That’s why I started my own research business 22 years ago (wow!) I was working for a big research company and, having shown that I could talk and knew what I was talking about, they took me out of doing projects and into sales. I would meet with potential clients, sell them a project and then turn it over to a junior staffer who had little experience or knowledge. Then I would travel with that person to deliver the research. Essentially, I was a “front” for the project.

This didn’t sit well with me. I found myself presenting research with holes in it. I didn’t have enough time to thoroughly analyze it. The work just wasn’t good enough, and I was asked to put my name on it.

That’s why I went off on my own. If I was going to sell, I had to have total confidence in what I was selling. I had to be in control from start to finish. I had to deliver outstanding work…my clients deserved nothing less.

Now, this is no way to build an “organization.” In any given year, there are a limited number of projects that I’m going to be able to invest the time necessary to deliver outstanding work. But it is the way to deliver great research.

Which is a lot more satisfying than “cranking it out”!

I’ll admit it. I never listen to Classic Rockers except for professional reasons, even though I’m right in their target demo.

Hey, it’s great music. I was listening to Doug FM in the car with my daughter a few weeks ago when Won’t Get Fooled Again came on. I was curious about her reaction to it, so I left it on, and was once again reminded of what a killer cut it is.

And whenever I conduct a Classic Rock music test, I say to myself: “Yeah, that really was great music!”

But if I never hear The Who or The Doors again, it’ll be just fine. I grew up with that music. I lived it. But 40 years later, I never need to hear it again.

Fortunately, I’m not typical. And while I’m not into Classic Rock personally, I am very interested in it professionally.

Because it is amazing.

Back in the late ’80s when the format was emerging and scoring big wins, there were lots of skeptics around. “It’ll burn out,” they said.

Wrong. Classic Rock remains super-strong 20 years later. In most of our strategic research, classic genres are consistently at or near the top. (I guess that’s what makes it “classic.”)

One reason is that the music keeps finding new fans. More often than not, we find that 18-24 men are as enthusiastic about classic genres as their dads. This reminds me of when my (then) 17-year-old stepson said: “Mark, have you ever heard of a group called The Doors? They’re really hot!”

Another reason is that this ‘library” format — unlike Oldies — has been able to evolve. Early on, ’80s music was not a major aspect of the format…now, of course, it is.

If there’s a cloud on the horizon, it’s that the next step in the evolution — integrating early ’90s alternative-based rock (like grunge) — is controversial with listeners. Typically, half think this music is classic; half don’t. I do think this is the move for Classic Rockers, but it must be done cautiously and won’t work in all markets just yet.

Even when it does happen, though, Classic Rock will still bore the s**t out of me.

Not that it matters.

A friend (who was then working as a Promotions Director in TV) told me that “the three major network newscasts will be defunct in a few years.”

This was in 1990.

Of course, the major network newscasts are very much alive sixteen years later. Katie Couric was just given $15 million a year to anchor CBS Evening news.

True, Couric or Brian Williams are nowhere as big as Cronkite or Huntley and Brinkley were. Still, they dwarf the competition. Bill O’Reilly has the #1 show on cable news, averaging over 2 million viewers. NBC Nightly News consistently delivers four to five times as many.

What’s my point? That the dark predictions about terrestrial radio’s future are similarly overheated.

Sure, we all know about the challenge from satellite radio, iPods and the myriad of other sources of entertainment that have eroded radio’s shares. But what medium hasn’t been eroded? Aside from the Superbowl and American Idol, no TV shows get the kind of numbers that series got in my youth, when we only had three networks to choose from.

The odds remain excellent that a local AM or FM radio station is the established leader in its segment in its community. For example, FAR more Detroiters know about WRIF than know about XM’s Squizz or Sirius’ Octane!

At some point, more becomes less when it comes to competition…the mind just can’t handle all of those choices! When satellite services offer a multitude of rock channels and thousands of rock channels come online, a station like WRIF just stands out more and more.

From the standpoint of competing with other entertainment and information sources, consolidation was the worst thing that could have happened to terrestrial radio. For one thing, stations cut back on advertising themselves, or quit entirely. They felt they no longer need to. Wrong! Advertising is essential to maintaining your station’s top-of-mind status, even if it doesn’t have direct competition.

But despite the industry’s complacent ways, AM’s and FM’s still hold an enormous lead in top-of-mind awareness over any of the alternatives. With compelling programming and consistent advertising, AM’s and FM’s can leverage that edge to remain essential in an environment that offers more and more choices.

That’s why I’m bullish on radio.

Our latest HD Radio research delivers more disturbing news than our May HD study did.

Then, we found a lack of familiarity with HD, even among those who said they had heard of it. But lack of familiarity is a “blank slate” — one that can be filled with an effective message.

Now, we find that 5% of all 18-64’s think they’re listening to HD, but they can’t be because they haven’t purchased an HD-capable radio!

Undoubtedly, they have this misconception because stations are saying they’re “Now broadcasting in crystal-clear high-definition radio” (or whatever) without explaining that listeners can’t hear that great sound on an ordinary FM radio.

Not surprisingly, these misinformed listeners are not impressed with what they think is HD Radio! Nearly half (46%) tell us it is “about the same” as regular FM.

I wonder why they think that???

Radio is poisoning the perception of HD even before it gets off the ground, by selling something that listeners are not receiving.

Now, 5% of the audience (while 5% more than we’d like) is still a small minority! And 46% of that 5% leaves us with a little more than 2% who both think they’re receiving HD and who think it is about the same as regular FM.

So, consider this research as an “early warning” about the pitfalls of promoting HD with liner cards. Certainly, this can be turned around with a comprehensive campaign that communicates WHAT HD RADIO IS, WHAT ITS BENEFITS ARE and WHAT IT TAKES TO RECEIVE IT.

Oh, and drop those liner cards.

Here’s the text of a news release we just sent out…more commentary to follow…

A new research study reveals that 5% of 18-64 year olds think they are receiving HD Radio from at least one of the FM stations they listen to, but have not actually purchased an HD-capable radio.

Among these listeners who say they are receiving HD but haven’t purchased an HD radio, 46% say it is “about the same” as regular FM radio, while 12% of them characterize HD as “a lot better” than regular FM.

One percent of listeners say they have purchased an HD-capable radio. While a small subcell, two-thirds of them say HD is “a lot better” than regular FM.

These findings are based on 752 telephone interviews completed from September 13-17 in the U.S.

Mark Kassof & Co. is a research and strategy firm specializing in radio. Mark Kassof, President, states: “Stations contribute to confusion when they say they are ‘broadcasting in HD’ without offering an explanation of what HD provides and what is required to receive it. As a result, some listeners wrongly think they are receiving HD.”

This survey was the second HD-related study conducted by Mark Kassof & Co. this year. A May survey revealed that only 1% of 18-64 year olds said HD Radio provides more stations or programming choices.