programs through media sources t11an.do non-listeners. This is true in the case of the .Stczte Journal and the WKAR Program Guide. All three grcrlxps find out about programs from "on-air promos" by an average of 9%. 25 Listeners were asked what times of the day they tune in the radio. They were given two choices, and the results are combined in Table 12. Table 12. "What time of day do you listen to the radio?" All Non- WKAR Respondents Listeners Listeners (*3) (‘8) (’3) 6 to 10 a.m. 37.0 37.1 36.5 10 a.m. to noon 4.0 3.3 3.5 noon to 4 p.m. 7.3 6.7 9.6 4 to 6 p.m. 14.6 14.9 13.1 6 to 10 p.m. 13.8 14.0 13.1 10-p.m. to 6 a.m. 5.2 5.5 3.9 All hours 15.8 15.3 18.0 Don't know 2.4 2.4 2.2 N = 1,572 N = 1,260 = 312 In many of the time categories, all three groups show close statistical similarities. Yet, WKAR Radio listeners have slightly higher percentages in the "noon to 4 p.m." and "all hours" categories. 26 Table 13. "What time of day do you usually listen to the radio?" (asked of WKAR-AM, PM, or both listeners; two responses combined) 6-10 10 a.m. noon- 4-6 6-10 All Don't Total a.m. —noon 4 p.m. p.m. p.m. Hours Know Resp. AM only 37.3 4.9 12.8 12.8 8.8 3.9 2.0 102 FM only 38.7 2.5 5.0 14.3 16.0 3.4 3.4 119 Both 33.0 3.3 12.1 12.1 14.3 4.4 1.1 91 The most popular listening time for all three groups is "6-10 a.m.", as over one-third tune in radio during this period. For AM listeners, nearly 13% listen during "noon- 4 p.m." and "4-6 p.m." Among the FM audience the next most popular time slots are "6-10 p.m." (16%) and "4-6 p.m." (14.3%). Respondents who listen to both stations tune in during "6-10 p.m." (14.3%) and "noon-4 p.m." and "4-6 p.m." (both with 12.1%). In order to ascertain why some respondents do not listen to WKAR Radio, they were asked why they never tuned in the station(s). As Table 14 illustrates, "unfamiliarity" is the main reason. If the "never heard of WKAR Radio" and "don't know" responses are combined, over half of the respondents fit into this category. This was followed by a preference for other stations (17.1%), lack of interest (9.6%), and a dislike of the stereotypical "educational" programming (8.7%). 27 Table 14. "Why don't you listen to WKAR Radio?" Person's who don't listen to WKAR (%) Never heard of WKAR Radio 38.6 Don't know 13.3 Not interested 9.6 Prefers other station(s) 17.1 Reception/tuning problems 7.0 Dislike "educational programs" 8.7 Knows of WKAR-TV only .7 Prefers TV to radio 4.7 Too much variety .2 N = 427 In order to evaluate possible interest in a children's radio program, respondents were asked two related questions. In Table 15, while the affirmative responses for all three groups are nearly identical, the most significant figure is that over two-thirds of the total sample do not have children or do not have children in the five-to- twelve age group. Table 16 analyzes how the respondents who answered "yes" to the preceding question (Table 15) reacted to a time spot for a prospective children's show. 28 Table 15. "If WKAR Radio carried a radio program pro- duced for children between the ages of five and twelve, do you think your children would listen?" All Non- WKAR Respondents Listeners Listeners (%) (%) (%) Yes 17.2 17.2 17.3 NO 10.5 11.4 7.3 Don't know 5.3 5.7 3.6 No children 32.7 31.5 37.3 No children 5-12 34.2 34.2 34.5 N = 1,092 N = 872 N 220 Table 16. "What would be the best time of day for a children's radio show?" All Non- WKAR Respondents Listeners Listeners (%) (%) (%) After school 59.9 60.1 59.0 After dinner 17.3 18.4 12.8 Other 21.3 19.6 28.2 Don't know 1.5 1.9 0.0 N = 197 N = 158 N = 39 29 In all three groups, three-fifths of the respondents chose "after school" as the best time. Many of the responses also suggested alternatives to the close-ended possibilities of "after school" and "after dinner." Another question asked respondents to react to legislative hearings. Table 17. "WKAR Radio often carries gavel-to-gavel coverage of legislative hearings and con- ferences. If you knew about this type of coverage, would you listen?" All Non- WKAR Respondents Listeners Listeners (%) (%) (%) Yes 39.1 34.4 57.7 No 36.9 40.9 20.9 Maybe 21.4 22.0 19.1 Don't know 2.6 2.7 2.3 N = 1,101 N = 881 N = 220 WKAR Radio listeners answered more positively (57.7%) in comparison with non-listeners (34.4%). Over one-fifth of the entire sample responded with a "maybe." If "yes" and "maybe" responses are combined, over three-fourths of WKAR Radio listeners would consider lj£;tening to hearings, while over 56% of non-listeners said they would possibly listen. Many of the interviewers 30 mentioned that several respondents seemed to fall victim to "prestige bias" - that is, respondents trying to impress the interviewers by answering positively, thus displaying an interest in current events and concern for the political system. Table 18. "Would you listen to legislative coverage?" (WKAR listeners only) Don't Total Yes No Maybe Know Listeners AM only 58.6 20.0 20.0 1.4 70 FM only 48.8 24.4 23.3 3.5 86 Both 68.8 17.2 12.5 1.6 64 N = 220 This table shows that listeners to both WKAR-AM and PM are most receptive to legislative hearings. If "yes" and "maybe" responses are combined, listeners to both stations number over 80%. AM listeners follow with over 78% and FM listeners total just over 70%. 