As we move into 2010, it hopefully coincides with a time of success for the radio business, powered by an improving economy. It also means that it’s time to get ready for Jacobs Media’s Tech Poll VI. Yes, it’s hard for us to believe that we have now been conducting these annual tech surveys every year since 2005. This year’s survey marks the sixth year we’ve been providing this data to you – and the radio industry.

Once again, we would like you to be a part of this year’s survey.

Thanks to our media partner for Tech Survey VI, All Access

There are many great reasons why this is a good idea for your station. As Paul learned earlier this month at CES, even a down economy can’t stop the development and consumer acceptance of new technology. In the past year alone, we’ve seen an explosion of social networking activity – led by Facebook and Twitter, the rise of Pandora, a smartphone revolution powered by applications, and the coming excitement of some sort of tablet from Apple.

Our industry is going through a cataclysmic time, driven by technology and economic factors. As many stations are unable to afford their own research, our surveys may provide the best window on what the audience is thinking, globally and locally.

Learning more about what’s happened – and what will be happening – not only helps guide programmers, but provides important data for the development of digital revenue strategies and budgeting. With limited financial resources, it will be even more critical to prioritize the digital areas in which your station should invest.

And our Tech Polls have been uncanny in their ability to predict consumer behavior, while providing actionable data. As you may recall, the very first survey in ’05 uncovered the “cell phone only” problem. Just a few years later, both Arbitron and Nielsen are marketing their “cell phone only” samples, having finally solved an important ratings problem.

Subsequent Tech Polls identified the satellite radio slowdown – long before you read about it in the Wall Street Journal. The surveys have also uncovered the impact of YouTube, the rapid growth of podcasts, DVRs, and even the iPhone. Tech Poll V called the rise of Pandora as a formidable web competitor, as well as the progress made by Hulu. We have also devoted questions to sales and revenue generation, and this year’s poll will be no different.

The new 2010 poll will feature all the trackability you’re accustomed to, while also providing new data on these important areas:

• Social networking growth – specifically, Facebook & Twitter – and how stations can best participate
• Video streaming – and the use of sites like Hulu and YouTube
• Radio listener awareness and use of Pandora, its impact on broadcast radio, & how it fares over time
• How radio listeners are multi-tasking & where radio fits into the mix
• Mobile phones – what’s hot, smartphone growth, app usage, & the more popular apps: individual or aggregated
• The growth of streaming & where it’s taking place – computers, mobile, etc.
• Satellite radio’s temperature – is there any momentum (or life after Howard)?
• Has HD radio made progress in the past year?

We have also tracked attitudes about the economy for the past two years, and we will provide trended data for Tech Poll VI

And finally, two new questions for 2010:

1. Listener reactions to the possible return of Howard Stern to terrestrial radio. What might be his impact after five years at Sirius?
2. The tendency for listeners to participate in radio ratings surveys, providing programmers with a look at how members of their databases would react to being contacted by a ratings firm.
3. We will measure initial reactions to Apple’s new “tablet” to gauge early interest. This is one of the great benefits of doing these studies annually.

As always, we will take care of all of the details of the project and will work with you on email copy and all other technical aspects. We will provide each participating station with a total analysis of the data, including format breakdowns. And wherever possible, we will provide trending data comparing past years' results. As we have done the past two years, we will conduct two free webinars to present our analysis of the data for stakeholder stations so that you’ll have a jump on where it’s all heading as we enter the second decade of this new millennium.

The fee arrangement we came up with four years ago will be in place for Tech Poll VI. There is a small fee for participation to cover our rising costs of producing each station’s individual report:

Last year, some stations opted not to pay the fee but still participated in the Tech Poll. If that’s your decision, we will still send you the overall totals and a summary for your format – but not an individual station report. You will also be able to participate – at no charge – in our webinars.

But for a small investment, you can learn about your audience, and compare them to what’s happening globally in your format, the entire national sample, and see how opinions and attitudes have changed over time.

We plan on fielding Tech Poll VI during mid-February. Please email Lisa Riker (lisariker@jacobsmedia.com) as soon as possible, and let us know about your participation. If you have any technical questions, contact Tim Davis (timdavis@jacobsmedia.com).

As has been the case in the past, we can include other Rock-formatted stations in your cluster that we don’t consult. We will also be happy to include Rock stations your company owns in other markets.

These Polls are truly win-wins for you, the industry, and for Jacobs Media. Last year, 64 stations took part, and more than 21,000 listeners were represented. We need strong participation in order to create a truly national survey. And in order to provide format breakouts, we need a great showing among all Rock formats. As always, we reserve the right to promote the Poll, but rest assured that the data will be used in aggregate – no local station information is ever utilized. And of course, your listeners/database members have complete confidentiality.

While it was never part of our original game plan, Jacobs Media has emerged as radio’s leader in web polling, thanks to your participation and interest, as well as the expertise of people like our Tim Davis. We hope to continue that tradition in 2010, providing you with actionable, helpful, and timely information.

As you make the difficult decisions about where to devote your digital resources moving forward, this data will help guide your understanding of your audience, and help you make the best calls possible.

Please contact Lisa Riker (lisariker@jacobsmedia.com) to reserve your place in this year’s historic Tech Poll VI. And if you have any specific interest areas for the survey, please email me at fredjacobs@jacobsmedia.com, and we will try to accommodate your questions.