The love of stats started for me when I was a kid, keeping track of players' batting averages. I am not one who believes that "Figures lie and liars figure", not the first part of that statement anyway. Working for Hooper in the 70s sealed the deal for me. My job was signing up stations for our audience measurement but through some kind of cosmic osmosis, I got an education in the methodology involved in measuring an audience and I was hooked forever. When the latest Bridge Ratings on 'The New Influentials' was published my curiosity was peaked. What I found in the study was an eye-opener and I'd like to share their findings with you in this post...
Some of their conclusions made such words as "reach", "frequency", "cume", "average quarter hour" and "impressions" seem obsolete. Influencers or Influentials are a group of very active consumers involved in "conversation marketing" where word-of-mouth is becoming a significant factor for both consumer and consumee. 93% of the 3,400 consumers 13+ said they were moved to take some sort of action by word-of-mouth influence. The value of peer networks, especially among the young has become vitally important followed by strangers with experience in the subject area. Among the peer group are "friends, family and acquaintances"...
The study also measured a specific medium relating to all media consumed in a typical week and included influence of others for a particular medium. Satellite Radio (12.8%) edged out Internet Radio (12.1%) and all radio (all formats) finished more than 2 percentage points lower at 10.2%. One other interesting study found that of all respondents asked about the future value of a number of media and technologies the order was 1) The Internet, 2) Internet Radio and 3) E-mail, in that order. AM/FM radio as is had 11%. 46% said AM/FM Radio must change...
I've just scratched the surface in these new Bridge Ratings findings but I consider this a wake-up call for all media not called the Internet, Internet Radio or E-mail. If you don't become a peer group you are in deep trouble...
10 Timeline Memories:
- 1933] M-I-C-K-E-Y: Walt Disney takes up a manufacturer's suggestion for a Mickey Mouse watch and the timepiece is introduced in Chicago. Sale price was $2.75 and thousands of watches were sold in the 30s. This provided Disney the dividends he needed to stay in business until the release of "Snow White", released toward the end of the decade...
- 1949] Wedding Bells: The Basketball Association of America (BAA) merges with the National Basketball League (NBL) to form the NBA. The 1949-'50 standings show the following franchises divided into 3 divisions: Eastern: Syracuse, New York, Washington, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Boston. Central: Rochester, Minneapolis, Chicago, Ft. Wayne, St. Louis. Western: Indianapolis, Anderson, Tri-Cities, Sheboygan (where you can mention my name), Waterloo and Denver. Where ever the four winds blow...
- 1963] Curtains: The Beatles make their final appearance at the Cavern Club in Liverpool almost 2 years to the date (Aug. 2, 1961) they debuted there...
- 1966] "Happy Trails": Controversial but brilliant comic Lenny Bruce is found dead at 40 in the bathroom of his Hollywood Hills home. Official cause of death: "acute morphine poisoning caused by an accidental overdose". In this video clip Lenny reads his court papers to a live audience: http://youtube.com/watch?v=xfMd0ENbugg ...
- 1971] Winging it: Paul McCartney announces the formation of his new band - Wings...
- 1975] When you wish upon a star: After seeing the Astrodome in Houston, Louisiana Gov. John J. McKeithen says "I want one of those, only bigger". On August 3, 1975, the Superdome opens in New Orleans...
- 1981] See ya, see ya. Wouldn't wanna be ya: The PATCO traffic controllers union pulls its traffic controllers out on strike. After being warned they would be replaced, they are. Thank you President Reagan...
- 2001] Guilty as charged: A grand jury indicts "Soprano's" actor Robert Iler (AJ) on charges that he and two teen-aged buds robbed 2 other teenagers of $40 in this neighborhood (upper east side)...
- 2004] Reunited and it feels so good: The Statue of Liberty reopens to the public for the first time since 911...
- 2006] "Happy Trails": Rocker Arthur Lee of the psychedelic band Love passes away at 61 from leukemia...
Music Memories:
- 1963] Released on this date: "Surfer Girl" - Beach Boys..."Hello Muddah, Hello Fadda" - Allan Sherman...It becomes a huge hit, a camp anthem, a board game? YES: http://youtube.com/watch?v=WWeO0HUn850 ...
- 1966] Recorded on this date: "Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby" - Rolling Stones...
[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in each timeline]...
Commentary...
