Denis Fodor ([log in to unmask]) wrote:

>William Hong <[log in to unmask]>writes:
>
>>Fine, except that if this variant of "focus group engineering" does for
>>public radio (and for whatever classical music that survives) what it does
>>for automobile styling, then I'm not too encouraged either.
>
>Solution: have Alberto Vilar, or Dave Lampson, select the focus groups
>from conservatories, symphonic orchestras, music departments at
>universities, music teachers' associations....
>
>Denis Fodor
>
>[One does have to constantly wonder where they get their information...
>-Dave]

If Dave will allow this apparently off topic comment.  I have tangentially
encountered focus groups - they set some up a few years ago at the paper
I write for to help redesign the entertainment section.  They carefully
screened out anyone who had a particular interest in the arts...

Just the other night the wonderfully satirical CBC tv show Made in Canada
also had a scene in which focus groups were being dicussed with the CEO of
a tv production company.  "We'll be selectiong them in malls" "Our kind of
people!" "They'll be the kind of people who would willing watch tv all day
for $5, that should screen out anyone with anything better to do..."

The selection apparently once screwed up and they chose a man with a BA,
but "We soon got rid of him".

Why don't I find this farfetched?

deryk barker
([log in to unmask], http://www.camosun.bc.ca/~dbarker)

 [I somehow doubt that focus groups like this - which I believe are common
 for come types of marketing research - to even exist.  I get the feeling
 that the A&R guys at the majors just believe they know what we want, or
 should want.  Somehow, that's even scarier.  And based on the releases
 we've seen out of the majors in the past five years, I'd say the fear
 was well-founded.  -Dave]