Marketing Research Guide
How and Where Will We Advertise?
Audience Measurement and Media Choice
What is the best medium (or combination of media) to convey your message to your audience? Within a medium, what outlets are most appropriate for your audience? These are questions that must be answered in order to conduct a successful advertising campaign.
Once decisions have been made about the medium (or media), you must compare the outlets within a medium, and choose the best one for reaching your market. Directories are essential in this process.
Media Directories
Ratings and Circulation Information
Media Directories
Media directories are usually geographic listings of media outlets. Typically, entries include brief masthead and editorial information as well as circulation figures.
National Directories
Bacon’s Directories QuickSearch
Searchable version of the print Bacon's directories for print media, TV, and radio. Available only in Library. See Reference Librarian for password. Limited to one user at a time.Bacon's Internet Media Directory [X] P88.8.B337 2006
Bacon's Magazine Directory [X] PN4877.B32 2007
Bacon's Media Calendar Directory [X] PN4877.B322 2006
Bacon's Newspaper Directory [X] PN4867.B3 2007
Bacon's Radio Directory [X] HE8698.B27 2007
Bacon's TV / Cable [X] HE8700.8.B34 2007Bowker's News Media Directory [X] PN4875.W6 2007
Volume 1: Newspaper Directory
Volume 2: Magazine and Newsletter Directory
Volume 3: TV and Radio DirectoryBroadcasting & Cable Yearbook [X] HE8689.B77 2007
Gale Directory of Publications and Broadcast Media [X] PN4841.A1 G3 2006
The Radio Book (formerly M Street Radio Directory) [X] HE8698.R333 2006-2007
The Mediaweek Directory CD-ROM. Ask for 2003 edition at the Reference Desk.
Television & Cable Factbook [X] TK6630.A2 T44 2007
International Directories
Asian Advertising, Marketing and Media Handbook [X] HF3301.85.A1 A85 1994
Benn's Media Directories [X] PN4699.B48 1999
Volume 1: United Kingdom
Volume 2: Europe
Volume 3: WorldEditor & Publisher International Year Book [X] PN4700.E4 2007
Latin American Advertising, Marketing and Media Sourcebook [X] HF6182.L29 L374 1995
Leo Burnett Worldwide Advertising and Media Fact Book [X] HF5826.5.L46 1994
Willing's Press Guide [X] PN4699.W5 2005 (3 vols.)
Volume 1: United Kingdom
Volume 2: Western Europe
Volume 3: World
Zenith Media: Americas Market & MediaFact [X] HC94.A1 A5 2006
Zenith Media: Asia Pacific Market & MediaFact [X] HC412.A85 2006
Zenith Media: Central & Eastern European Market & MediaFact [X] HC240.A1 E894 2006
Zenith Media: Middle East and Africa Market & MediaFact [X] HC410.7.M53 2003
Zenith Media: Western European Market & MediaFact [X] HC240.A1 E892 2006
Ratings and Circulation Information
Comparative audience audits prepared by third parties tell you how many people are using what media. These are what we commonly call ratings services. Each medium (television, radio, newspaper or magazine) relies on a different set of sources to determine its success in reaching its target audience.
Television
Arbitron Television: Audience Estimates in the Arbitron Market of Boston [X] HE8700.7.A8 A734
Discontinued service. Emerson retains some older volumes.Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau
Cable network profiles, schedules, and other information.Choices III
Describes reach and frequency for every daypart and prime time show on television and measures the nature and behavior of audiences of these programs, dayparts and a wide variety of special events. Ask for CD at the Reference Desk.
Households Using TV Summary Report [X] HE8700.66.U6 H68 1999
Estimates of television usage by households.National Audience Demographics Report [X] HE8700.66.U6 N3712 1999
Nielsen Media Research
Find basic information about television ratings, including weekly Top 10 broadcast, cable and syndicated shows. Also includes ethnic television audience information and news releases free of charge.
Network Programs by Designated Market Area: By Metro Area & Station Totals: Average Week Audience Estimates [X] HE8700.7.A8 N47 2002
Ratings and audience demographics of television programs, based on November sweeps.Report on Syndicated Program Audiences: Average Week Audience Estimates [X] HE8700.7.A8 R46 2002
Use this report to find a quick evaluation of the performance of syndicated programs in each market.Report on Television [X] HE8700.66.U6 N37 1998
Overview of the year's television usage and trends.Television Bureau of Advertising
Ratings and ad revenue numbers are available under Research Central. (Some sections are not available.)
TV Dimensions [X] HE8700.8.T917 2006
This annual volume is a useful summary of many industry measures and time series, gathered from Nielsen, Arbitron, Simmons and many other sources. In addition to ratings by time parts and other measures you'll get reach and frequency patterns, technology penetration, demographic and psychographic data, viewing patterns and many intermedia comparisons of cost and attention.Viewers in Profile [X] HE8700.7.A8 V5 2002
This major source of detailed television ratings is published seven times a year. Emerson has the November 2002 edition which consists of 53 volumes arranged alphabetically by DMA (designated market area). For each DMA, general market data and program information is provided. Ratings and total numbers of viewers are given for dayparts, individual programs, and time periods.
Radio
American Radio Report [X] HE8698.A64 2000
Market-by-market display of radio station performance. Discontinued series.Arbitron
General information and many downloadable reports. Radio Today gives a good overview of radio listenership.Arbitron Radio Market Report, Boston [X] HE8689.7.A8 A73 2003-2006
Emerson acquires the Boston books on an occasional basis, and keeps older editions back to 1987. Share, AQH, and cume ratings by specific audiences and dayparts are given.Choices III
Correlates demographics and generalized radio listenership by daypart, format, and network. Ask for CD at the Reference Desk.Qualitap
Choose Q-Reports, then IQP Media Profiles, for data on listeners to particular stations. In Library Use Only.R & R Ratings Report and Directory [X] HE8698.R33 2007
A semi-annual compilation of audiences and ratings for the 100 largest radio markets in the U.S. For current ratings and markets, see Radio & Records.Tapscan
Radio ratings and demographics for the Boston market. In Library Use Only.
Newspaper
Newspaper "ratings" are measured by their circulation.
Editor & Publisher International Year Book [X] PN4700.E4 2007
Circulation data for US and foreign newspapers and news services.SRDS: Circulation [X] HF5905.A57 2006-7
Analyzes the annual circulation of newspapers at the levels of metropolitan area, state, and television viewing area.Zenith Media Guides: Americas Market & MediaFact [X] HC94.A1 A5 2006
Circulation and coverage data for daily national and regional newspapers.
Magazine
Magazines also measure their ratings in circulation statistics that are certified by a third party auditor, the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC). ABC reports can be found in SRDS: Consumer Magazine Advertising Source, located in the Periodicals Collection.
Choices III
Audiences, reach and frequency, duplication, and more on national magazines.Magazine Dimensions [X] HF6105.U5 M23 2006
Contains magazine audiences, reach and frequency patterns, and intermedia comparisons.Mediamark Reporter
To find general circulation figures for newspapers and magazines, you can also refer to several of the directories previously mentioned, including Bacon's.MRI: Mediamark Research [X] HF5415.3.M43
MRI is a 22 volume set that contains two media volumes and 20 product volumes. The media volumes cover magazine total and qualitative audiences; product volumes contain usage data on consumer products and services such as automobiles, credit cards, and travel. Some of this usage data is broken down by brand name, which makes it possible to estimate market shares for particular products or services. Product volumes also contain demographic data on the users of these products or services.
