C. E. Hooper
Encyclopedia
The C. E. Hooper Company was an American company which measured radio
and television
ratings during the "Golden Age" of radio. Founded in 1935, the company provided information on the most popular radio shows of the era. This information was valuable to the radio networks NBC
, CBS
, ABC
and Mutual Broadcasting System
, as it would allow them to charge advertisers more for a popular series than a less popular series.
Claude E. Hooper became well known for his radio audience measurement systems, Hooper Ratings. Claude E. Hooper worked within the market research organization of Daniel Starch
until 1934. He ventured off with a fellow colleague, Montgomery Clark, to start their own research company that first came to be known as Clark-Hooper. By the fall of 1935, Clark-Hooper had already launched syndicated radio measurement services in 16 cities, which they credit this success partially to Dr. George Gallup
(see Gallup Poll). Hooper ratings were acknowledged by President Roosevelt as the major rating system within industry standards, which allowed them to participate in radio audience measurements for the President’s radio addresses. Clark-Hooper later became the Claude E. Hooper Company after the duo split in 1938. Although Montgomery Clark took the rights to the company’s print research business, Hooper prospered by forming his own radio audience measurement company (C.E. Hooper Company).
Starting in 1948, as the radio networks began venturing into television, Hooper began measuring TV ratings as well. In February 1950, though, the company was bought by competitor A.C. Nielsen
. The company is barely remembered today, but during the late 1940s "How's your Hooper?", a reference to how large a series' audience was, was a familiar catchphrase.
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
ratings during the "Golden Age" of radio. Founded in 1935, the company provided information on the most popular radio shows of the era. This information was valuable to the radio networks NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
, CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
, ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
and Mutual Broadcasting System
Mutual Broadcasting System
The Mutual Broadcasting System was an American radio network, in operation from 1934 to 1999. In the golden age of U.S. radio drama, MBS was best known as the original network home of The Lone Ranger and The Adventures of Superman and as the long-time radio residence of The Shadow...
, as it would allow them to charge advertisers more for a popular series than a less popular series.
Claude E. Hooper became well known for his radio audience measurement systems, Hooper Ratings. Claude E. Hooper worked within the market research organization of Daniel Starch
Daniel Starch
Daniel Starch was an American psychologist and marketing researcher. He is considered to be have been one of the pioneers of marketing and consumer research in the early 20th century.-Life:...
until 1934. He ventured off with a fellow colleague, Montgomery Clark, to start their own research company that first came to be known as Clark-Hooper. By the fall of 1935, Clark-Hooper had already launched syndicated radio measurement services in 16 cities, which they credit this success partially to Dr. George Gallup
George Gallup
George Horace Gallup was an American pioneer of survey sampling techniques and inventor of the Gallup poll, a successful statistical method of survey sampling for measuring public opinion.-Biography:...
(see Gallup Poll). Hooper ratings were acknowledged by President Roosevelt as the major rating system within industry standards, which allowed them to participate in radio audience measurements for the President’s radio addresses. Clark-Hooper later became the Claude E. Hooper Company after the duo split in 1938. Although Montgomery Clark took the rights to the company’s print research business, Hooper prospered by forming his own radio audience measurement company (C.E. Hooper Company).
Starting in 1948, as the radio networks began venturing into television, Hooper began measuring TV ratings as well. In February 1950, though, the company was bought by competitor A.C. Nielsen
ACNielsen
ACNielsen is a global marketing research firm, with worldwide headquarters in New York City. Regional headquarters for North America are located in Schaumburg, Illinois. As of May 2010, it is part of The Nielsen Company.-History:...
. The company is barely remembered today, but during the late 1940s "How's your Hooper?", a reference to how large a series' audience was, was a familiar catchphrase.