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Edison Media ResearchIt’s "Shocking" what Rock listeners want

By Larry Rosin, President, Edison Media Research & Fred Jacobs, President, Jacobs Media

*Jacobs Media clients can log-in to our Client Section for more details*

An overwhelming majority of Rock radio listeners believe that "radio personalities should be able to say whatever they please, and that if people don't want to listen, they can change stations" according to a new Web Poll from Jacobs Media and Edison Media Research.

While radio personalities and "shock jocks" have always received a lot of attention, various incidents in the last few months, such as Opie & Anthony’s "cancellation" over their St. Patrick’s Cathedral sex stunt and the firing of KUPD’s Beau Duran after his crass phone call to the widow of Darryl Kile have put the behavior of radio personalities in sharper focus than ever. Our companies funded a Web Poll that garnered more than 7300 responses from visitors to the Web sites of Rock radio stations all over the country in order to learn what listeners think about what they are hearing.

In question after question, listeners to Rock radio stations across the country told us that they believe in a generally "libertarian" approach to radio. For instance, while many people in the "mainstream" media were horrified by Opie & Anthony’s arranging for people to have sex in a pew in a Cathedral, a strong majority of those in our survey who knew about the stunt said O&A did not deserve to be fired.

The Web Poll was performed from October 14-22, appearing on the Web sites of Rock radio stations across the country.

Other key findings:

  • Radio is no more "dirty and explicit" than either network television or cable television.

  • Fully 84% of respondents told us that they are rarely or never offended by pictures of naked women on Rock Radio station Web sites. Even 60% of the women in our sample said that they are never offended by such content.

  • The way in which many radio personalities "push the limits" seems to be an attraction for many respondents. Respondents were more than 2 ½ times more likely to say they agreed that they "prefer radio personalities that push the limits" than disagree.

  • Less than 1/3rd of Rock radio listeners feel "Shock Jock Radio personalities have gone too far".

Overwhelmingly, these 7300+ men and women want to decide for themselves what content is "over the line".

To learn more about the study, or for a complete report, please contact Larry Rosin (lrosin@edisonresearch.com) or Fred Jacobs (fredjacobs@jacobsmedia.com).

About Jacobs Media

Jacobs Media is the leading Rock radio consulting firm in the United States, providing consulting services to Classic Rock, Active Rock, and Alternative radio stations owned by Infinity, Entercom, ABC, Emmis, Citadel, Saga, and other broadcasting companies. The firm also provides research and consulting for National Public Radio and The Corporation For Public Broadcasting.

Fred Jacobs, President of Jacobs Media, invented the Classic Rock radio format in 1986. The company also created the leading brand name in Alternative radio, "The Edge." The company has been named "Consultant Of The Year" by Billboard Magazine for the past five years, and is a frequent speaker at industry conventions including the National Association of Broadcasters and the Radio & Records convention.

For more information about Jacobs Media visit www.jacobsmedia.com

About Edison Media Research

Edison Media Research conducts survey research and provides strategic information to radio stations, television stations, Internet companies, newspapers, cable networks, record labels and other media organizations. Edison Media Research is the fastest growing market research company in America according to the past five annual listings in Advertising Age of the Top 100 market research companies in the United States. Edison Media Research has built a niche for itself by developing innovative research techniques to provide its clients with a strategic advantage in today's highly competitive media environment.

Edison Media Research also conducts exclusive exit polling for many elections including the New York City Mayor’s race and the New Jersey Governor’s race in 2001. The results of these surveys were broadcast on ABC, NBC, CBS & CNN and were reported by The Associated Press, The Boston Globe, The Washington Post, and The New York Times. Edison Media Research is part of the CNN Decision Team that is responsible for projecting and analyzing results for every major primary and general election in the United States.

Edison Media Research works with many of the largest Radio Ownership Groups in the United States including Entercom, Infinity, Westwood One, Radio One and ABC Radio. Edison Media Research also conducts research for successful radio stations in Argentina, Canada, Hungary and Iceland. Edison Media Research has also designed and conducted the initial research throughout the Middle East for the new Arab Language Radio Service for Voice of America.

For more information about Edison Media Research visit: www.edisonresearch.com

For Interview's with Fred Jacobs please contact Paul Jacobs at 248.353.9030

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