Mark Neely has called time on 40 years in radio and radio audience measurement.
He had initially planned to retire on June 30 this year, but when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the research industry, he brought the date forward and retired as of 31st March.
Mark joined WIN Television in 1980 as Agency client service executive, working out of the North Sydney office, and joined AGB McNair Anderson in 1986, taking responsibility for servicing the radio station clients and the ad agencies a year later.
Mark told radioinfo, “In 1992 AGB was sold to the Management Team as a result of the collapse of the parent company following Robert Maxwell’s death. I was a member of that team who in 1994 sold the company to AC Nielsen. I continued to work for Nielsen’s till 2011 when I left the company and started my own Media research consultancy, resulting in my contract with GfK in 2012 which has lasted till my retirement.
“In total, I have spent 40 years working with the media and 34 years in Radio Audience Measurement which only just exceeds my father’s 30 years in the same role. In fact between my father and I, we have served the Radio Industry for a total of 61 years as my father started his career in Radio Audience Measurement with Anderson Analysis in 1959 after a number of years at Radio Station 2UE.
“During our time in Radio Audience Measurement my father and I have been associated with every contract tender since the first tender in 1972/73 and have been with the holding company on every occasion. I must thank two exceptional people for all their support in that time. Obviously my father, who inspired me to embrace audience research and Bill Faulkner who convinced me to leave Television and join the Media Research side.
“In the last eight years at GfK I have found a group of young executives who I believe will take Radio Audience Measurement to a new level. I am sure the Industry already recognises the wealth of talent that GfK possesses as they explore measurement improvement alongside Commercial Radio Australia.”
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