How do radio stations pick their music?

The last qualification plays the largest role in not only whether a song will get added to the rotation of a radio station, but also how often it will be played. Simply put, if a radio station manager, music director, or approved station personality likes a song, it will probably get some radio airplay.

How do radio stations know how many?

It listens for hidden audio streams embedded in radio station (or network) signals that tell Nielsen Audio what you’re listening to – or at least what you’re in range of “hearing.” Millions of data points are collected and then weighted to accurately represent both genders and all age ranges in any given radio market.

How do radio stations know you’re listening?

Radio listenership is tracked through what is called an AQH figure or Average Quarter-Hour figure. This number is based on the average number of people listening to a radio station for five minutes during any given 15-minute period.

How do Radios change stations?

There are two ways radio stations modulate their carrier waves: amplitude modulation, or AM, and frequency modulation, FM. AM radio broadcasts a carrier wave that maintains a constant frequency, while the overlaying sound wave modulates its amplitude.

How are top songs determined?

The Billboard Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online streaming in the United States. This tracking period also applies to compiling online streaming data.

How do stations know how many viewers?

The Nielsen Company tracks what shows viewers watch on television networks through a representative sampling of about 25,000 households that let the company record what programs they watch. Nielsen Company uses in-home devices to track the viewing habits of thousands of people daily.

How do radio bands work?

Radio frequency waves (RF) are generated when an alternating current goes through a conductive material. Frequency is measured in hertz (or cycles per second) and wavelength is measured in meters (or centimeters). Radio waves are electromagnetic waves and they travel at the speed of light in free space.