Mediabase

Mediabase is a music industry service which monitors radio station airplay, publishes charts of the most-played songs on radio, and provides in-depth analytical tools for industry professionals. Its charts are used for many popular radio countdown shows, including American Top 40 with Ryan Seacrest.

A division of Premiere Radio Networks, it is located in Sherman Oaks, California.

History

Mediabase was founded in 1985 by Nancy and Rich Deitemeyer (aka Rich Meyer). Originally known as Mediascan, the company changed its name to Mediabase in 1987. Mediabase became the industry's first mass-airplay monitoring company in late 1987.

In January 1988, Mediabase began publishing a trade magazine known as Monday Morning Replay, featuring monitored airplay in the top 35 markets. In 1992, Mediabase switched to delivery by data disk. In 1997, Mediabase moved its product to the Internet. Over the years, Mediabase has supplied its data to numerous trade publications, such as Radio & Records, Network Magazine Group, Gavin, Hits, and AllAccess.com. It also appears every Tuesday in USA Today.

Charts and data

Mediabase produces song charts of radio airplay in 28 radio formats based on the monitoring of 1,836 radio stations in the US and Canada, in 175 radio markets.^[1]

Published charts are syndicated by sites such as USA Today and AllAccess.com.

Subscribers, such as music and entertainment industry executives and radio broadcasters, gain access to in-depth charts and tools for data analysis.^[2][3]

Mediabase also owns and operates ratethemusic.com, a service that allows consumers to rate music for the radio and record industries.

Use in countdown shows

Mediabase charts are the source for the following radio countdown shows:

• American Top 40 (CHR and Hot AC, distributed by Premiere Radio Networks)
• The Jeff Foxworthy Countdown (country, distributed by Premiere Radio Networks)
• Crook & Chase Country Countdown (country, distributed by United Stations)
• Live In The Den with Big Tigger
• Bob Kingsley's Country Top 40 (country, distributed by Dial Global)
• CMT Country Countdown USA with Lon Helton (country, distributed by Westwood One)
• American Country Countdown with Kix Brooks

Mediabase is also the primary programming tool for nationally syndicated shows like Open House Party, After Midnite with Blair Garner, and Delilah.

Detailed description of data

The following formats are monitored by Mediabase:

US dadio

Main formats

These formats have charts that are officially published weekly in the online magazine edition of Mediabase.

• Mainstream AC
• Hot AC
• CHR/Pop (number ones)
• CHR/Rhythmic
• Urban
• Urban AC
• Country
• Alternative
• Active Rock
• Mainstream Rock
• AAA

Extra formats

These formats are monitored to help make the overall audience impressions chart, but are not officially published in the weekly online magazine of Mediabase.

• Rhythmic AC
• Adult Hits
• Dance (Featured in FMQB only; Stations that are part of this panel also report to CHR/Rhythmic)
• Classic Rock
• Smooth Jazz
• Christian
• Classic Hits
• Gospel
• Regional Mexican
• Spanish Contemporary
• Tropical Latin
• Christmas (Only late November-early January)

Canadian radio

• Top 40
• Hot AC
• AC
• Country
• Active Rock
• Alternative

Reporting panels

Mediabase uses a criteria that determines what format that radio stations report to, much like rival Nielsen BDS. However, serveral stations on most of the Mediabase panels are different from BDS' panel, which is why stations like KMEL/San Francisco and WPGC/Washington, D.C., both of whom report to Mediabase's Rhythmic panel, are also reporters on BDS' R&B/Hip-Hop reporting panel, in part due to their Hip-Hop heavy direction. Also, stations like WKTU/New York City and WDTW/Detroit are included on Mediabase's CHR/Pop panel but not on BDS' Top 40/CHR panel because they are programmed as Rhythmic Top 40 outlets (interestingly enough, Mediabase's CHR/Pop reporters WWKL/Harrisburg and KHHM/Sacramento are also reporters on BDS' Rhythmic Top 40 panel because their direction heavily favors Rhythmic product).

References

1. ^ Stations Monitored -- current lists of reporting stations and formats (free registration required).
2. ^ "Mediabase And Universal Renew Research Deal". AllAccess.com. 14 Nov 2007. http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/32728/mediabase-and-universal-renew-research-deal. Retrieved 2011-04-18. 
3. ^ "Radio One Inks Exclusive Deal with Mediabase". AllAccess.com. 15 Aug 2006. http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/13156/radio-one-inks-exclusive-deal-with-mediabase. Retrieved 2011-04-18. 

External links

• USA Today -- weekly charts by format
• AllAccess.com -- many charts, including weekly, year-to-date, and "spincrease" charts by format and weekly and year-to-date charts for individual stations (free registration required).
• Mediabase.com -- the official website.
• Reporting stations -- complete list as of August 6, 2006.
• Stations Monitored -- current lists of reporting stations (free registration required).