31 Table 19. "What is your age?" All Non- WKAR ReSpondents Listeners Listeners (%) (96) (96) Under 20 10.4 11.2 6.8 20 to 29 29.8 29.7 30.5 30 to 39 17.6 18.2 15.5 40 to 49 14.1 13.9 15.0 50 to 59 12.7 12.4 14.0 60 and above 14.4 13.5 17.7 Refused 1.0 1.1 .5 N = 1,100 N = 880 N = 220 For the entire sample, nearly 30% are between the ages of 20 and 29. Almost 58% of the sample are under 40 years of age. Among younger persons, over 40% of the non-listeners are under 30, while 37.3% of the WKAR Radio listeners fit into this category. Among older persons, over one—fourth of the non- listeners are 50 years of age or older, while over 31% of WKAR Radio listeners are in this age group. Thus, ‘WKAR Radio listeners tend to be slightly older than non- listeners . 32 Education was another area of demographic informa- tion that shows some interesting differences between WKAR Radio listeners and non-listeners. Table 20. "What was the last year of school you completed?" All Non- WKAR Respondents Listeners Listeners (%) (%) (%) High school or less 50.5 56.0 28.2 Some college 20.7 19.5 25.5 Associate or 2-year 3.5 3.6 2.7 degree College degree 15.1 13.5 21.4 Advanced degree 9.3 6.3 21.4 Refused 1.0 1.0 .9 N = 1,100 N = 880 N = 220 WKAR Radio listeners are far more educated than the larger non-listening audience. Over 70% of the WKAR group have had some college education, while nearly 43% have graduated from a four-year institution. Over one-fifth hold advanced degrees. The non-listeners closely typify the overall sample. Fifty-six percent have a high school diploma or less, Idrile only 17% hold four—year degrees or above. back Show of W total stati sions Table White Black SDanish America Other RGfused Tab. the Whit. “on is 33 Education proved to be the demographic category that showed the greatest differentiation between WKAR Radio listeners and non-listeners. Respondents were also crossbroken by their racial backgrounds. In this case, the three groups did not show any great differences, with the possible exception of WKAR Radio's black audience. The small number of total blacks in the overall sample, however,lmakes it statistically impossible to draw any significant conclu- sions from the figures. Table 21. "What is your race?" All Non- WKAR Respondents Listeners Listeners (%) (%) (%) White 94.5 95.7 90.0 Black 2.5 1.8 5.0 Spanish American .5 .3 .9 American Indian .2 .1 .5 Other 1.0 .8 1.8 Refused 1.4 1.3 1.8 N = 1,098 N = 878 N = 220 Table 21 reveals that in the case of all three groups, tin: white population is 90% and over. The black popula- tion is under 5%, while the other groups all fall under 1%. 34 Sex was another category that revealed some differ- ences in the WKAR Radio audience. Table 22. Sex All Non- WKAR Respondents Listeners Listeners (%) (%) (%) Male 45.0 43.1 52.3 Female 55.0 56.9 47.7 N = 1,101 N = 881 N = 220 While the total sample and non-listeners break down roughly to a 45% male, 55% female grouping, the WKAR Radio audience tends to fall in the opposite direction, as males outnumber females by over 4%. Finally, respondents were divided by their geographic locales, as defined in the "Methodology" section of this report. Table 23 shows the results. For all respondents and non-listeners, the Lansing metro population averaged nearly two-thirds of the sample, while the out—metro group averaged just over one-third. For the WKAR Radio audience, almost 84% are in the Lansing metro area, while only 16% reside out of Lansing. 35 Table 23. Geographic location All Non- WKAR Respondents Listeners Listeners (%) (%) (%) Lansing metro 68.1 64.2 83.9 Out-metro 31.9 35.8 16.1 N = 1,097 N = 880 N = 217 WKAR Radio Listeners The 220 WKAR Radio listeners were analyzed by several variables in order to gain the most useful and pertinent information. It was found that 31.8% listen to WKAR-FM only, 39.1% listen to WKAR-AM only, and 29.1% listen to both stations. In order to develop a demographic profile for FM listeners, AM listeners, and respondents who listen to both stations, all three groups were analyzed by age and education. Table 24 looks at the listeners, based on age. The AM audience's largest age group is the 20-29 category (27.1%). While over 37% of the AM listenership is under 30 years of