Can radio stations tell when you quit listening or change stations?

Question

Let's say your listening to your favorite station and a group comes on that you can't stand so you tune out or change stations. Can they tell?

Answer 1

id like to know too! I dont understand the first answer ya got :O)

Answer 2

NO. Even after the ratings come out it can't be nailed down as to when a listener tunes out. Though eventually (if you are partcipating in the survey) they will know within a few minutes.

BTW - though still used in most markets, within a few years the Portable People Meter will replace diaries.This is a pager-like device that "listens" to what you listen to.

This will give more specific info.

-a guy named duh

Answer 3

I don't believe they can since the rating system for radio stations are done by hand with a journal

Answer 4

No, they can't.  

The radio waves are there in the ether whether you pluck them out or not.

Answer 5

They can't tell if you quit listening to analogue or digital radio, but they can tell if you're listening to internet radio.

Answer 6

As others said, unless you are blaring it when one of the employees are passing by you, or as Duh said, have a Personal People meter that is being used for ratings, the stations have no idea who is tuned in or not if listening by radio (as diaries are the only way radio stations know who is listening and most of those are falsified anyway)

If listening by online, they will see your ip go off that they were streaming to if they are streaming the station themselves

Answer 7

No, radio stations can't tell.

The only way they know how many people listen to them is by polls or surveys.

Wouldn't it creep you out if they knew what you were listening to?

Answer 8

No, they can't tell if you tuned out just because they were playing something you did not like.

The way radio stations find out what people are actually listening to is the "diary" system.  This is when they take a selection of radio listeners from each individual market and give them a diary to write down exactly what they are tuning into, and which station they listen too.  They can also tell exactly how long that person stays tuned to that station.

I hope that answered your question.  If you have any other questions you can feel free to email me.

jam