National Rock Perceptual Trends

May, 2008

Prepared by:FMR Associates, Inc.

Tucson, Arizona

FMRassociates.com

Bruce FohrPresident, FMR AssociatesTucson, AZ (established: 1981)

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• Researching Rock and Classic Rock Radio for more than 25 years, including hundreds of studies

• Developed first handheld electronic device for radio in 1983 (EARS® System).

• Conducts Perceptual Telephone Studies, EARS® Library Music Tests, and Call-Out for dozens of Rock stations in large markets (Boston, San Diego, Sacramento, San Antonio, Las Vegas); medium markets (Norfolk, Tucson, Ft. Myers, Fresno, Wilkes-Barre); and small markets (Reno, Appleton, Hagerstown).

• FMR has worked with nearly 450 radio stations in the U.S., Canada, Australia, Europe and Mexico, in virtually every format, including non-commercial stations, Spanish-language, public and commercial radio networks, as well as other media including newspapers, magazines, cable and broadcast television.

• National Rock Trends based on averages from more than a dozen research projects over the past two years. Comparative format trends over the past five years.

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National Rock Perceptual Trends

• What Do Rock/Alternative Listeners Like?

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• What Do Classic Rock Listeners Like?

• Why Do P-1s Prefer Rock Stations?

• How Important Is the Morning Show?

• How Loyal Are Rock Fans?

• Why Are Rock Listeners Tuning In More?

• Why Are Rock Listeners Tuning In Less?

• How to Best Reach Rock Fans?

• How to Engage Rock Fans?

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39%

41%

42%

33%

29%

26%

18%

18%

18%

13%

14%

10%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

(Red Hot ChiliPeppers, Offspring,

Smashing Pumpkins,Beck)

(Nirvana, Alice inChains, Pearl Jam)

(AC/DC, OzzyOsbourne, Guns N'Roses, Van Halen)

Enjoy Very Much Enjoy Neutral Dislike

What Do Rock/Alternative Listeners Like?

NetAppeal*

62%

57%

54%

Late 90’s Alternative

Grunge

80’s Hard

* “Enjoy Very Much” + “Enjoy” – “Dislike”

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36%

34%

43%

27%

29%

18%

22%

20%

17%

18%

15%

22%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

(Staind, Audioslave,Nicelback, Incubus)

(Def Leppard, BonJovi, Whitesnake)

(Metallica)

Enjoy Very Much Enjoy Neutral Dislike

NetAppeal*

48%

45%

39%

2000’s Mainstream

80’s Pop Metal

Metallica

* “Enjoy Very Much” + “Enjoy” – “Dislike”

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29%

34%

26%

26%

23%

27%

23%

18%

22%

25%

21%

24%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

(Iron Maiden, BlackSabbath, Dio)

(Godsmack,Disturbed, Mudvayne,

Tool)

(Killers, WhiteStripes, Modest

Mouse, My ChemicalRomance)

Enjoy Very Much Enjoy Neutral Dislike

NetAppeal*

34%

32%

29%

Metal

2000’s Hard

2000’s Alternative

* “Enjoy Very Much” + “Enjoy” – “Dislike”

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46%

39%

41%

29%

32%

28%

16%

21%

23%

9%

8%

8%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

(Led Zeppelin, PinkFloyd, Aerosmith)

(Foreigner, Boston,Styx, Journey)

(CCR, Van Morrison,Rolling Stones)

Enjoy Very Much Enjoy Neutral Dislike

What Do Classic Rock Listeners Like?

NetAppeal*

67%

62%

61%

Classic Rock Evergreens

Corporate

Late 60’s/Early 70’s Pop Classic Rock

* “Enjoy Very Much” + “Enjoy” – “Dislike”

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39%

39%

40%

30%

29%

26%

22%

21%

21%

12%

8%

12%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

(Eagles, Elton John,Steve Miller Band,Fleetwood Mac)

(Jimi Hendrix, Cream,Beatles, Doors)

(AC/DC, OzzyOsbourne, Guns N'Roses, Van Halen)

Enjoy Very Much Enjoy Neutral Dislike

NetAppeal*

61%

56%

54%

70’s Classic Hits

60’s Classic Rock

80’s Hard

* “Enjoy Very Much” + “Enjoy” – “Dislike”

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34%

32%

29%

32%

32%

33%

22%

25%

26%

11%

12%

12%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

(Def Leppard, BonJovi, Scorpions, Joan

Jett)

(Tom Petty, DireStraits, John

Mellencamp, DonHenley)

(U2, R.E.M., TalkingHeads, Police)

Enjoy Very Much Enjoy Neutral Dislike

NetAppeal*

54%

53%

50%

80’s Pop Metal

80’s Mainstream

80’s Alternative

* “Enjoy Very Much” + “Enjoy” – “Dislike”

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What types of Rock/Classic Rock “fit” together (or not)?

