The HENLEY College | CMPGEORGIASCANNELL.WEEBLY.

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CONTENTS:
Referenced information is marked with a number as shown, 1, which corresponds with the same
number in the Bibliography which will show a link to the origin.
TYPES OF RESEARCH:
2. Quantitative Research
3. Qualitative Research
METHODS OF RESEARCH:
4. Secondary Research
5. Primary Research
6. Data Gathering Agencies
7. Self-Generated Research
PURPOSE OF RESEARCH:
9. Audience Research
10. Market Research
11. Production Research

QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH:

Quantitative research consists of asking questions in such a way that provides definitive facts and
statistics in response to a query1. In addition, it is the collection of numerical data which can be used
to demonstrate the recognition of an act etc. As such, it will be presented in percentages and so on 2.
The ultimate goal is to test a hypothesis or, as is more appropriate in media terms, to estimate the size
of a phenomenon of interest3; to effectively utilise this, the sampling of participants and carefully
structured questions are imperative3.
In an elaboration on the selection of the contributors, there are several methods which can be used,
dependent on which is most appropriate4. Probability sampling refers to when there is an awareness
of who, or what, will be targeted in regards to their membership in the research 4. Every unit in the
population has the potential to be chosen (a chance greater than zero) and this can ordinarily be
calculated. This helps to produce an unbiased series of answers, as there has been no pre-meditation to
who the individual subjects will be5, i.e. a record label wishes to know what proportion of over 13
year olds stream music. As such, they will ask every 4 th person who is appropriate. This is
advantageous as it ensures a high level of representativeness as the majority of people can be
involved. It can, however, be time-consuming-this is a variable that cannot always be comprised on
when working to non-negotiable deadlines7.
Non-Probability sampling, on the other hand, is when some individuals will have a minimal, or zero
percent, chance of being selected6. This is essential when the desired outcome involves determining
how a certain demographic perceive a subject. An example could be: A newspaper wishes to identify
how many pensioners download music. As such, they will stand on the high street in a town and ask
every 3rd over 65 year old whether or not they are familiar with this. What is so appealing about this
approach is how it demonstrates the beliefs of a particular group of people, as opposed to the masses.
If the researcher requires specifics, this is the more sensible approach. The information gained from
non-probability sampling cannot be used to make assumptions for the entire population 8.
Likewise, the number of hits that a music video gains on a service such as YouTube or Vevo, the
amount of downloads/streams etc. is classified as being quantitative as it is conclusive; we can
physically see the hits it has on one of the aforementioned websites, whereas streaming/download
patterns are examined by analysts, prior to this being fed back to the artist and the public. By
informing the public of their habits in regards to viewing/purchasing music and their accompanying
videos, we are aware of what the contemporary trends are. This is essential within the industry as it is
an integral tool for gauging the popularity of a band, or musician.
In relation to the above, in April 2014, Nielsen revealed the latest figures in how we consume media 9:
It concluded that the digital single formats popularity had decreased by 12.5% to 312 million units,
with the digital album counterparts sales falling 14.2% to 27.8 million. CD sales fell to 31.9 million
from 40.1 million. In contrast, streaming incurred a significant rise in terms of how many people used
it; interactive music sites and the like had 34.28 billion users, up from 25.44 billion last year.

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH:

