Method for computing reach of an arbitrary radio advertising schedule

• US 8,606,617 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2010
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iHeartMedia Management Services, Inc. (iHeartMedia, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Clear Channel Management Services LP (iHeartMedia, Inc.)
• Inventors: Weinberger, Arthur, Shaban, Marwan
• Primary Examiner(s): Jasmin, Lynda
• Assistant Examiner(s): Padot, Timothy
• Application Number:
  US12/687,355
• Publication Number:
  US 20110173048A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,426 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7.29, 705/14.4, 455/2.01, 725/10
• US Class Current: 705/7.29
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0204 Market segmentation

Abstract

A radio station market analysis program extends Cume values for individual stations to multiple stations (for a particular geographic market, a particular demographic, and a particular daypart) according to the formula C=[1−Π_i=1,n(1−(C_i/P))]*P, where n is the number of media stations, P is the population, and C_i is each Cume value. Cume values may be provided for a limited set of input dayparts from Arbitron and Nielson, and are translated to an arbitrary daypart. The arbitrary daypart can represent a sum of component dayparts in a proposed advertising schedule. The reach of the proposed advertising schedule can be further computed based on a hyperbolic function of spot count.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method to acquire advertising-related data, comprising:

receiving a population value and Cume values related to individual media stations based on predetermined rating parameters of the media stations, by executing program instructions in a computer system;

identifying a set of multiple media stations that includes two or more of the individual media stations, by executing program instructions in the computer system; and

computing a value, C, indicating a probability that a listener is listening to at least one media station in the set of multiple media stations for the set of multiple media stations according to the formula

C=[1−

Π

_i=1,n(1−

(C_i/P))]*P

where i denotes an individual media station, Π

represents a product of a sequence of terms, n is the number of media stations in the set, P is the population value, and C_i is a Cume value for each individual media station i in the set wherein Cume values for individual media stations are extended to multiple media stations, by executing program instructions in the computer system.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the predetermined rating parameters include a particular geographic market, a particular demographic, and a particular daypart; and

the population value is the population of the particular demographic over the particular geographic market.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the Cume values related to the individual media stations are first Cume values from a first vendor with a first set of dayparts, and further comprising repeating said receiving, identifying and computing for second Cume values from a second vendor with a second set of dayparts different from the first set of dayparts.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the Cume values related to the individual media stations are associated with a limited set of input dayparts, and further comprising translating the Cume values to an arbitrary daypart different from the input dayparts by:

identifying a smallest one of the input dayparts that encompasses the arbitrary daypart, by executing program instructions in a computer system;

creating a list of Cume values which include first Cume values for maximal input dayparts encompassed by the arbitrary daypart and second Cume values for intersections of the arbitrary daypart and selected input dayparts, by executing program instructions in a computer system; and

computing a desired Cume value C_arbitrary for the arbitrary daypart according to the formula

C_arbitrary=[1−

Π

_i=1,m(1−

(C_j/C_small))]*C_small

where j denotes an entry in the list, m is the number of Cume values in the list, C_small is the Cume value of the smallest input daypart, and C_j is a Cume value for each entry j in the list, by executing program instructions in the computer system.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein:

the input dayparts include four-hour dayparts and one-hour dayparts; and

the arbitrary daypart is a three-hour daypart.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the arbitrary daypart represents a sum of component dayparts in a proposed advertising schedule.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising computing a reach of the proposed advertising schedule based on an inverse exponential function of spot count with a maximum reach equal to C_arbitrary and a minimum reach equal to an average number of listeners of the multiple media stations, by executing further program instructions in the computer system.

8. A computer system comprising:

one or more processors to process program instructions;

a memory device coupled to said one or more processors; and

program instructions residing in said memory device to extend Cume values of individual media stations to multiple media stations by receiving a population value and Cume values related to the individual media stations based on predetermined rating parameters, identifying a set of multiple media stations including two or more of the individual media stations, and computing a value C, indicating a probability that a listener is listening to at least one media station in the set of multiple media stations, for the set of multiple media stations according to the formula

C=[1−

Π

_i=1,n(1−

(C_i/P))]*P

where i denotes an individual media station, Π

represents a product of a sequence of terms, n is the number of media stations in the set, P is the population value, and C_j is each Cume value for an individual media station i in the set.

