Glossary
Ratings & Audience
Diary (Ratings Diary)
A paper or digital log in which ratings participants record what they listen to over a week.
The diary method asks a sample of listeners to write down the stations they hear across a week. It relies on recall and self-reporting, so branding and memorable content matter — a listener has to remember, and correctly name, the station.
Diaries are still used in smaller markets where PPM is not deployed. They reward clear, repeated station identification.