The decision isn’t always made now

This is an irritating problem with the PPM methodology. Specifically, it means that we can’t learn very much by looking at the minute by minute information.

Many decisions about the relationship with the station are made later. They are based on accumulated experience. They are affected by trust or the lack of it.

How many things are an acquired taste? Wildly popular! But with success that is achieved only after a difficult period which must be overcome by the passage of time. More people discover that the “story” holds up as interesting, once they know a little more.

Is it possible to build a morning show without a period of discomfort on the part of existing listeners, only balanced by the passage of enough time for others to discover the compelling stories told? And isn’t it true that stations used to work much harder to hasten that, with huge marketing efforts to help increase the comfort level of listeners with a new morning show?

Often, the action being recorded isn’t a “decision” at all. It is audio exposure, yes, but did somebody really choose to listen?

When the the listener leaves the station, was it based on the programming? Or did somebody else need to talk to them, so they shut the radio off? Did they arrive at their destination?

Remember – we don’t know.