young crazy man worried

A new rating report is delivered, and everyone is tense. If it’s good, there’s a party. If not, management goes nuts. Inconsistencies are as old as the first survey period in radio history. Ratings freak out is understandable, but not productive. Still, it happens to every station at one time or another. The important thing is to take a step back and try to understand the real causes of a bad report.

In this guide to avoiding ratings freak out, I’ll share with you:

  • Ratings fluctuate, and there’s nothing we can do to change it.
  • How to avoid knee-jerk reactions and make strategic decisions.
  • A strategic focus should (but often doesn’t) guide station reactions.
  • A tool to help prevent ratings freak out

The Ratings Freak Out