How to Find Advertising Rates

To calculate the cost of a radio advertisement, use the following calculation: 

CPP X Arbitron Rating = Cost of Advertisement 

Use SRDS to find the CPP (Cost Per Point) number. Go to the Arbitron website to find rating numbers for radio stations. 

Find step-by-step instructions and links to the SRDS database and Arbitron website below. This provides rough guidelines for determining ad rates for academic purposes only - what you'd actually pay is based on many other factors. 

Select Audio > Radio Stations, Networks, Owners & Reps from the top navigation bar in SRDS Media Solutions (linked at the top of the page).

On the Radio page, choose Select Metro and Non-Metro Markets on the far left side of the screen. The Metro Market Area refers to the geographic region where residents generally receive and access the same radio stations. IT is a defined area used by advertisers to target their campaigns based on the population's media consumption. 

Select the Metro Market Area that is best suited to your brand or company -- where you want to advertise. You may select more than one area. Click Apply once you have made your selections. 

Take note of the radio dayparts (different blocks of time as to help you create your advertising strategy based on programming and demographics) listed on the screen before you select your Metro Market Area. This will be important! 

After selecting your Metro Market Area, browse the results and choose a radio station that you think that may be a good fit for your brand and its consumers. Take note of the primary demographic and format of the station when making your selection. 

Once you have selected a radio station, use the tabs to find information about the station. You will notice that unlike for magazines and newspapers, information of circulation and rates & policies is not available. 

• General Information: Brief description of the station, its accompanying website, format, and audience profile.
• Contacts & Reps: Contact information for the station. 
• Station Coverage Map: Details the geographic region in which the station broadcasts programming. 
• Facilities: General information about the station, air date, operation schedule, etc.  

To find the advertising rates for your selected radio station, locate and click the Resources  icon in the top right corner. Select Resources > University Projected Rates Radio from the drop-down menu.

Search for your Metro Market Area. Select the Rate Report link for your chosen market. 

Here you will see the Cost Per Point (CPP) Levels for your market area. CPP refers to the cost of reaching 1% of your target demographic listeners. Select the CPP number for the most recent quarter and daypart in which you would like your advertisement to air. Write down this number. It is the first number needed to calculate the cost of a radio advertisement. 

Next, go to the Arbitron website (linked at the top of the page). Create a free account with your UWW credentials. Select Student from the drop-down menu for the Industry category. Note that you will have to fill out the form every time you want to access the ratings on the Arbitron website. This site provides Nielsen ratings for radio stations. 

Use the drop-down menu to select your market area. Click Go.

Locate the rating for the radio station that you selected in SRDS. Use the most recent rating number available. 

Now that you have both the CPP number and Arbitron/Nielsen rating, you can calculate the cost of a radio advertisement. Use the following calculation: CPP X Arbitron/Nielsen Rating = Cost of Advertisement