age, nearly 49% are over 40 years old. Almost 19% are 60 or older. Similarly, the FM audience has its largest share of listeners in the 20-29 age bracket (39.5%). While over 44% unde fort Tabl AM only FM only Both evenl) 36 44% of the FM audience is under 30, less than 5% is under 20 years old. Over 40% of the FM audience is over forty. Table 24. AM, FM, or both by age Under 20 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60-69 Total (%) (%) (%) (%) (’15) (‘16) Ref- (%) AM 10.0 27.1 14.3 10.0 20.0 18.6 - 31.8 only FM 4.7 39.5 14.0 16.3 9.3 15.1 1.2 39.1 only Both 6.3 21.9 18.8 18.8 14.1 20.3 - 29.1 The group that listens to both stations is more evenly distributed in the age categories. While only 6.3% are under 20, over 28% are under 30. Over 53% are 40 or older, and one-fifth of the audience is 60 or older. The educational breakdown in Table 25 shows some interesting differences in audience composition. The AM group's largest category is "high school or less" (34.3%), followed closely by "some college" (31.4%). Thirty percent hold at least a four-year college degree. The PM audience is much better educated, as illus- trated by the largest group, listeners with advanced 37 degrees (29.1%). Over half of the FM group holds at least a four-year college degree, and over 80% have attended college. Table 25. AM, PM or both by education High school Some Col- Assoc. or col- lege 2 yr less lege degree degree Total (%) (%) (%) (%) Ref. (%) AM 34.3 31.4 18.6 4.3 — 31.8 only FM 18.6 26.7 23.3 1.2 1.2 39.1 only Both 34.4 17.2 21.9 3.1 1.6 29.1 Table 26 illustrates listening frequency. Table 26. Listening frequency WKAR Radio Listeners (%) Almost every day 2-3 times a week Once a week Less than once a week 42.6 39.5 17.9 38 As mentioned in the "Methodology" section of this report, persons who said they listened to WKAR Radio less than once a week were eliminated as valid WKAR listeners. As a result, all persons categorized as "WKAR Radio listeners" tune in at least once a week. Over 40% say they listen daily. Despite this, only 60.9% could name a program on WKAR-AM-FM. Table 27. "What is your favorite program on WKAR Radio?" WKAR Radio Listeners (%) Radio Reader 13. Classical Music All Things Considered Takin' Care of Business Dimensions Jazz News Football 78's From 7 To 8 Agricultural Information Boston Symphony Opera Audio Aftermath Sports NPR News Specials Spanish Program Sunday Music (AM) Hearings Morning News Music Theatre Press Conferences Don't know 39. H HHHHNNmumMAoo HmmmmMOO-hhmmMWNNO‘O‘H-me 39 The most popular WKAR Radio program is the Radio Reader (13.6%), followed by classical music (6.8%), All Things Considered (6.4%), Takin' Care of Business (4.1%), Dimensions (3.6%), Jazz (3.6%), News (3.2%), and football (3.2%). The remaining programs were all under 3%. The listeners who named a favorite were also asked to mention other programs that they listened to on WKAR Radio. Nearly 27% gave a second choice, while only 3.2% could list a third choice. Table 28 shows the second and third choices combined for the 48 listeners who listed more than one program. Radio Reader is the most popular in this additional mention table, followed by Dimensions, classical music, and jazz. Because of the small number of mentions of additional programs (55), it is difficult to make con- clusions based on Table 28. The next step in the analysis involves the tabula- tion of responses to the "aided recall" section of the questionnaire. Unlike the preceding section, the inter- viewers read a list of programs on the station(s). Thus, if a respondent listened to WKAR-AM only, he or she was read the AM list. If the respondent listened to both stations, both lists were read. Table 29 shows the results of the AM list of programs. 40 Table 28. "What other programs do you listen to on WKAR Radio?" (second and third choices) WKAR Radio Listeners (%) Radio Reader 14.6 Dimensions 12.7 Classical Music 9.1 Jazz 9.1 News 7.3 Hearings 7.3 All Things Considered 7.3 78's From 7 To 8 5.5 Lecture Series 3.6 Basketball 3.6 Sports 3.6 Concerts 3.6 Agricultural Information 3.6 Football 1.8 Audio Aftermath 1.8 Takin' Care of Business 1.8 American Tradition 1.8 Press Club 1.8 55 Total Mentions ball w by Dim Reader duCted liSt. 5h0w Wa 41 Table 29. Aided recall - WKAR—AM WKAR-AM and AM-FM Listeners Mentions (%) Football 69 14.5 Dimensions (8-1) 59 12.4 All Things Considered 58 12.2 Radio Reader 51 10.7 Takin' Care of Business 42 8.8 Dimensions (5—6) 41 8.6 Hearings 41 8.6 Agricultural Information 41 8.6 at Noon 78's From 7 To 8 36 .6 Baseball 26 5 Spanish Program 13 477 Total Mentions The results for the aided recall AM list show foot- ball was the most frequently mentioned program, followed by Dimensions (8-1), All Things Considered, and Radio