Real-time audience estimation
Live audience estimates for every live spot.
What it is
The challenge
A live medium measured by outdated data
Traditional radio ratings face a challenging reality. As it becomes increasingly difficult to recruit survey panelists, shrinking sample sizes lead to high volatility. Buyers and broadcasters are left trying to plan campaigns based on weeks-old averages, making it nearly impossible to distinguish a "lucky panel" from true listener behavior.
Furthermore, static averages simply aren't fair to either side of the transaction:
- For Advertisers: You shouldn't have to pay full rate for a Monday morning commute on a statutory holiday when the audience is demonstrably lower.
- For Broadcasters: You shouldn't miss out on premium revenue during massive live audience spikes - like election coverage, major sports broadcasts, or a highly anticipated station contest - just because a static rating book says it's a "normal" Tuesday.
Resonate solves this by replacing delayed survey estimates with real-time digital measurement.
Solution
The solution
Streaming as a real-time proxy
While measuring traditional over-the-air broadcast audiences in real time is difficult, digital streaming can be measured with absolute precision. Today, streaming represents roughly 15% of total radio consumption. In the world of audience measurement, a live 15% sample size is exponentially larger - and more reliable - than any traditional survey panel ever created.
Resonate uses this massive stream of live digital data as a proxy to project the total broadcast audience at any given moment.
Listening patterns
A smarter algorithm
Beyond a flat multiplier
Estimating the audience isn't as simple as taking the streaming number and multiplying it by a flat ratio. Human behavior dictates that streaming and broadcast audiences peak at completely different times.
To account for this, Resonate utilizes a more sophisticated approach that analyzes historical correlations between these two distinct patterns. The algorithm applies a dynamic ratio for every single quarter-hour of the day. For instance, the multiplier is lower at mid-day when streaming is strongest, and higher during drive times to accurately reflect the surge in vehicular listening.
- The streaming pattern
- Digital listenership typically grows through the morning, peaks at mid-day while people are at their desks, and declines into the evening.
- The broadcast pattern
- Over-the-air listenership looks like a two-humped camel, peaking heavily during morning and afternoon drive times when people are in their vehicles.
Validate
Proven technology
Built on the Validate methodology
This real-time calculation isn't a theory - it is built on a battle-tested foundation. Resonate’s audience estimation is powered by the exact same methodology used in Validate, Pattison Media’s radio attribution platform.
While Validate uses historical streaming logs to provide post-campaign reporting, Resonate applies this exact same mathematical relationship in real time to value live inventory.
- Trusted
- The Validate methodology is actively used by over 250 radio stations across Canada and the U.S.
- 5+ years in market
- This algorithm has been refined and proven over half a decade.
- 10,000+ campaigns
- The methodology has successfully measured impressions and uncovered insights for some of North America's largest advertisers.
Other pillars
The rest of the platform.
Real-time bidding
Real-time ad insertion
Yield optimization
Professional broadcast controls
Traffic & playout integration
What this replaces
Trading live moments on outdated estimates.
The frustration of static rating books, volatile sample panels, and weeks-old data. It replaces the inherent unfairness of advertisers overpaying during low-tune-in holidays, and broadcasters leaving money on the table during massive, real-time audience spikes.