9. The computer system of claim 8 wherein:

the predetermined rating parameters include a particular geographic market, a particular demographic, and a particular daypart; and

the population value is the population of the particular demographic over the particular geographic market.

10. The computer system of claim 8 wherein the Cume values related to the individual media stations are first Cume values from a first vendor with a first set of dayparts, and said program instructions are further to repeat the receiving, identifying and computing for second Cume values from a second vendor with a second set of dayparts different from the first set of dayparts.

11. The computer system of claim 8 wherein the Cume values related to the individual media stations are associated with a limited set of input dayparts, and said program instructions are further to translate the Cume values to an arbitrary daypart different from the input dayparts by:

identifying a smallest one of the input dayparts that encompasses the arbitrary daypart;

creating a list of Cume values which include first Cume values for maximal input dayparts encompassed by the arbitrary daypart and second Cume values for intersections of the arbitrary daypart and selected input dayparts; and

computing a desired Cume value C_arbitrary for the arbitrary daypart according to the formula

C_arbitrary=[1−

Π

_i=1,m(1−

(C_j/C_small))]*C_small

where j denotes an entry in the list, m is the number of Cume values in the list, C_small is the Cume value of the smallest input daypart, and C_j is a Cume value for each entry j in the list.

12. The computer system of claim 11 wherein:

the input dayparts include four-hour dayparts and one-hour dayparts; and

the arbitrary daypart is a three-hour daypart.

13. The computer system of claim 11 wherein the arbitrary daypart represents a sum of component dayparts in a proposed advertising schedule.

14. The computer system of claim 13 wherein said program instructions are further to compute a reach of the proposed advertising schedule based on an inverse exponential function of spot count with a maximum reach equal to C_arbitrary and a minimum reach equal to an average number of listeners of the multiple media stations.

15. A computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium; and

program instructions residing in said medium to extend Cume values of individual media stations to multiple media stations, when executed by a computer, by receiving a population value and Cume values related to the individual media stations based on predetermined rating parameters, identifying a set of multiple media stations including two or more of the individual media stations, and computing a value C, indicating a probability that a listener is listening to at least one media station in the set of multiple media stations, for the set of multiple media stations according to the formula

C=[1−

Π

_i=1,n(C_i/P))]*P

where i denotes an individual media station, Π

represents a product of a sequence of terms, n is the number of media stations in the set, P is the population value, and C_i is each Cume value for an individual media station i in the set.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein:

the predetermined rating parameters include a particular geographic market, a particular demographic, and a particular daypart; and

the population value is the population of the particular demographic over the particular geographic market.

17. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the Cume values related to the individual media stations are first Cume values from a first vendor with a first set of dayparts, and said program instructions, when executed, further repeat the receiving, identifying and computing for second Cume values from a second vendor with a second set of dayparts different from the first set of dayparts.

18. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the Cume values related to the individual media stations are associated with a limited set of input dayparts, and said program instructions, when executed, further translate the Cume values to an arbitrary daypart different from the input dayparts by:

identifying a smallest one of the input dayparts that encompasses the arbitrary daypart;

creating a list of Cume values which include first Cume values for maximal input dayparts encompassed by the arbitrary daypart and second Cume values for intersections of the arbitrary daypart and selected input dayparts; and

computing a desired Cume value C_arbitrary for the arbitrary daypart according to the formula

C_arbitrary=[1−

Π

_i=1,m(1−

(C_j/C_small))]*C_small

where j denotes an entry in the list, m is the number of Cume values in the list, C_small is the Cume value of the smallest input daypart, and C_j is a Cume value for each entry j in the list.

19. The computer program product of claim 18 wherein:

the input dayparts include four-hour dayparts and one-hour dayparts; and

the arbitrary daypart is a three-hour daypart.

20. The computer program product of claim 18 wherein the arbitrary daypart represents a sum of component dayparts in a proposed advertising schedule.

21. The computer program product of claim 20 wherein said program instructions, when executed, further compute a reach of the proposed advertising schedule based on an inverse exponential function of spot count with a maximum reach equal to C_arbitrary and a minimum reach equal to an average number of listeners of the multiple media stations.