Guide to Using MediaMark Reporter
Need Assistance? Contact Laura Carscaddon, Business Librarian
NOTE: This guide is intended to be used simultaneously with the library resource MediaMark Reporter. It may be followed as a step-by-step guide or referred to in stages where needed. There is no Internet access on the computer on which MediaMark is loaded, so you may want to print out these instructions. There is also a copy of the guide kept with the MediaMark CD-ROM.
DESCRIPTION
MediaMark Reporter is a database on CD-ROM that provides unique and valuable information on consumer demographics, psychographics/lifestyles, product and brand usage, and media preferences. The University of Arizona Library has data that covers the years 1995-1998. The data is from a survey of a representative sample of U.S. consumers. Information about the survey methodology is available at http://www.mediamark.com/mri/techguide/tg_methodology.htm.
ACCESS
This resource is only available for use in the Information Commons of the Main Library. It is not accessible from outside the library, and the CD-ROM may not be taken out of the library. Ask for the MediaMark CD at the Reference Desk and ask to be logged onto the computer station for MediaMark.
LOADING A STUDY
At the opening screen, you will see an alphabetical list of studies, such as Apparel, Appliances, etc. To view only the most recent studies, select the drop-down menus to show only Spring 1998.
If the study you want is not shown, you will need to load a new study. Click on the Add/Change/Delete button. The Load/Change a study window will appear. Click on Load.
You will get a list of additional studies available to load.
Double-click on the study you want. You will know the study has been selected because a small dot will appear to the left of the study name.
Click OK. You will be taken back to the Load/Change a study window. Here, just click cancel.
VIEWING A STUDY
Select the study you want to view by clicking on the name of the study, then clicking on the Pick this study button. In this example, we will look at the Recreation study from Spring 1998.
There are several subcategories under each study. For example, under Recreation, there are studies for Leisure: Books, Leisure: Casino Gambling, Leisure: Camping Equipment, etc. To choose a category, double-click on the name of the study. In this example, we will look at Leisure: Books, Bought in the Last 12 Months.
The next screen that appears allows you to select different categories within the consumers who bought books in the past year. For example, you may view data about all adults who bought books; those who are considered heavy, medium, or light users based on how many books were bought in the past year; and what type of books were bought (fiction, nonfiction, etc.) In this example, we will view data for all adults who bought books in the past year by clicking on that selection, then clicking OK.
Here is part of the table of data for adults who bought books in the last 12 months:
INTERPRETING THE DATA
There is a great deal of data available for each study in the MediaMark database:
Demographic characteristics of consumers, including but not limited to:
- Gender
- Race
- Age group
- Education level
- Geographic region
- Marital status
- Household size
Media Preferences of consumers of consumers, including but not limited to:
-
Magazines and newspapers read (part of table shown below)
-
Television shows watched
The data is presented in five columns: Total, Projected, Percent Down, Percent Across, and Index.
The first row, "Total", shows the occurrence of purchases in the total U.S. adult population. In this example, of the 195,192,000 adults in the U.S. at the time of this study, it is projected that 101, 558,000 or 52% bought books in the last 12 months.
The Total '000 column shows the total U.S. adult population (age 18+) in thousands and the population for each of the demographic segments. For example, the total U.S. adult population at the time of this study was 195,192,000 (remember to add the three zeros at the end of the number in the column, as indicated in the column header.) The total U.S. population of adult men was 93,553,000; the total U.S. population of adults who has graduated from college was 42,453,000; and so on.
The Proj. '000 column shows the survey estimate in thousands for each category in the table, corresponding to each row. For example, based on the survey, a projected number of 27,445,000 adults who have graduated from college bought books in the last 12 months.
The Percent Down column is the percent corresponding to the total number in the Proj. '000 column. This percentage does not represent a percentage of the total population, but rather the percentage who met the criterion of the table (such as bought books, or ate cereal, or purchased a car, etc.) For example, the 27% listed in the Percent Down column for the row labeled Graduated College shows that 27% of the adults who bought books in the last 12 months are college graduates. The number of adults who have graduated from college (27,445,000) is 27% of the total number of adults who bought books (101,588,000). Another way to look at the Percent Down column is to ask "Of all adults who bought books in the last 12 months, what percentage have graduated from college?"
