EMAP plans updated study to research radio consumption

StaceyEMAP Radio is planning to update the landmark Ironing Board Study, which looked at radio listening behaviour, with a modern-day version called The Keyboard Study.

The group says it is hoped the research will show how radio is being consumed on the internet and how the two interact, as well as how listeners consume radio while they work.

The study, which will include a minimum of 200 people, is expected to see panel members invited to work at EMAP to undertake data-entry work while listening to the radio, although specific details have not been finalised.

EMAP, which owns the Magic and Kiss radio brands, has approached research companies including Ipsos MORI and Sparkler about carrying out the research. It is hoped that the results will be published by November.

The idea of resurrecting the template for the Ironing Board Study, which was originally carried out by Saatchi & Saatchi during the 1980s, has been driven by Richard Hemmings, head of trade marketing at EMAP.

EMAP head of broadcast sales Karen Stacey says: “The radio audience and its product is strong in terms of reach and offering, but we need to communicate how radio works with the consumers.”

The original study used housewives, who were told it was about research into starch and given ironing to complete, in a bid to prove that people can watch ads and programmes while doing other tasks. The participants were put into two rooms – one playing radio with ads and one playing radio without.