PBS Pledge Audience - TRAC Media Services

The View From Outside: PBS’s Pledge Audience Presented at Trac Media Service’s 2013 Development Workshop January 15, 2013

Steve McGowan Monocacy Media Partners

1

I can name that tune in __ seconds… #1

“Money (That’s What I Want)” The Beatles

#2

“Money, Money, Money”

#3

“You Never Give Me Your Money” The Beatles

#4

“Money”

ABBA

Pink Floyd

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After Years of Living on the “Dark Side” I am Getting Back Up to Speed • Station Pledging—how much, how often • Pledge audiences • Ratings patterns • Demographic composition • Donor motivations

3

The Big Pledge Titles-1986 • Anne of Green Gables • A 60s Folk/Rock Reunion • Peter, Paul & Mary 25th Anniversary • Spencer Tracy Legacy • Nat Geo “Jerusalem” • W.C. Fields Straight Up • Benny Goodman: Let’s Dance • Gala of Stars

•

Plus over 13 hours of regular series

The Big Pledge Titles-1987 The Arlo Guthrie Show Nat Geo “Grizzlies” GP “Jimmy Stewart: Wonderful Life” Country Music Legends Tom Peters: Power of Excellence Minnelli on Minnelli Celebrating a Jazz Master (Thelonious Monk) • Lawrence Welk: TV’s Music Man • Mancini & Friends • A Musical Toast: Stars Shine on PTV • • • • • • •

•

Plus over 15 hours of regular series 4

No. of Stations Pledging Each Period 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 5 March

Aug

Dec

June

Average Days Per Pledging Station 20.0 18.0 16.0 14.0 12.0 10.0 8.0 6 March

Aug

Dec

June

Who Pledges? • More women than men • Older people pledge more than younger people (65+ and 50-64 year olds) • College educated pledge more often • Caucasians pledge most

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Annual PBS Prime Time Ratings: Pledge and Non-Pledge 3.50 3.00 2.50

Non-pledge ratings have averaged 20% more than Pledge months the past five years, hitting a record gap (28%) last season.

2.00 1.50 1.00 Note: June was moved to the Pledge average beginning 2005-06

0.50 8 Non-Pledge Avg

Pledge Avg

PBS Weekly Prime Ratings PBS Weekly Prime Ratings – 2011-12 Season + 4Q12 P40-49 P50-64 P65+ 3.0

2.5

2.0

1.5

1.0

0.5

Week of 2012 Season

13

11

9

7

5

3

1

51

Pledge

49

47

45

43

Pledge

41

39

37

35

33

31

29

Pledge

27

25

23

21

19

17

Pledge

15

13

9

7

5

3

1

11

Pledge

0.0

Week of 2013 Season

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Who Watched Most Last February*? Household Characteristic

AA%

Broadcast only homes

2.8

Not in Labor Force

2.6

Head of Home 4+ Yrs of College

2.0

Household Income $20-39K

1.8

HH Income $40-59K and $100K+

1.7

PBS Average PBS “Upscale” +

1.6

+NILF,

Owns Home, HOH 4+ Yrs College

*3 weeks prior to pledge (Feb 12-March 3, 2012)

4.1% 10

How Did Their Viewing Change During Pledge?* Household Characteristic

AA% Chng

Household income $100K+

-52%

Head of Home 4+ Years College

-47%

HH Income $40-59K

-42%

Not in Labor Force

-38%

PBS Average

-38%

Household Income $20-39K

-32%

Broadcast only homes

-23%

PBS “Upscale” +

-47%

*March 4-24, 2012

+NILF,

Owns Home, HOH 4+ Yrs College

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Households Transition to Pledge • In both 2010 and 2011, the March pledge period reached nearly the same number of households as the month prior. • In 2012 reach did drop, falling from 43MM households to 38.7 translating into a smaller percentage of the pre-pledge audience

Household Audience Duplication March 2010

March 2011

Pledge

Pre-Pledge

41.6MM

Pledge

Pre-Pledge

76%

March 2012

69% 41.4MM

43.7MM

Pledge

Pre-Pledge

65% 43.3MM

Source: Nielsen NPower Reach & Frequency Duplication Report, 6-min qualifier, Feb/Mar 2010

43.0MM

38.7MM

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Minutes Per Week (Sun-Thu only)

Average Daily Minutes decline for all three key age segments during pledge Average Daily Sun-Thu Primetime Mins/Persons Pre/Pledge/Post March 2012

80

Pledge

70 60 50 40 30 Persons 40-49

20

Persons 50-64

10 0

Persons 65-99 13 1/30

2/6

2/13

2/20

2/27

3/5

3/12

3/19

Week of…

3/26

4/2

4/9

4/16

4/23

March 2012 Pledge Specials Program

Station Count

HH Rating

GPER Phantom of the Opera

382

1.1

Big Band Vocalists

410

1.1

PBS March Prime Average

1.1

Dr. Wayne Dyer Wishes

492

0.9

Superstars 70’s Soul

281

0.8

Il Volo Takes Flight

286

0.8

Peter Paul & Mary

329

0.7

GPER Tony Bennett

205

0.5

Oscar & Hammerstein II

242

0.5

Easy Yoga Easing Pain

424

0.5

Yanni Live El Morro

208

0.4

Horses Of The West

253

0.3

Under The Streetlamp

173

0.3

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Summary • Weekly and monthly ratings during Pledge periods have eroded at a greater rate than non-pledge months • As seen previously, Pledge does not bring in a different audience profile. In fact, much of the pre-pledge audience carries over to the ensuing pledge drive • Fall-off is occurring most among Nielsen’s standard upscale and “PBS Upscale” demos 15