The Percent Across column shows the percentage of adults who have a certain characteristic as defined by a row heading. For example, 64.6% of adults who have graduated from college bought books in the last 12 months. Another way to look at the Percent Across column is to ask "Of all U.S. adults who have graduated from college, how many bought books in the last 12 months?"
The Index column compares the particular demographic or market segment to the total population. In this example, 64.6% of those who have graduated from college bought books in the past year compared to all adults who bought books (52%). The index number represents the relationship between a particular demographic group (college graduates) and the total population group (all adults). So 64.6/52 = 124. The base index for the general population is 100, so adults who have graduated from college are 24% more likely to have bought books in the last 12 months than the general population.
Another example would be to look at a lower index number. The index number for men is 83. 100 is the index for the general population, so men are 17% less likely to have bought books in the last 12 months than the general population (100-83).
CHANGING THE DATA SHOWN IN A TABLE
You may change what data is shown in a table by clicking on the Table format button.
A window will appear that lists the available data points. The default is for all data to be shown, as indicated by a small dot next to the data field.
To deselect data fields, double-click on the name of the data point. For example, if you do not want to show data about whether the consumers of books were Household Heads or Homemakers, double-click on each of those data fields, then click OK. Then a new table will appear showing only the data you wish to view.
You may also sort the data table by the various columns - Projected, Percent Down, Percent Across, and Index.
Sorting by Index can be very useful to find out what demographic characteristics or media preferences are more likely associated with the consumer activity (e.g., buying books). In this example, sorted by index, the highest index number is 150 for the magazine Southern Accents. People who read Southern Accents are 50% more likely than the general population to have bought books in the past year.
Sorting by Index will also allow you to see what demographic characteristics or media preferences are less likely associated with the consumer activity (e.g., buying books). In this example, the lowest index number is 67 for the magazine Four Wheeler. People who read Four Wheeler are 33% less likely than the general population to have bought books in the past year.
CREATING TARGET REPORTS
Another option in MediaMark is to create target reports. Target reports allow you to select a product/activity (e.g., buying books), and focus on it in relation to one media type or demographic characteristic. If you are currently viewing a table of data (like the table above), click on OK to get back to the MediaMark Table of Contents for the study you previously selected (Recreation). If you want to create a target report for a new study, choose change study. Otherwise, click on the category for which you want to create a report, then click on the Target Report button.
Here you may choose one media type or demographic characteristic. In this example, the magazine Business Week has been selected. Now click on OK.
A target report has been created for Business Week in relation to Books Bought in the Last 12 Months; the target report gives you details related to buying books and readers of Business Week. For example, based on the index number of 144 for non-fiction books, people who read Business Week and bought books in the past year buy more non-fiction books than books with lower index numbers, such as mysteries or cookbooks. This information may help you focus in on a particular consumer group's buying habits and media preferences.
Back on the Targeting Report screen, you may also create a target report based on a demographic characteristic. In this example, the category of Men has been selected. Click on OK to view the target report.
The following table shows the media preferences and buying habits of men who bought books in the last 12 months. Again, looking at the index numbers shows you that men who bought books in the past year were much more likely to buy history and science fiction books than mysteries, novels or cookbooks.
SAVING DATA
You may save the tables of data and target reports as worksheet files by clicking on the Worksheet button.
A window for Create a Worksheet file will appear; select the type of file you want to create and click Create Worksheet.
In the Save As window, name your file and choose the a: drive to save it to a disk.
LOGGING OFF MEDIAMARK
When you are finished using the MediaMark CD-ROM, click on Exit to close the program, log off the computer, and return the CD to the Reference Desk.
ASSISTANCE USING MEDIAMARK
For immediate assistance with using the MediaMark Reporter CD-ROM, ask for help at the Information Commons Reference Desk.
OTHER MEDIAMARK GUIDES ONLINE
Using MRI - Mediamark Reporter
from Pace University Library. One of the first online Mediamark guides I found, and a useful guide for creating this page.
Mediamark Reporter Tutorial
from Foster Business Library at the University of Washington
How to Search Mediamark Reporter Research Guide
from the University Libraries at the University of Northern Colorado
Using MRI - Mediamark Reporter
from the library at University of Minnesota, Duluth.
Guide created by Mary Feeney, Librarian, University of Arizona Library