Unlike quantitative research which relies on the mathematical examination of statistics, the qualitative
version is what people think, and why 10. The key motivation is to be capable of comprehending their
emotions and opinions. This method seeks to explore the reactions to a product or service, in a way
which reflects the cultural sentiment11.
In comparison, it is somewhat time consuming; an appropriate sample must be acquired, before they
respond to questions which require more consideration and detail 12. Consequently, fewer recipients
will be used, causing the answers to reflect a smaller proportion of the population. These elements
combined make it expensive to conduct12.
Interviewing the participants is regarded as being the most prevalent method of undertaking this
research, with person-to-person sessions the most common under this umbrella 13. This includes one
individual asking another question relevant to the issue being discussed. Alternatively, group
interviews, or focus groups can be formed to gather the information 13; this is especially useful when
those involved have been exposed to the same media, and a comparison is needed of what people
thought of it, i.e. a CD, song, video etc.
What is asked can vary from being something which needs only closed end responses, to one which
progresses in a conversational manner 13. This could be used when at a concert, to ask the audience
what they thought of the gig, or in attempt to ask fans how they reacted to a new music video.
Due to the seemingly endless collection of diverse responses, it is challenging to quantify them. As
such, one must read through each reply before categorising it suitably. Should this level of detail not
be needed, commenting on the miscellany of the remarks, or selecting certain ones which are related
to the purpose can be a substitute for the former 15.
Observational research is the least intrusive of these as the investigator is able to blend in with
crowds, or stand as a witness to the production of a song/video 14, say. First-hand experience of the
subject can be acquired, meaning that should this be put into an article or a review, a more personal
note is present13.
It can prove to be disadvantageous; the researchers unbiased approach can be compromised as they
over-immerse themselves in the role and fail to observe the situation objectively. Likewise, this
inevitably takes time and preparation, both aspects that can not necessarily be afforded to either party.
Equally, there will be little chance of repetition of this opportunity14.
As has been inferred earlier on in this section, reviews of the song/video and opinions etc. all
constitute as being qualitative. They are not directly based on statistical discoveries in the sense that
opinions and personal preferences can be used alongside figures such as the number of views it has
gained from its release, to the current moment.
AC/DCs latest album has been available since the latter end of 2014. As such, it was subjected to
many reviews. As can be seen from the examples given, the opinions of the reviewer vary,
demonstrating the differentiation between how two separate people can perceive an item to be of a
lesser, or higher, quality. The Guardian awarded Rock or Bust an impressive four out of five stars 16
whereas Vintage Vinyl News noted that it was far from the bands best work and portrayed it as being
a mediocre affair17.

SECONDARY RESEARCH:

Secondary, or Desk research consists of the synthesis and utilisation of information that has been
extracted from previously conducted studies 18. This is inclusive of published reports, surveys and
articles all of which may be physical or digital. Journals and reports such as those issued monthly or
when a new advancement is made are also catalogued as such 18. It is important to note that while it is
permitted to use anothers work in ones own, it must be referenced due to plagiarism laws, and put
into different words, unless appropriately stated19.
When citing the research from a source, this itself can be secondary, forwarded on by the author of the
article, or organisation who is informing us of the content. As such, what we are viewing is often from
a third party site (or other relevant media) 20.
In some cases, when a new study is being planned, this can be used as a method of ascertaining what
is already understood and accepted in regards to the issue, hence highlighting the areas where more
comprehension is required, or where there are gaps 21. An example of this could be for a record label
deciding which formats to release an album on; by evaluating the Nielsen ratings 9 they can look at
which format is most popular such as download/stream/physical copy, before completing primary
research in asking 300 fans how they think it should be sold. From this they can evaluate the
responses and make justifiable decisions i.e. in terms of quantitative data, they can see that (for
example) 42% of consumers will purchase it as a compact disc, another 34% would download it and
the final 22% would stream it but only 4% would purchase it on vinyl.
Unlike in the past where it was a tiresome and lengthy process to come into possession of research as
one would have to search through libraries, book stores and wait for deliveries of reports, now we can
simply do a google search before being presented with a plethora of potential sources 22. In addition,
the cost is low; almost always, the maximum price will be for a book or journal. Due to this, the total
amount of money spent will be far less than carrying out the primary research 22.
The origin should be carefully scrutinised, so as to know that the study was undertaken by a reputable
body, and not as part of a hastily completed school project 22. In addition, caution must be taken to
ensure that information is complete, and not just available in part 22. One way to combat this is to
search for the subject on alternative websites to corroborate what one already has.
One of the most prominent issues is outdated sources 22. Studies from the past will not be removed,
and advancements in the field will leave them in need of being updated. As such, for someone who
does not have an advanced knowledge of the subject this can be deceiving; they may believe that what
they are reading is entirely true, despite it not being the case.

