Scaglione: It was not manipulation
The dispute between the head of Radio 105, Giuseppe Scaglione, and the SRG research service about the reliability of Radiocontrol data is entering the next round.
The dispute between the head of Radio 105, Giuseppe Scaglione, and the SRG research service is entering the next round. Scaglione expressed strong doubts and concerns about radio research using Radiocontrol (see article in Werbewoche No. 26/06). Manuel Dähler, Head of the SRG Research Service, responded with a statement to Werbewoche. Now
Scaglione followed up in a statement: Publica Data had blocked the data for Radio 105 with immediate effect and the research service had also accused him of manipulation. Scaglione himself had caused a sudden increase in listening figures in weeks 11 and 12 of this year. He had obtained a dial gauge via a Radiocontrol panelist and had it listen to Radio 105 for hours. Scaglione
now writes in a communiqué to the media on Monday that he announced this step to Publica Data. It was "an announced test and not an attempted manipulation". He could have used three clocks at the same time, but deliberately only used one. In his statement to Werbewoche, Dähler said that there was no reason to consider the data invalid or manipulated. For special interest channels, the research service recommends using quarterly and semester figures. If the figures are evaluated over a quarter, even a listener with unusual behavior - like Scaglione during his test - is one among thousands. In his statement on Monday, the 105 boss also criticized the fact that the research service had no control over whether a panlist actually wore his Radiocontrol watch or passed it on to another person. The question now arises as to "whether radio stations have been booked (or not booked) in recent years on the basis of incorrect listener numbers, causing financial damage to the stations and advertising customers concerned".
Scaglione calls on the industry to "thoroughly scrutinize" the radio control figures and, if necessary, to use other listener figures such as those from Wemf. Radio 105 uses the data from Wemf's MA Strategy for its station marketing. Dähler replied to Werbewoche on this point that the MA Strategy does not show reach, but the narrower user group (ENK). Some of the different figures from Radiocontrol were due to methodological differences: The Wemf carries out surveys, the Research Service measurements. In contrast to measurements, the image of a station or awareness due to advertising campaigns can also play a role in surveys, Dähler continued.
Scaglione followed up in a statement: Publica Data had blocked the data for Radio 105 with immediate effect and the research service had also accused him of manipulation. Scaglione himself had caused a sudden increase in listening figures in weeks 11 and 12 of this year. He had obtained a dial gauge via a Radiocontrol panelist and had it listen to Radio 105 for hours. Scaglione
now writes in a communiqué to the media on Monday that he announced this step to Publica Data. It was "an announced test and not an attempted manipulation". He could have used three clocks at the same time, but deliberately only used one. In his statement to Werbewoche, Dähler said that there was no reason to consider the data invalid or manipulated. For special interest channels, the research service recommends using quarterly and semester figures. If the figures are evaluated over a quarter, even a listener with unusual behavior - like Scaglione during his test - is one among thousands. In his statement on Monday, the 105 boss also criticized the fact that the research service had no control over whether a panlist actually wore his Radiocontrol watch or passed it on to another person. The question now arises as to "whether radio stations have been booked (or not booked) in recent years on the basis of incorrect listener numbers, causing financial damage to the stations and advertising customers concerned".
Scaglione calls on the industry to "thoroughly scrutinize" the radio control figures and, if necessary, to use other listener figures such as those from Wemf. Radio 105 uses the data from Wemf's MA Strategy for its station marketing. Dähler replied to Werbewoche on this point that the MA Strategy does not show reach, but the narrower user group (ENK). Some of the different figures from Radiocontrol were due to methodological differences: The Wemf carries out surveys, the Research Service measurements. In contrast to measurements, the image of a station or awareness due to advertising campaigns can also play a role in surveys, Dähler continued.