Reader. It should be mentioned that the study was con- ducted during the MSU football season. Table 30 duplicated the same procedure for the FM list. The table shows that the most frequently mentioned show was the Boston Symphony, followed by Music Theatre and All Things Considered. th AKA the 42 Table 30. Aided recall - WKAR-FM WKAR-FM and AM-FM Listeners Mentions (%) Boston Symphony 72 12.4 Music Theatre/Broadway Shows 62 10.7 All Things Considered 62 10.7 Radio Reader (9 a.m.) 53 9.1 Listener's Choice 53 9.1 Operas 52 8.9 Sunday Night Jazz 41 7.0 Morning Program (6:30—9:00) 41 7.0 Basketball 33 5.7 Audio Aftermath* 33 5.7 Radio Reader (10:30 p.m.) 32 5.5 Hockey 26 4.5 Sunday Night Drama 22 3.8 582 Total Mentions * Audio Aftermath was no longer on the air during the survey period. All Of the listeners were asked to list a quality of WKAR Radio that did not satisfy them, and Table 31 shows the results. The most prevalent trend among the listeners was that nearly three-fourths of them were satisfied with the station(s), or they could not think of a response to the question. The only frequent dislike was that some of the programs were not relevant to the respondent's tastes (16.4%). out a the re TGSpon Simply motion guide give a! 43 Table 31. "What don't you like about WKAR Radio?" WKAR Radio Listeners (%) Nothing 47.5 Don't know 26.0 Programs not relevant to 16.4 listener's tastes Too much classical music 2.7 Interviews/talk shows 2.7 Sports 2.3 AM broadcast hours .5 Rock music .5 Not enough classical music .5 N = 219 The WKAR Radio listeners were asked how they found out about programs on the station(s). Table 32 lists the results; it is a combined table of two possible responses to the question. The most popular means of program selections was simply randomly tuning (35.5%), followed by on-air pro~ motional announcements (17.4%) and the WKAR Program Guide (12.8%). Nearly 15% of the respondents could not give a response to the question. Table 32. "How did you find out about programs on WKAR 44 Radio?" (two choices) WKAR Radio Listeners (%) Mentions Tuning around dial On-air promos Don't know WKAR Program Guide State Journal Other people State News Community Guide Detroit Free Press Towne Courier 86 42 35 31 20 17 242 Total Mentions 35. 17. 14. 12. In order to gain more detailed information about promotional impact, the listeners were asked about news- papers as a source of WKAR program information (Table 33). Significantly, over 63% had never seen program information in the newspaper, or did not recall seeing any information. Persons who answered "yes" to the aforementioned question (36.6%) were then asked to name the newspaper that contained WKAR program information (Table 34). 45 Table 33. "Have you ever seen information about programs on WKAR Radio in a newspaper?" WKAR Radio Listeners (%) Yes 36.6 No 56.9 Don't know 6.4 N = 202 Table 34. "Which newspaper?" WKAR Radio Listeners (%) State Journal 76.7 State News 13.7 Don't know 6.8 Detroit Free Press 1.4 Other 1.4 N = 73 Of these listeners, over three-fourths have seen WKAR Radio program information in the State Journal, followed by the State News. Respondents were then asked to comment on on-air promotional announcements on WKAR Radio. 46 Table 35. "Have you ever heard announcements on WKAR Radio about programs on the station?" WKAR Radio Listeners (%) Yes 76.7 No 15.8 Don't know 7.4 N = 215 Over three-fourths of the WKAR listeners had heard on-air promos, and the following table illustrates the effects of the on-air announcements on program selection. Table 36. "Do they (on-air promos) help you select the programs that you listen to on WKAR Radio?" WKAR Radio Listeners (%) Yes 50.0 No 26.5 Sometimes 22.3 Don't know 1.2 N = 166 47 One-half Of the listeners said the on-air promos help in program selection. If "yes" and "sometimes" responses are combined, over 72% of the listeners are aided by on-air promotion. In the first of four open-ended questions, listeners were simply asked why they listen to WKAR Radio. In all, 36 responses were recorded, and they appear in Appendix D. The most significant response was a preference for classical music and Operas (20.8%), followed by approval of the general format (9.7%), and well-roundedness and "variety" (6%). The WKAR Radio listeners were also asked to suggest programming improvements. Most of the listeners could not think of any suggestions (40.5%) or they felt the programming did not require any changes (19.5%). The total of 44 responses appears in Appendix E. The listeners were then divided into their respec- tive AM and/or FM categories and asked to give a short phrase describing the station(s). In the case of WKAR-AM 54.9% could not give a response. Twenty-four different answers were recorded (Appendix