Congratulations to Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees: Gene Hickerson, Michael Irvin, Bruce Matthews, Charlie Sanders, Thurman Thomas and Roger Wehrli who will be inducted Saturday, August 4th...Thanks to Len Zola of the Media Gang for this new version of "We Didn't Start The Fire": http://www.cafeoflifepikespeak.com/Videos/Licensed%20To%20Pill.swf ...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Evangeline Lilly (28), Tom Brady (30), Isaiah Washington (44), Jay North (56), Martha Stewart (66), Beverly Lee, original Shirelle who owns the Shirelles trademark (66), Martin Sheen (67), Tony Bennett (81), Marv Levy (82) and the Jordanaires' Gordon Stoker (83)...
Saturday & Sunday, August 4 & 5, 2007...
10 Timeline Memories:
- 1892] An ax job: Andrew and Abby Borden are axed to death in their Fall River (MA) home by Andrew's daughter from a previous marriage. Accused of the killings, Lizzie Borden was eventually acquitted. This horrific crime inspired this little ditty: "Lizzie Borden took an ax and gave her mother 40 whacks and when she saw what she had done, she gave her father 41" (August 4)...
- 1884] Giving us liberty: The cornerstone for the Statue of Liberty is laid on Bedloe's Island in New York harbor (August 5),,,
- 1921] Play ball, on Radio: The first play-by-play broadcast of a baseball game is done by Harold Arlin on KDKA Pittsburgh. Arlin describes the action between the hometown Pirates and visiting Philadelphia Phillies (August 5)...
- 1957] "We're going hoppin": "American Bandstand" goes network on ABC-TV. I'll never forget sending out the press release as a mailboy at ABC (August 5). Here's a video clip of the 'American Bandstand 50th Anniversary' Collection: http://youtube.com/watch?v=9JskEnmtcCk ...
- 1958] Hot 100 chart topper: Billboard Magazine introduces the Hot 100. The 1st #1: "Poor Little Fool" - Ricky Nelson. The late Tommy Noonan was the 1st person to do the charts at Billboard (August 4)...
- 1962] Hollywood shocker: The body of 36-year old blonde bombshell Marilyn Monroe is discovered in her Los Angeles home. Death is ruled a probable suicide from an overdose of sleeping pills. To this day a controversy remains as to the real reasons for her death (August 5)...
- 1964] Wedding Bells: Mel Brooks and Anne Bancroft exchange vows followed by a lifetime of laughs until Bancroft's death (August 5)...
- 1985] The newest member of the 300 club: In a game I was fortunate to attend, Tom Seaver, pitching for the White Sox wins his 300th game against the Yankees on 'Phil Rizzuto Day' at Yankee Stadium. One of the Scooters' gifts was a 'Holy Cow' (August 4) and here's a clip from the game voiced by the old voice of the Mets, Lindsay Nelson and Spencer Ross (then doing Yankees games): http://youtube.com/watch?v=YCLk1IbBnyY ...Same day, same year, different game: Rod Carew picks up his 3,000th hit...
- 1987] In all fairness: The FCC rescinds the "Fairness Doctrine" requiring "balanced reporting on controversial issues and political campaigns", a.k.a. Equal time (August 4)...
- 2004] Guilty as charged: Staten Island ferry boat pilot Richard Smith pleads guilty to manslaughter charges in a ferry crash that kills 11 the previous October (August 4)...
Music Memories:
- 1967] Released on this date: "Ode To Billy Joe" - Bobbie Gentry (August 5) Herrrrreeeeeee's Bobbie singing to mannequins: http://youtube.com/watch?v=CZt5Q-u4crc ...1972] "Nights in White Satin" - Moody Blues (August 5)...1974] "Loves Me Like A Rock" - Paul Simon (August 4)...1987] "Dirty Dancing" LP (August 4)...
- 1974] #1 on this date: "Feel Like Makin' Love" - Roberta Flack (August 4)...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Jeff Gordon (36)(Aug. 4), Roger Clemens (45)(Aug. 4), Patrick Ewing (45)(Aug. 5), Michael Gelman (46)(Aug. 4), Barak Obama (46)(Aug. 4), Maureen McCormick (51)(Aug. 5), Billy Bob Thornton (52)(Aug. 4), Samantha Sang (54)(Aug. 5), Rick Derringer (60)(Aug. 5), Jimmy Webb (61)(Aug. 5), Loni Anderson (61)(Aug. 5), Richard Belzer (63)(Aug. 4), Frankie Ford (68)(Aug. 4), John Saxon (71)(Aug. 5), Neil Armstrong (77)(Aug. 5) and White House reporter Helen Thomas (87)(Aug. 4)...
Timeline Countdown as of Sunday, August 5: 29 days until Labor Day and 32 days until the NFL opener...
