The C. E. Hooper Company was an American company which measured radio and television ratings during the "Golden Age" of radio. Founded in 1934 by Claude E. Hooper (1898–1954), the company provided information on the most popular radio shows of the era.
Claude E. Hooper became well known for his radio audience measurement systems, Hooper Ratings or "Hooperatings".[1][2] Before beginning work in radio measurement, Hooper was an auditor of magazine circulation.[3] Hooper worked within the market research organization of Daniel Starch until 1934 when he left to start a research company with colleague Montgomery Clark, Clark-Hooper; in the fall of 1934 the company launched syndicated radio measurement services in 16 cities.[1] Clark left the business in 1938 and Hooper continued the firm as C. E. Hooper, Inc.[1][4]
The survey method employed by Hooper was designed with the help of George Gallup (see Gallup Poll), whose input Hooper later acknowledged as key.[1] It differed from the method being used by the advertising industry service, the Cooperative Analysis of Broadcasting (CAB); in particular, Clark-Hooper's method involved contacting listeners during the shows being analyzed as opposed to the following day.[1] In the industry, the method was dubbed "telephone coincidence"; it superseded CAB's earlier method ("telephone recall") as the industry standard, and Hooper's prevalence eventually led to the 1946 dissolution of CAB.[5][6]
In 1948, as the radio networks began venturing into television, Hooper began measuring TV ratings as well. In February 1950, the company was bought by competitor A.C. Nielsen.[1][7]
The C. E. Hooper Company collected data using telephone surveys conducted across 36 cities, during the last 13 minutes of each quarter hour broadcast period. Respondents would be asked whether they were presently listening to the radio, and if they were, to identify the program and station they were listening to, and the program's sponsor. Using this data, biweekly ratings were compiled.[8]
Compared to the earlier Crossley ratings, Hooperatings had the advantage of not depending on respondents remembering what they had listened to earlier in the day. However, they still only sampled an urban rather than rural population. They also failed to account for the millions of households at the time which had a radio set but no telephone.[8]
In popular culture
During the late 1940s the catchphrase "How's your Hooper?" was a well-known allusion to the size of a series' audience.[4]
In 1949, the Chagrin Valley Little Theater premiered a satire of contemporary radio by Everett Rhodes Castle titled "How's Your Hooper?".[9]
A George Price cartoon in the May 14, 1949 issue of The New Yorker depicts a speeding automobile with a radio antenna being overtaken by a Hooper employee in the sidecar of a motorcycle who is shouting "We're from the Hooper Survey, sir. Do you have your radio on, and if so what program are you listening to?"
A 1947 radio skit has Henry Morgan and Arnold Stang sarcastically discussing each other's radio shows. Morgan says " … by the way, how's your Hooper rating?", to which Stang replies "Wells, it's eh...ehh...aw, that rating doesn't mean a thing...".[10]
^ abcdefWebster, James; Phalen, Patricia & Lichty, Lawrence (2013). Ratings Analysis: Audience Measurement and Analytics. Routledge. pp. 22–25. ISBN978-1-136-28213-3.
^Blanchard, Margaret A. (2013). History of the Mass Media in the United States: An Encyclopedia. Routledge. pp. 49–50. ISBN978-1-135-91742-5.
^Bird, William (July 1987). "Audience Ratings: Radio, Television, Cable". Technology and Culture. 28 (3): 705.
^ abCox, Jim (2008). Sold on Radio: Advertisers in the Golden Age of Broadcasting. McFarland. p. 46. ISBN978-0-7864-5176-0.
^Midgley, Ned (2008). The Advertising and Business Side of Radio. Wildside Press LLC. pp. 164–168. ISBN978-1-4344-7176-5.
^Fordan, Robert C. (1998). Godfrey, Donald G.; Leigh, Frederic A. (eds.). Historical Dictionary of American Radio. Greenwood. p. 109. ISBN978-0-313-29636-9.