F), and the most preva- lent response was "all-around programs" (7.4%). The same procedure was done for WKAR-FM and, simi- larly, nearly 39% of the listeners did not mention a response. The 28 answers appear in Appendix G. The most common responses were "varied programming" (9.3%), "a 48 good station" (7.9%), "a good music station" (6.4%), and "entertaining" (6.4%). CHAPTER IV SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS WKAR Radio has a small but identifiable audience. Approximately 20% of those polled said that they listened to WKAR Radio at least once a week; this amounts to 88,480 persons of the 442,400 population residing in the Lansing area according to the April 15, 1975, Standard Rate and Data Service Report. Some 6.6% of those sur- veyed listed WKAR Radio as their favorite station(s), with the percentage nearly equally divided between AM and FM services. It was also learned that a surprising number of WKAR Radio listeners are fairly young, with almost 27% of the AM audience and 40% of the FM audience in their twenties. However, as listener ages dip below the twenties, the WKAR Radio audience drOps off rapidly. Education is another factor: 30% of the AM audience and over half of the FM audience hold at least fourr year college degrees. Nearly 30% of the FM audience hold advanced university degrees. Nearly 43% of the WKAR Radio audience say that they listen almost every day. Unfortunately, nearly 40% of the WKAR listeners could not name a favorite program on 49 50 the station(s). Of the programs named, "Radio Reader" is the most popular, followed by classical music and "All Things Considered." "Music" and "Format" are the two main reasons listeners enjoy WKAR Radio. "Overall Coverage" of news is the most frequently mentioned attribute of WKAR Radio news. In the "Aided Recall" portion of the questionnaire, the most frequently mentioned programs on WKAR-AM were: football, "Dimensions" (8 a.m.-l p.m.), "All Things Considered", and "Radio Reader." On WKAR-FM, "Boston Symphony", "Music Theatre", "All Things Considered", "Radio Reader" (9 a.m.), "Listener's Choice", and operas were most frequently mentioned. In the "open-ended" questions, nearly 75% of WKAR Radio listeners could find nothing wrong with the station(s). Over one-third randomly tuned to select radio programs, but over 17% relied upon on-air promo- tions and almost 13% used the WKAR Program Guide. One- third had seen WKAR Radio promotions in newspapers, primarily the State Journal. Three-fourths had heard on-air promotions on WKAR Radio and generally found them to be helpful in program selection. The non-listeners outnumbered WKAR Radio listeners five to one. They tend to be less well educated, with over half having a high school degree or less. Over 75% selected radio programs by random tuning. The most popular radio stations among non-listeners are WITL and 51 WVIC. When asked why they did not listen to WKAR Radio, almost 39% replied that they had never heard of it, over 17% preferred other stations, nearly 10% were not interested, and 13% had no reason. Although this study was able to draw some broad general conclusions about the overall WKAR Radio audience and the mass audience who do not listen, it was unable to focus down on the really specialized minority audiences. Blacks and the Spanish-speaking communities were not represented in sufficient numbers to generalize their responses. This is probably because of a combination of several factors working against a telephone survey of this type. The initial sample size was too small to adequately survey down to sub-groups who comprise less than 10% of the community. Some of the minority audiences are poor; they are underserved by the telephone company, with perhaps several families sharing the same telephone. Also, our interviewers were unable to speak Spanish, so were unable to adequately communicate with the Spanish- speaking individual. For these reasons, this study can only be used from a very general viewpoint. It is adequate for aiding in the placement of mass media pro- motional advertisements to reach the general public. Since some 39% to 50% of the general public are ignorant of the stations' existence and purpose, general mass media promotion should have a positive impact on WKAR Radio's audience. Non-listeners might be tempted to 52 tune in a program and the existing audience will be better informed about programs to which they might not normally listen. A serious communication gap exists between WKAR Radio and the listening public. Although WKAR Radio has a small and loyal following, the high degree of public ignorance or apathy indicates a significant problem. If WKAR Radio is to truly offer alternative radio programming as a meaningful public service, the