Amazon.com: Ratings Analysis: Theory and Practice (Lea's Communication Series) (9780805830989): James Webster, Patricia F. Phalen, Lawrence W Lichty, Lawrence W. Lichty: Books

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Ratings Analysis: Theory and Practice (Lea's Communication Series) [Hardcover]

James Webster (Author), Patricia F. Phalen (Author), Lawrence W Lichty (Author), Lawrence W. Lichty (Author)
3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)


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There is a newer edition of this item:
Ratings Analysis - The Theory And Practice Of Audience Research, Third Edition Ratings Analysis - The Theory And Practice Of Audience Research, Third Edition 3.7 out of 5 stars (3)
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Book Description

February 1, 2000 0805830987 978-0805830989 2
This second edition of Ratings Analysis provides a practical guide for conducting audience research, offering readers the tools to become savvy, discriminating consumers of the audience information that floods the electronic media --from broadcasting, to cable, to the World Wide Web. Reflecting a highly practical orientation, Ratings Analysis focuses on the types of data media professionals encounter in their day-to-day work. Readers are introduced to the various applications of audience research in advertising, programming, financial analysis, and social policy. The text also covers the growth of the audience measurement business, and how audience ratings information currently is created and packaged, concluding with a discussion of how media audiences take shape and the analytical techniques commonly used to study them.

Key features of the second edition include:
* An overview of the major types of audience research,
* Current examples of the most common audience research reports,
* A complete glossary of audience research terms, and
* A listing of the major suppliers of syndicated audience research.

Appropriate for advanced courses in audience research, media research, and programming, this second edition provides a thorough and up-to-date presentation of the ratings industry and the analysis process.

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Editorial Reviews

Review

From her Open Letter to Students in this volume:

Ratings Analysis could well have as its subtitle 'How to Succeed in the Media Business,' for there is little doubt that wherever your career goals in media lead, understanding the role of audience research will be essential.

Susan D. Whiting
President and Chief Executive Officer, Nielsen Media Research

The third edition of Ratings Analysis unquestionably remains the principal tool for learning about audience measurement in the media business... While retaining the extraordinary lucidity of explanation that has always characterized the book, the authors also bring out the ambiguities, subtleties, and uncertainties of measuring new media audiences... Teachers will be happy to find that this edition retains the very useful Q&A technique in the beginning chapters so readers cannot help but see many real-world applications of audience measurement. This book will continue to be the dominant text in the media audience ratings field.
Susan Tyler Eastman
Professor Emerita Indiana University

Ratings Analysis succeeds because it is a reference for all media practitioners–not just researchers. The authors elegantly balance practical insight with theoretical construct in an easy-to-read volume that essentially demystifies “research”. There is no better source for understanding how audience analysis drives the numerous facets of the media business. Ratings Analysis has been my desk reference volume since the First Edition and required reading for all incoming research analysts in my department.

Stacey Lynn Koerner
Executive Vice President, Director Global Research Integration, Initiative

At a time when major audience-research controversies are swirling across electronic media, Ratings Analysis provides expert, historically-grounded descriptions of industry techniques that are crucial for students and professors who want to participate knowledgeably in the debates.

Joseph Turow
Professor, Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania

Ratings Analysis is the most comprehensive and complete book in the marketplace on the many forms and uses of audience research and analysis. Effectively bridging the gulf between the theory and practice of audience analysis, this volume brings both to light.

Jack Wakshlag
Chief Research Officer, Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.

--This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 304 pages
  • Publisher: Routledge; 2 edition (February 1, 2000)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0805830987
  • ISBN-13: 978-0805830989
  • Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 1 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,248,959 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

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Average Customer Review
3.7 out of 5 stars (3 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A pleasant surprise, July 17, 2000
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When I imagine a book that brings together statistics, research methodology, social science and modern history, I imagine an excellent antidote to insomnia. But surprisingly, not only did I stay awake through the entire book, I actually learned a few things.

The authors' history of commercial audience research was tight, offering a multitude of insights into where the ratings business might be headed in the Internet age. And the descriptions of research methodology was just right--enough to understand conceptually, without overdoing it.

Following closely on the heels of chapters about ratings used in programming and advertising, the chapter on ratings and financial analysis added almost no value. But the third section, Understanding Audience Behavior, offered some great discussions of specific measurements without burying the reader in too many details.

Overall, Ratings Analysis is the best book on the topic I've seen--a very thorough exploration of the subject without the passive, scholarly tone of too many textbooks.

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2.0 out of 5 stars Thorough, outdated, too general, turgidly written, May 27, 2011
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This text covers the field of audience research and ratings thoroughly, but it's dated. Sampling and statistics are clearly explained. Although the writing is well-organized, the prose is turgid. Many of the concepts need vivid illustrations. Understandably, the authors avoided contemporary examples of radio and television programs. The text should be brought up to date.
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1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars An Interesting Read, May 30, 2000
By A Customer
I had to read this book for a broadcasting class and it was a treat. "Ratings Analysis" deals with the behind the scenes business of broadcasting. The authors do a good job of presenting the information in an intellectual manner without putting you to sleep. This is actually one "text book" that I have enjoyed reading. The layout of the book is easy to read and to comprehend. It is divided into three parts and from there, the information is broken down even further. Although the authors have tried to present their case in as easy terms as possible, they never sound unintelligent or underestimate their readers' intelligence. One gets the message and the point without feeling that they are being talked down to. The book includes the latest statistics on audience research and data, which is hard to come by in the ever-changing business of broadcasting. I recommend this book for anyone interested in broadcasting or in pop culture, for that matter.
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Inside This Book (learn more)
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Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
cume duplication, commercial audience research, audience duplication, cume audience, household meters, cume ratings, total audience size, duplicated audience, audience estimates, upfront market, audience turnover, average quarter hour, channel loyalty, audience flow, telephone recall, audience projections, audience data, cumulative measurements, cumulative measures, nonresponse error, audience behavior, ratings data, barter time, universe estimates, cost per point
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
New York, United States, Nielsen Media Research, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Super Bowl, Media Metrix, Major Nets, Family Time, World Wide Web, Thousand Oaks, Columbia University Press, George Gallup, Joan of Arcadia, San Diego, National Association of Broadcasters, African Americans, News Channel, South Central, Hallmark Channel, Advertising Bureau, Nielsen Viewers, Scarborough Research, Paul Lazarsfeld, Gilmore Girls, Knowledge Networks
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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Surprise Me!
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