PRIMARY RESEARCH:

Primary research is the name for any data collection that one undertakes themselves, or as part of a
team. To be classed as this, the individual must be directly involved with the completion of the
study23. It will be directly collected from the source, and the participants 24-this is where the
quantitative and qualitative theories begin to demonstrate their importance (when choosing the
method, it needs to be decided whether or not a statistical or personal approach will be taken).
Collection methods24 include the one-on-one interview process mentioned earlier, alongside focus
groups and observations. These are relatively simple to create, once one is certain of the questions that
will be asked, and the desired outcome of the investigation. The responses can be recorded in the
written format, or filmed, for later reference.
Postal surveys24 are another option for gathering responses to a question. Although they are
considerably affordable to make and distribute, covering as large an area as required, a significant
portion are never returned to the company25. Similarly, there is little control over who receives the
questionnaire; if the opinions of a particular demographic are desired, this is not the best option.
The least common of the methods (in the media industry) is that of running tests and experiments 26.
Consisting of control groups and test groups, variables as to what is being studied will be highly
controlled27. Due to the nature of this form of research, it is most useful within scientific fields.
This form is of great use when attempting to answer a specific question; if this is a unique query, in
regards to a new product or song etc. there will be no existing secondary research that can be
examined and adapted for this new purpose. Instead, a totally unique, personalised set of questions
can be forged, and then inserted into the preferred medium 28.
Primary research is generally more reliable based on the fact that it has been completed by the person
in need of the information, or with their input. Consequently, there is only a small margin for error,
and should the investigation be incomplete, they will be aware of this.

DATA GATHERING AGENCIES-RAJAR

RAJAR (Radio Joint Audience Research) was established in 1982 in an attempt to design, align and
operate a singular audience measurement panel for the entirety of the UK radio industry, inclusive of
the BBC and other licenced, commercial stations29.
It was set up to calculate the number of listeners tuning into one of the affiliated stations, replacing the
Daily Survey and JICRAR Survey in the process 30. A non-profit organisation, it is the industryrecognised system for planning, buying and selling advertisements in this format 30.
A continual operation, RAJAR currently has approximately 110,000 annual participants aged 15+.
They are requested to keep a diary of their radio habits for one week 30. This is incredibly important to
the industry for a number of reasons. Primarily, it enables the group to estimate to the listeners of the
station in terms of how (on line, on a wireless and so on), where and when they tune in 31. Similarly, it
is used by agencies as a trading currency and as a method of purchasing and selling airtime 31. They
claim that this is positive as both agencies and media owners use the same source of information in
their transactions and that this provides an open and transparent basis for conducting business31.
The survey comprises of individuals aged ten and over, and who live in private residencies in the
United Kingdom32. Published figures only include the listeners 15+, unless otherwise stated 32. The
data on respondents below this age is available to RAJAR subscribers 32. The sampling is organised in
such a way that each stations sample is representative of the area it broadcasts over. National stations
report on a quarterly basis with surveys consisting of approximately 26,000 adults 32.
The data is gathered every fifteen minutes, with those taking part having to note whether or not they
have tuned into a station for at least five minutes. They must record this in the diary that they are
given33. The process for partaking in this is extensive and has been detailed below 32:

The participant will complete a listening diary for one week-this cannot be retrospective in
the sense that they may not detail any habits from last month. Likewise, only live listening
can be recorded alongside all information in regards to the station, time, method etc. must
also be documented.
Placement of the diary is continual. The Christmas/New Year period is the only time that is
not considered.
There is, typically, one respondent from each home, with quotas establishing the most suitable
demographic representation of the location.

When someone agrees to take part in the survey, a series of listenership queries are asked 32:

Questions relating to the subjects household tenure, digital devices and number of radio sets
will be asked.
An interviewer will undertake a procedure in which every participant must look through a set
of cards, listing radio stations operating in the area. This can be used to personalise the
journal.
In addition to this, a general media consumption questionnaire must be completed. This
includes newspaper readership, television viewing etc.
At the end of the week, the diary will be collected.