public must be given the opportunity to learn about the station and its programs. An aggressive and continuous station promotion campaign must be instituted to con- tinually inform the public, especially the occasional listener, of program offerings on WKAR Radio. Only through constant station and program promotion can the public be fully informed of the alternatives available on public radio. APPENDICES APPENDIX A SAMPLE DRAW FROM 1975-76 LANSING AREA MICHIGAN BELL TELEPHONE COMPANY DIRECTORY Lansing/East Lansing/Okemos/ 70 66,690 1,120 Haslett Aurelius/Onondaga l 632 16 Bath/DeWitt/Laingsburg 5 4,472 80 Dansville 1 432 16 Dimondale 2 1,701 32 Eaton Rapids 3 3,034 48 Grand Ledge/Wacousta 6 5,548 96 Holt 4 3,763 64 Mason 4 3,528 64 Perry/Shaftsburg 3 2,511 48 Potterville l 876 16 Williamston 2 2,400 32 Total Sample 1,632 53 APPENDIX B INTERVIEWER INSTRUCTIONS Read the INTRODUCTION as it is written on the first page of the questionnaire. Proceed right into the first question. BE COURTEOUS a) If the respondent asks how you got his/her phone number, explain that the study is a telephone book sample pulled from the Greater Lansing phone book. b) If the respondent wants to know who the survey is for, explain that the study is a Michigan State University class project. c) If the respondent does not want to cooperate, explain that his/her opinion is of extreme importance to the outcome of the study. You might also mention that the entire interview will only last a couple minutes. 54 d) 55 If the first person who answers the phone is a small child (under 12 years), ask to speak to the mother, father, or an adult. 3. Call only the numbers you are given. Allow seven rings before hanging up. a) b) If no-answer, indicate the date and time that you attempted the call on the telephone numbers sheet. If the number has been "discon- nected", write "disconnected" on the sheet and line out the number. If the operator comes on and gives you a new number, call that number and mark it on the sheet. If you get a "refusal", note that and cross out the number. When you complete an interview, line out the completed number on the sheet. 4. Use soft point pencils to record all responses (we will provide pencils) clearly and accurately. In closed-ended questions, mark answers with an "X" -- do not use check marks. 10. 11. 56 Read only the words appearing on the questionnaire. In cases when a respondent is uncertain about a question, repeat the question. DO not paraphrase. Speak clearly, but in a calm, relaxed, positive tone. Remember, you are a neutral person. NEVER offer your own opinion to the respondent. DO NOT AGREE, DISAGREE, OR COMMENT on your respondent's answers. It will bias the survey. Even "uh-huh's” will bias it. Keep quiet and just ask the questions. In case the respondent gives Obviously bogus informa- tion or gives you a real hard time, complete as much as possible, thank them politely, and file under refusal. On the open-ended questions, you may have to PROBE the respondent. Write down their first responses as noted. When you complete an interview, record respondent's SEX and status of the interview. When you complete an interview, carefully check the questionnaire for proper and complete information. Staple the correct sections together. APPENDIX C QUESTIONNAIRE Code # 1,2,3,4 Phone # Male Female Hello I'm and I'm working on a Michigan State University Research project on mass communication. I would like to ask you a few questions about your radio listening habits. (proceed right to question one) 1. Do you have a 1 YES 2 NO IF "NO" TERMINATE 5 in your home? INTERVIEW 2. Is it AM, PM or 1 AM 2 FM 3 BOTH 4 DK 6 both? 3. Do you have a radio 1 YES 2 NO [IF "NO" GO TO (2.51 7 in your car? ' - 4. Is it AM, PM or _1_AM _2_FM _3_BOTH _4_DK 8 both? 5. Do you regularly (SPECIFY WHICH ONES) 9,10 read a newspaper? (TWO CHOICES) I_l_State Journal _§_Towne Courier _2_State News _§_Ingham County News ._3_Detroit News _Z_New York Times _4_Detroit Free Press _§_Wall Street Journal _9_NO/DK S7 6. 58 Do you ride in a 1 YES 2 NO 3 SOMETIMES 11 car to work? — - [IF "NO" GO TO Q.7] 6a. How long does it take you to drive to 12 work? Less than 10 minutes _1_ 2 10 to 30 minutes 3 30 minutes to an hour 4 Over an hour 5 DK Do you ever ride on 1 YES 2 NO 3 SOMETIMES 13 a city bus? What radio station do you listen to most often? 14,15 (PROBE FOR AM OR FM WHERE APPLICABLE) _11_WKAR-AM _1§_WVIC-AM/FM _12_WITL-AM/FM _12_WKAR-FM ‘_16_WFMK _20_WJR _13_WILS-AM _lZ_WJIM-AM _21_DK 14 WILS-FM _1§_WJIM-FM _22_Other [IF "DK" GO TO Q.11 Why do you listen to (INSERT lst CHOICE 16 STATION)? -__;Music ___No Commercials I___News _6_O.K. _§_Reception _Z_Nothing in particular 4 Format 8 Personalities Other 10. 11. 12. 13. 