This second edition ofRatings Analysisprovides a practical guide for conducting audience research, offering readers the tools to become savvy, discriminating consumers of the audience information that floods the electronic media --from broadcasting, to cable, to the World Wide Web. Reflecting a highly practical orientation,Ratings Analysisfocuses on the types of data media professionals encounter in their day-to-day work. Readers are introduced to the various applications of audience research in advertising, programming, financial analysis, and social policy. The text also covers the growth of the audience measurement business, and how audience ratings information currently is created and packaged, concluding with a discussion of how media audiences take shape and the analytical techniques commonly used to study them. Key features of the second edition include: * An overview of the major types of audience research, * Current examples of the most common audience research reports, * A complete glossary of audience research terms, and * A listing of the major suppliers of syndicated audience research. Appropriate for advanced courses in audience research, media research, and programming, this second edition provides a thorough and up-to-date presentation of the ratings industry and the analysis process.