article in Transmitter (2001), newsletter of the American Library of Broadcasting
Hooper reports at American Radio History website
Nye, Frank W. "HOOP" of HOOPERATINGS: The Man and His Work. Norwalk, Connecticut (1957), apparently privately printed, at American Radio History Website [1]
hooper, company, american, company, which, measured, radio, television, ratings, during, golden, radio, founded, 1934, claude, hooper, 1898, 1954, company, provided, information, most, popular, radio, shows, claude, hooper, became, well, known, radio, audience. The C E Hooper Company was an American company which measured radio and television ratings during the Golden Age of radio Founded in 1934 by Claude E Hooper 1898 1954 the company provided information on the most popular radio shows of the era Claude E Hooper became well known for his radio audience measurement systems Hooper Ratings or Hooperatings 1 2 Before beginning work in radio measurement Hooper was an auditor of magazine circulation 3 Hooper worked within the market research organization of Daniel Starch until 1934 when he left to start a research company with colleague Montgomery Clark Clark Hooper in the fall of 1934 the company launched syndicated radio measurement services in 16 cities 1 Clark left the business in 1938 and Hooper continued the firm as C E Hooper Inc 1 4 The survey method employed by Hooper was designed with the help of George Gallup see Gallup Poll whose input Hooper later acknowledged as key 1 It differed from the method being used by the advertising industry service the Cooperative Analysis of Broadcasting CAB in particular Clark Hooper s method involved contacting listeners during the shows being analyzed as opposed to the following day 1 In the industry the method was dubbed telephone coincidence it superseded CAB s earlier method telephone recall as the industry standard and Hooper s prevalence eventually led to the 1946 dissolution of CAB 5 6 In 1948 as the radio networks began venturing into television Hooper began measuring TV ratings as well In February 1950 the company was bought by competitor A C Nielsen 1 7 Contents 1 Method 2 In popular culture 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksMethod EditThe C E Hooper Company collected data using telephone surveys conducted across 36 cities during the last 13 minutes of each quarter hour broadcast period Respondents would be asked whether they were presently listening to the radio and if they were to identify the program and station they were listening to and the program s sponsor Using this data biweekly ratings were compiled 8 Compared to the earlier Crossley ratings Hooperatings had the advantage of not depending on respondents remembering what they had listened to earlier in the day However they still only sampled an urban rather than rural population They also failed to account for the millions of households at the time which had a radio set but no telephone 8 In popular culture EditDuring the late 1940s the catchphrase How s your Hooper was a well known allusion to the size of a series audience 4 In 1949 the Chagrin Valley Little Theater premiered a satire of contemporary radio by Everett Rhodes Castle titled How s Your Hooper 9 A George Price cartoon in the May 14 1949 issue of The New Yorker depicts a speeding automobile with a radio antenna being overtaken by a Hooper employee in the sidecar of a motorcycle who is shouting We re from the Hooper Survey sir Do you have your radio on and if so what program are you listening to A 1947 radio skit has Henry Morgan and Arnold Stang sarcastically discussing each other s radio shows Morgan says by the way how s your Hooper rating to which Stang replies Wells it s eh ehh aw that rating doesn t mean a thing 10 See also EditArbitron Crossley ratings Nielsen ratingsReferences Edit a b c d e f Webster James Phalen Patricia amp Lichty Lawrence 2013 Ratings Analysis Audience Measurement and Analytics Routledge pp 22 25 ISBN 978 1 136 28213 3 Blanchard Margaret A 2013 History of the Mass Media in the United States An Encyclopedia Routledge pp 49 50 ISBN 978 1 135 91742 5 Bird William July 1987 Audience Ratings Radio Television Cable Technology and Culture 28 3 705 a b Cox Jim 2008 Sold on Radio Advertisers in the Golden Age of Broadcasting McFarland p 46 ISBN 978 0 7864 5176 0 Midgley Ned 2008 The Advertising and Business Side of Radio Wildside Press LLC pp 164 168 ISBN 978 1 4344 7176 5 Fordan Robert C 1998 Godfrey Donald G Leigh Frederic A eds Historical Dictionary of American Radio Greenwood p 109 ISBN 978 0 313 29636 9 Los Angeles Times 7 March 1950 Part 2 p 1 https www newspapers com image 160584608 terms 22How 27s 2BYour 2BHooper 22 a b Chester Giraud Garrison Garnet R 1950 Radio and Television p 102 Cleveland Plain Dealer Sunday 13 November 1949 section D page 29 Transcribed in Thrilling Days of Yesteryear Archives blog http thrillingdaysofyesteryeararchives blogspot com 2003 11 good evening anybodyheres morgan htmlExternal links Edit How Nielsen and Arbitron Became the Ratings Kings article in Transmitter 2001 newsletter of the American Library of Broadcasting Hooper reports at American Radio History website Nye Frank W HOOP of HOOPERATINGS The Man and His Work Norwalk Connecticut 1957 apparently privately printed at American Radio History Website 1 This United States media company article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title C E Hooper amp oldid 1110325253, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