59 Are there any other stations that you listen to? 17,18 _ll_WKAR-AM _1§_WVIC-AM/FM _12_NITL-AM/PM _12_WKAR-FM _16_WFMK _20_WJR _13_WILS-AM _11_WJIM-AM ._21_DK _14_WlLS-FM 18 WJIM-FM _22_Other In your opinion, what radio station Offers the 19 best news coverage? (lst choice) _l_WKAR-AM _4_WVIC-AM/FM _Z_WITL-AM/FM _2_WKAR-FM ___WFMK ___WJR 3 WILS-AM/FM l_6_WJIM-AM/FM _9_Other/DK [IF "OTHER/DK" GO TO Q.l3[ Why is (INSERT ABOVE MENTIONED STATION) best 20 for news? _1_Overall coverage _5_Personalities _2_Nat. Coverage _6_Frequency of newscasts _3_State coverage _Z_Objectivity _g_Local coverage ___Nothing in particular .2. Where do you find out about the radio programs 21 that you listen to? (lst choice) State Journal _6_On-air promotions State News _Z_Friends/Other People Random Tuning/Other .1. .2. _§_Community Guide 4 .9. Detroit Free Press 9 Towne Courier/Enterprise WKAR Program Guide 14. 15. 60 What time of day do you usually listen to the 22,23 radio? (two choices) _1_6am-10am _§_6pm-10pm ‘_2_10am-noon _6_10pm-6am ___noon-4pm _Z_All hours _4_4pm-6pm _§_DK IF WKAR HAS ALREADY BEEN MENTIONED BY RESPONDENT GO TO Q.16 Do you ever listen to the Michigan State Uni- 25,26 versity radio station, WKAR, in East Lansing? 1 YES 2 NO 3 SELDOM 4 DK _T_ [IF "NOT] IIF "SELDOM", "DK" GO TO DEMOGRAPHICQ 4. 15a. Why don't you listen to WKAR radio? [GO TO DEMOGRAPHICS] v LGO TO WKAR RADIO LISTENER INSERT 16. 17. 18. 19. 61 WKAR LISTENER INSERT Code # Do you listen to WKAR-AM/FM 1 AM 2 FM 3 BOTH 27 or BOTH? Would you say you listen to WKAR radio almost every 28 day, two or three times a week, once a week, or less than once a week? 1 Almost every day 3 Once a week 2 2 or 3 times a week 4 Less than once a week 5 DK IF "LESS THAN ONCE A WEEK" OR "DK" _GO TO DEMOGRAPHICS What is your favorite program on WKAR Radio? 29,30 (DO NOT PROMPT) IF RESPONDENT DOES NOT MENTION A PROGRAM GO TO Q.19 18a. Why is this your favorite program? 31,32 18b. Are there any other programs that you 33,34 listen to on WKAR Radio? (DO NOT PROMPT) 35,36 I am going to read you a list of programs on WKAR Radio. Would you tell me if you listen to them or not? (CHECK OFF PROGRAMS RESPONDENT LISTENS TO) (CHECK QUESTION 16, USE APPROPRIATE LIST OR LISTS BELOW) 20. 62 AM _11_Spanish _12_78's from 7-8 a.m. _13_Dimensions 83.m.-1p.m. _14_Radio Reader _1§_Dimensions Sp.m.-6p.m. _16_TCB _11_A11 Things Considered _1§_Ag. Info. at noon _19_Hearings 20 Football 21 Baseball FM 11 Morning Program 6:30-93.m. 12 Radio Reader 9 a.m. 13 Radio Reader 10:30 p.m. 14 Music Theatre-Broadway Shows 15 All Things Considered 16 Audio Aftermath- Progressive Rock _11_Opera _1§_Listener's Choice _19_Boston Symphony _20_Sunday Night Jazz _21_Sunday Night Drama _22_Hockey 23 Basketball AM 37-38 39-40 41-42 43-44 PM 45-46 47-48 49-50 51-52 What don't you like about WKAR Radio? 53,54 21. 22. 23. 63 How do you find out about programs on WKAR 55,56 Radio? (TWO CHOICES) 57,58 _11_WKAR pgm guide _11_Tuning around the dial _12_State Journal _1§_On-air promotion _13_State News _12_People _14_Community Guide _20_Bus ads _15_Detroit Free Press _21_Other/DK 16 Towne Courier/ Enterprise [IE NEWSPAPER WAS MENTIONED GO TO 9.23—] Have you ever seen information about programs on 59 WKAR Radio in a newspaper? 1 YES 2 NO 3 DK IF YES + 22a. Which newspaper? 60 1 State Journal 5 Towne Courier/Enterprise 2 State News 6 MSU faculty newsletter 3 Detroit Free 7 Other Press 8 DK 4 Detroit News Have you ever heard announcements on WKAR Radio 61 about programs on the station? 1 YES 2 NO 3 DK IF YES 4' 23a. Do they help you select the programs that 62 you listen to on WKAR Radio? 1 YES 2 NO _3_SOMETIMES 4 DK 24. 25. 26. 26a. 64 Why do you listen to WKAR Radio? In your opinion, what could WKAR Radio do to improve its present programming? IF LISTENER MENTIONED BOTH AM 8 FM FOR Q.16, READ Q.26 AND Q.26a. IF LISTENER MENTIONED AM ONLY, READ Q.26 ONLY IF LISTENER MENTIONED FM ONLY, READ Q.26a ONLY Can you think of a short phrase that would best describe WKAR-AM? Can you think of a short phrase that would best describe WKAR-FM? [GO TO DEMOGRAPHICS 1 63,64 65,66 67,68 69,70 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 65 DEMOGRAPHICS Code # If WKAR Radio carried a radio program produced 71 for children between the ages of 5 and 12, do you think your children would listen to it? 1 YES 2 NO 3 DK 4 NO children 5 No children 5-12 IF YES + 27a. What would be the best time of day for a 72 children's radio show? 1 After school 2 After dinner 3 Other 4 DK WKAR Radio often carries gavel-to-gavel coverage 73 of legislative hearings and conferences. If you knew abOUt this type of coverage, would you listen? 1 YES 2 NO 3 MAYBE 4 DK Who is your favorite musical artist or group? 