GMG Radio launches new research unit

GMG Radio is expanding its research and insight services by launching MediaLab.

The new department will provide data and analysis for the group’s commercial teams, overseen by Group Head of Commercial Strategy Richard Jacobs.

MediaLab has recruited Consumer and Market Analysts to work under the direction of Group Research Manager Jez Simms on a range of new lifestyle and purchasing habit research projects, some of which began last year in preparation for this summer’s expansion.

Jacobs said: “We talk to consumers every hour of the day and they talk back to us in text, email and on sites like Twitter. We are incredibly lucky because we have brands that consumers actively want to talk to and this can provide an incredibly rich data set. MediaLab has a clear remit to provide usable information for our own radio and digital sales teams, but the ultimate aim is to provide an insight resource that takes a balanced look at the media marketplace and could provide a revenue generating resource for agencies, clients or indeed, other media owners.”