• by Larry Estridge , June 21, 2002

Media research is a cumbersome but necessary part of media planning, and some of the companies we rely on most don’t make the process of finding their research online particularly simple. But some do. Here’s a partial list of these companies and a rundown of what you can and cannot get from them online. A word of caution: If you do decide to use research studies from trade association sites, remember that part of any trade association’s goal is touting the glory of their medium over all others.

Forrester Research (www.forrester.com) provides a comprehensive analysis of the global Internet economy. The research is organized by lens, topic, date or analyst and is available online to Forrester clients but you can contact them by phone or email for a specific report.

Jupiter (soon to be Jupiter Media Metrix) (www.jup.com) provides research studies on comprehensive data and analysis of business models, major industry players, technologies, trends and future growth projections of the Internet and online services to its clients—registration is available online. A guest username allows temporary access to some sample research and features.

Mediamark Research Inc. (MRI) (www.mediamark.com) provides comprehensive demographic, lifestyle, product usage and exposure to all forms of advertising media collected from a single sample. Mediamark topline reports and data are available for free elec- tronic access.

MRI+ (www.mriplusonline.com) provides free online magazine audience data (MRI subscribers only), ABC and BPA circulation data including publisher’s statements and Fas-Fax for custom reporting and exporting, rate data, editorial calendars, closing/on-sale dates, and extensive general directory information.

BPA International (www.bpai.com) provides circulation audits for print publications, websites, trade shows, databases, wireless, and other ad-supported providers. Free audits are available online, however, you must register first—a very quick and easy process. Arbitron (www.arbitron.com) measures radio audiences in local markets, surveys the retail, media and product patterns of local market consumers, and provides survey research consulting and methodological services to the cable, telecommunications, direct broadcast satellite, online and new media industries. Most online reports and studies are available to Arbitron clients only.

eMarketer (www.emarketer.com) is perhaps one of the easiest media research sites to deal with—add as many reports to your eCart as you want and proceed to check out. An annual subscription is also available.

USADATA.com (www.usadata.com) in conjunction with data partners such as CMR, MRI, Scarborough, and Arbitron, provides online packaged market information searchable by topic, company, or geographic region. Reports can be requested online or by phone.

PC Data Online (www.pcdataonline.com) provides weekly and monthly comprehensive reports on the top websites and web properties, top e-tailers, and websites with the highest levels of customer loyalty. The top 10 sites, top 10 web properties, and the daily buying meter are available online free of charge. An annual subscription is also available.

Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau (CAB) (www.cabletvadbureau.com) provides profiles of more than 60 ad-supported cable networks, detailing their value to advertisers, profiles of viewers, contact information and a link to the site.

Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB) (www.rab.com) provides free comprehensive guides to all advertising media, not just radio, in PDF and Acrobat formats.

Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) (www.iab.net) provides a “Products and Services” section that contains links to sites for auditing, measurement and analysis, profiling/personalization, ad network sales representatives, integrated ad sales and other technologies-based services, and ad servers. — Anya Khait