JJ’s an Arbitron Household
Nov. 13, 2006 by Jason
That’s right. I’m a statistic in the radio ratings game. Arbitron randomly selects people and I guess my name made the list. It’s like the television Nielsen ratings for radio. They’re going to send me two “books” which are like diaries. I mark down what I listen to on the radio every day for a week, then those numbers get added to the ratings.
I realize this doesn’t sound very exciting, but I’m fucking psyched. I’m obsessed with radio. I’ve listened several hours a day for the last decade. It started in 1998 when I worked as a film processor for a professional photo studio in Orlando. I worked in a darkroom by myself 40 hours a week. The only thing that kept me sane was Real Radio 104.1.
Since then, I’ve been an addict. 98 Rock in Tampa, Y101 in Richmond, and now Free FM in Philly. There’s something about radio that an iPod can’t match. It’s live. There are actual people talking into microphones. And now that satellite radio is getting huge, you can listen to uncensored adult conversations (like Opie and Anthony on XM).
So I’ll be filling out my book next month. Keep an eye out as O&A get a tiny bump in Philly.
Unrelated side note: Don’t forget to check out The Codes tonight in New York.
November 14th, 2006
Yawp, there’s something about radio that nothing can replace and I think that if you’re use to listen to it since you were a kid it’s not easy to replace either.
The radio is on here pretty much 24 hours a day. Different channels depending on the mood (most of the time the local one tho).
Good luck on the diary thingie
November 14th, 2006
Sigh I remember when I was a teenager living in Michigan the only FM stations you could get were in Canada. LOL
November 14th, 2006
Dude…you totally have to give some time to Stephen King’s Rock Station in Bangor, Maine. You can stream WKIT over the ‘net, and they play classic rock, unedited, AND they actually take AND PLAY requests!
Yeah, they may lean a little too much on .38 Special, but hear the “bullshit” in Pink Floyd’s “Money”, and hearing Warren Zevon say that he had “the shit til it all got smoked” without the fucking standard “beep” over the cuss words in awesome! WKIT
I listen every day cuz radio here in Philly SUCKS! Even WXPN has gone completely down the shitter. And on WKIT in Bangor, you can say SHITTER!
In reference to the Codes: Sorry I’m gonna miss you guys at the Knitting Factory tonight. I know you’re gonna rock the house.
November 14th, 2006
Good luck with your show tonight! Wish we were there — but won’t be long now!!
November 14th, 2006
This just confirms myprolonged suspicion that the goverment spies on us. How else would they have known that you listen to radio a lot? Explain that!!
“Randomly”, yeah right!!
Now I go back to my business, right after I have put my protective (made out of aluminium folio) helmet on…
November 16th, 2006
aah..the radio.
*rocks on rocking chair and smokes pipe*
November 16th, 2006
What is this “radio” of which you speak?
November 21st, 2006
Christa:
I think you’re right. Growing up around radio probably has a lot to do with it. I remember listening to FM constantly as a kid.
Diane:
I wonder if Canadian radio is any good. Do they play anything other than the Strange Brew soundtrack?
joe:
You really do love that Maine radio, ayuh.
Martha:
See you tomorrow!
rockyjay:
I have one of those hats too. It doesn’t help. They can still read your thoughts.
antickpix:
Nostalgia!
mojotek:
It’s like an mp3 player except someone else controls what you listen to. Wow. That description makes it sound really lame.
June 19th, 2007
I’m a new aribtion member myself -expect we use
that Personal meter reader
which is kind of neat..