FMR’s Format Opportunity and Music Mapping studies include Correlation Analysis to help determine formatic element fit and composition.

This includes determining the music cluster categories that “go together” like Late 90’s Alternative, Grunge, 2000’s Mainstream and Hard Alternative. For Classic Rock formats, Classic Rock Evergreens typically fits with Late 60’s/Early 70’s Pop Classic Rock and 70’s Classic Hits.

What doesn’t fit together? We have found “negative” correlations (non-fit results) for Alternative formats with:

• Grunge and Classic Rock (60’s-80’s)• 80’s music and current (2000’s) music• Alternative-leaning and Metal/Hard Rock

Negative correlations for Classic Rock formats have included:• Pop/Classic Hits and Metal/Hard Rock• 80’s Metal/Hard/Hair and 60’s/70’s Pop Classic Rock• 80’s music and 60’s/70’s Pop Classic Rock

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56%

56%

54%

59%

51%

47%

43%

37%

31%

31%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

Knowledgeable DJ's

Concert involvement leadership

Workday listening

Music variety

Entertaining contests & giveaways

Music quantity

Morning Show

Advertising visibility leadership

"Talked about" Morning Show

Community involvement leadership

Why Do Rock P-1s Prefer Rock Stations?

Rock fans associate the following attributes with their favorite station:

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32%

6%

59%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

Music

Both the music andMorning Show

Morning Show

How Important Is the Morning Show?

P-1s primarily prefer their favorite Rock station for its...

The average Rock P-1 music-to-Morning Show Conversion Ratio is 49%.

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32%

43%

22%21%

45%

32%

0%

20%

40%

60%

Fairly Easy Not Easy, ButPossible

Pretty Difficult

Rock radio fans Other format fans

How Loyal Are Rock Fans?

(“I could switch from my favorite station...”)

Rock Fans Are “Loyalty-Challenged.” Why?

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• Inconsistent music

• Lack of personality/Non-music appeals

• Perception of too much clutter

• Lack of stationality

What Makes Rock Fans More Loyal?

• Music appeals, including variety or mix of music

• Personality appeals, including a strong Morning Show

• Other non-music attributes

• Nostalgia (Classic Rock only)

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4%

4%

4%

4%

5%

5%

5%

7%

31%

8%

12%

17%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

Like the music

Variety of music

More music/Less talk

Fewer commercials

Like the Morning Show

Alternative/Newer music

Nostalgia/Music from youth

Classic Rock/Older music

Fewer repeats

Rock

Like the DJ's

Better reception

Why are Rock listeners tuning in more?

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3%

6%

5%

4%

7%

7%

7%

13%

7%

7%

11%

0% 10% 20%

Dislike the music

Repetition

Too many commercials

Poor reception

Too much talk

Format change/Flip

Not enough variety

Too much old music

Dislike the Morning Show

Dislike DJ's

Prefer another station

Why are Rock listeners tuning in less?

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5%

23%

4%

18%20%

30%

27%

16%

21%

24%

0%

20%

40%

Firstcommercial

Secondcommercial

Thirdcommercial

Fourthcommercial

Listen to allcommercials

Rock radio fans Other format fans

How Tolerant Are Rock Fans of Commercials?

(“I switch from my favorite station at the start of...”)

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3%6%

0% 2%5%

21%25%

68%

16%

6%2%

17%

36%

50%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

Billboards TV Bumperstickers

Newspapers T-shirts Bus signs Direct mail

Rock radio fans Other format fans

How Best Reach Rock Fans?

(Advertising “Leadership” is based on the recall of...)

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12% 13%

21%

39%

26%

17%

34% 33%

0%

20%

40%

60%

Fun to try towin

Enjoy listening Just there, likecommercials

Irritating and atune-out

Rock radio fans Other format fans

How to Engage Rock Fans?

(Pre-Disposition to Radio Contests)

• Three of ten Rock P-1s listen to some degree to radio programming streamed on the Internet.

The Internet

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• Why do Rock P-1s log on to radio station websites?

Concert tickets/events 39%

Contest participation 32%

Download music or other content 31%

Read host blogs 16%

Communicate with hosts 15%

All FMR perceptual studies, Format Opportunity™ or Vulnerability Analysis® Tracking projects are custom-designed to meet specific station goals and objectives. This presentation has depicted just a few of the areas that are typically addressed in one of these studies. These national results establish “benchmarks” that help guide the analysis and recommendations submitted for a specific station or report.

Summary of National Rock Perceptual Trends

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To see how these results might match with your Classic Rock/Alternative/Active Rock station,

visit the FMR Associates website:

www.FMRassociates.com

or contact Bruce Fohr, President:

Bruce@FMRassociates.com

(520) 886-5548

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