74,75 Would you please tell me your age? 76 _1_Under 20 _3_30's _§_50's _2_20's _4_40's _§_60's + _Z_Refused Would you tell me the last year of school you 77 completed? _l_High school or less ___Associate or 2—year degree _2_Some college _§_Advanced degree _3_College degree _6_Refused 32. 33. 66 Because WKAR Radio carries programs of minority 78 interest, would you tell me your race? _1_White _4_Am. Indian _2_Black _5_Other ._3_Spanish Am. _6_Refused Thank you, that's all the questions I have. Thanks for your help. Check respondent's sex: Male 2 Female 79 CHECK interview status: 1 Non-listener complete 80 2 Non-listener incomplete 3 Listener complete 4 Listener incomplete S Refused APPENDIX D "WHY DO YOU LISTEN TO WKAR RADIO?", RESPONSES 0‘9 Response Don't know Variety/well-roundedness 6. Classical music/opera . 20. No commercials 4. "All Things Considered" Informative News Stations' personnel Clear reception hitfl hd-b ca Uniqueness Football Best alternative in area HM Jazz Programming in general Curiosity No rock and roll 1. "78's From 7 To 8" Sports Farm programs Educational NNNLN Intelligent programming 67 IOWQONOAbOO‘VMNOOO-h LNCNCNVU'I APPENDIX D (continued) 68 Response e\° Local interest University information Soul music Interesting Entertaining "Audio Aftermath" Random tuning Convenience "Radio Reader" Objectivity Change of pace Ethnic programs Habit People's radio Background music I—‘l—‘HH 1.11010me00043509me N: N H O‘ APPENDIX E "WHAT COULD WKAR RADIO DO TO IMPROVE ITS PRESENT PROGRAMMING?", RESPONSES Response Don't know More variety in music Less talk programs More jazz Carry hock games More on-air promos More controversial issues More classical music Fine as is Cancel sports "TCB" needs more variety More political analysis More rock and roll Cancel "TCB" More news More fok music More farm reports Promote stations more Promote program schedule more More contemporary music Provide background on music More sports Extend AM broadcast day Too much variety 69 40. 19. mmmmzobcmmbmuomohmoomkomutokom Sin Put Can Mor Mor Can MOI Be 1 Exp; Make Can: More More Cam Cam More Radj MOrE 70 APPENDIX E (continued) Response Improve signal Expand ”TCB" Single artist nights Put "Audio Aftermath" back Cancel ”Radio Reader" More listings in "Shopper's Guide" More Spanish programs Cancel jazz More local news Be more exciting Expand "78's" Make station more unique Cancel broadway shows More MSU information More music on AM Cancel hearings Cancel contemporary music More newspaper listings Radio Reader should be more explicit More country music mmmmmmmmmooomomoomhm N: N H U1 APPENDIX F "CAN YOU THINK OF A SHORT PHRASE THAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE WKAR-AM?", RESPONSES Response o\° Don't know All-around programming Good personnel Educational station Community station "It's different" Well-balanced "A good station" Good farm station "Positive station" Entertaining Interesting "All things for all people" Intellectual Eclectic Relevant Informative MSU oriented "Good for young peOple" "Food for thought" "Listening to the world" Highly satisfying 54. \J oooooooooomoooooowChmooowoor-Iwoaoo-hto N: H N N 71 APPENDIX G "CAN YOU THINK OF A SHORT PHRASE THAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE WKAR-FM?", RESPONSES 5W Response Don't know 38. "Fulfills many needs" "A good station" “\ll-i Intellectual medium No commercials Varied programming Informative Educational station Classical station College community station Good music station "Very mellow" Entertaining l-‘O‘NO‘I—‘UJNHD Unique Technical quality Serious station Interesting VVVVh-RO-bhO‘fio-bMVO‘KO-RO‘ Public radio 72 73 APPENDIX C (continued) Response Alternative to other stations High quality Cultural Dull Monolithic Highly satisfying Exciting Refreshing radio Fine music "Sensitive to peOple" \1\J\1\1&\1\1-{>4>\1 140 APPENDIX H STATION LISTENERS BY AGE AND EDUCATION om4.N u z Hm - muz o.H m.H n.4H w.“ N.mH 2m\z<-uHH3 H.o o.e o.e m.v 4.H 2<-mo< omoHHou hmo>-N oEom Hoonom swam zoofiooosoo: ea :oo ooooflfl :ox “may mcoflpmpm uocuo: mam :ou eocoumwa umos cowumum ofiomh: EocenEou .H: Danae station most listened to" by "age" "Radio Table H2. Under 30-39 40-49 50-59 60+ 20-29 d‘o (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) 7S NWNONNNOHVMOTO MMLOONanOI-OVOHO H HH OTQ'NBOONOONMHO NHmoooonoooov-No 0—1 M NCNOLDMONOOOLDNO WHOVOIHLDOHNVLDO N HH H \OHNwVMMOI-ILDONO Q'VWOQ'OwVVOMMO NHHH [\mMNNONON-a-omcnoom I O C C C O I C O O C O O MVBQVQ’O‘IMMNOHH H H H vow- OWN omm C>\Dl\ ONLO C3050 CV? omHmmmmvooomoov-m OO \OMMMOVONOOOOQ'M U) H Don't know or no preference WITL-AM/FM WVIC-AM/FM WKAR-FM WKAR-AM WJR WJIM-AM WILS-AM WFMK WJIM-FM WILS—FM WOOD WUNN CKLW WOAP Other 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 PERCENT 328 194 155 140 158 114 COLUMN N 11 O N REFUSALS N = 1,100 "I 11111111811111.1111 I