SELF-GENERATED RESEARCH:

Self-Generated research is the personal recording of any experiences or occurrences relevant to the
investigation being carried out. Methods can include: Own video/photographs documenting the scene
and audio recordings34.
In essence, it is a study one has completed themselves-through the mediums suggested above-as a
means of completing ones own research46.
To elaborate, if someone filmed a short, five minute drama, and was then analysed, with the shot
types/angles and techniques being taken into consideration, this would be self-generated research, so
long as the individual who created it was also examining it 46.
This could prove to be useful when drawing comparisons between ones own work and anothers; for
example, to see what the best approach to a new music video would be, a band could create their film,
which drew inspiration from an older piece, before showing it to both sets of fans, to gain a reaction.
The same concept would apply to a photography binder or article of the like.

AUDIENCE RESEARCH:

Systematic and precise, audience research is an efficient method of gaining a comprehension of just
that35. Its two central benefits are the estimation of audience size (see RAJAR for further information
on their services) and the discovery of the preferences of the target market 35.
Television and radio devices are unique in the sense that the numbers of viewers/listeners/visitors to
sites/catch up services cannot be discovered exactly 36. As such, methods can be implemented to gain
an approximation to these figures.
In attempts to satisfy the nation, the BBC has completed numerous surveys and interviews in an
attempt to discover how they are perceived in a multitude of categories 37. In 2011, a survey was
compiled in attempt to explore how diversity and equality was represented by the company 38.
The subsequently issued report38 details that they wished to ask organisations that represent the
interests of people who share protected characteristics, licence fee payers and BBC staff 38 questions
in regards to their equality objectives. These have been included below 38:
How relevant and significant are the proposed objectives?

How well is the BBC currently perceived to be delivering on its objectives?

Is there anything else the BBC should be focusing on?

On the overall draft strategy:

How well is the BBC currently perceived to be delivering on the strategy overall
and within recruitment, employment and portrayal?

It adds that the 30 in depth interviews were undertaken with 27 participants 38.To reflect the diversity
of the audience, and to attain unbiased feedback from those this survey affected-i.e. those who may be
negatively portrayed or treated-people from the following sectors were included 38:

Eight disability organisations

Five race organisations
Five faith or belief organisations
Four gay, lesbian or bisexual organisations
Three age organisations
Two transgender organisations
Two gender-focused organisations

In addition, information was collected from 236 license fee payers.

Although surveys are the most common form of audience related data collection, observations and
other forms of quantitative (how many viewers etc.) and qualitative (why is MTV so popular between
the times of 4:15pm and 8:00pm?) can be undertaken35.
Like anything, for the company to successfully analyse their business model and the popularity of
their stations/certain shows, feedback is essential. In terms of music videos, a comprehension of who
the target audience is, why they would enjoy it is needed39.
Additionally, audience research can be used to establish how similar acts utilise certain codes and
conventions, and how their fans respond. Likewise primary investigations can be utilised in terms of
the promotional aspect; questions can be asked to any followers a band has, or those of an artist who
boasts genre resemblances in attempt to work out the best place to show the video; i.e. on what

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channels do you typically watch music videos? 39, How old are you?, What do you think of ???, What
artists of the same genre do you enjoy?
From this, musicians, and producers, will not alienate existing fans by becoming stylistically
different; they can build upon what works, and is recognised by the audience before adapting it so it is
a) more impressive and b) gains popularity.

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MARKET RESEARCH:

Market Research is identifying what the consumers and customers want from a product and what links
them to the marketer40. In addition, it is a process which helps establish whether or not there is a
market for a service-i.e. a certain genre of music video-and the strength of it 41. The goal is to
determine whether it will be accepted by those who will be viewing it 47.
In terms of within the media industry, it is essential for evaluating what the song will be competing
against, in terms of charts and downloads. As such quantitative data can be gathered in regards to
statistics such as the number of people who have purchased in the past seven days, and qualitative
information in terms of how a focus group, for example, react to it 42.
Imperatively, they can see the best approach to releasing a new video; they will need to know what is
popular, or trending and how their work can be an advancement on this. Likewise, they can see the
styles which are dominating the charts, and decide whether or not to cross-over two genres, i.e. folk
and dance, or classical with pop vocals and so on. This means that a niche band can appeal to what is
popular, without sacrificing their individuality, thanks to having searched for what we want to see.
By partaking in this, it is possible to examine the demographic segmentation of the audience as
follows: age, gender, culture and ethnicity and income and social class 42. This is advantageous as it
outlines to the music video producers/directors/artist in the sense that when creating a video, they
know who they are appealing to and the reasoning behind it; as such, a Punk band who are against
consumerism and are unmaterialistic and whos fans are angry members of society, crying for change
would know from their market research that were they to create a polished music video, whilst being
endorsed by Beats by Dre would be impossibly unpopular with the fans, causing them to become
known as sell-outs and so on. Equally, if approximately 75% of an artists fans are male 43, the video
should appeal to a mans interests, and not feature the singer dancing in a make-up store, for example.
By knowing the public opinions in regard to an act 42, it is possible to target the creation of a video; if
the artist has a reputation as being a rebellious soul and is not in good favour with the public, those
involved can either play to this fact or combat it. In juxtaposition, should they be attempting to rid
themselves of their child-friendly image, by knowing that the masses see them as being wholesome,
and clean, they know exactly what their videos should do to oppose this.
A good example of a questionnaire that could be used as part of the market research can be found at
SurveyMonkey44. In an attempt to understand the viewers, it asks for their preferred genres, their
views in regards to a set of filters, what they thought of diegetic/non-diegetic sounds and how often
they watched videos. This would help them gain precious knowledge in knowing exactly what the
masses wanted from a video, and how they wanted to see it presented.
Similarly, they must analyse the market to see the format in which media is consumed 45, before
choosing how to distribute their music video. To do this, they could ask the recipients of their
questions how they would view a music video (YouTube, Vevo, DVD) and how much they would pay
to own it43.
If a website is used for market research, anything taken from this source must be thoroughly checked
to ensure that it is reliable and not false-Wikipedia, for example, can be edited by anyone, meaning
information may not be entirely correct.

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PRODUCTION RESEARCH:

Integral to the creation of a music video, production research allows those involved to recognise what
resources will be required to initiate the project, and how profitable it would be within the industry 47.
As such, questions need to be asked48 such as, is there an audience, and will it be up to the standard
that is required?
At the same time, it is essential in developing the characteristics 52 of the video as research must go
into designing the concept; once the basic outline of the idea has been conceived, further details must
be found to expand upon this and create the plan of the final piece.
Covered by this is includes, but is not limited to, the discovery49 of the:

Staff
Cast
Equipment
Locations
Risk assessments.

Likewise, research would have to be completed to ensure that the context of the piece was correct 50. In
other words, if a music video was to be set in The American West, investigations would have to be
done into the style of building, the type of person who resided there, and any other details that would
hold relevance.
The BBC suggests that when undertaking research in preparation for a new piece of media, that
talking to people-be they academics, experts or ordinary people51.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY:

1- http://www.marketingdonut.co.uk/marketing/market-research/what-is-quantitative-research2- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantitative_research
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%20collection%20methods.htm
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%29#Probability_and_nonprobability_sampling
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%20and%20Disadvantages.htm
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%20Managing%20Information%20Leicester/page_54.htm
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16- http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/nov/30/ac-dc-rock-or-bust-review-kitty-empire
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%26+Techniques
35- http://www.audiencedialogue.net/kya1a.html
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37- http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/our_work/audiences
38- http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/assets/files/pdf/review_report_research/diversity/diversit
y_strategy.pdf
39- http://www.slideshare.net/cigdemkalem/music-video-target-audience-13680589

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