"There is no great trick to doing research. The problem is to get people to use it - particularly when the research reveals that you have been making mistakes. We all have a tendency to use research as a drunkard uses a lamppost - for support, not for illumination." David Ogilvy

What American accent do you have? Find out - take the short quiz here. No surprise, it seems I have the neutral or "no accent" most often used by newscasters. Being a former broadcast journo this appears to be a reasonable reading.

Hearing in the US Senate today on the 700 MHz auction. More info and access to live webcast here.

MarketWatch scribe Jon Friedman interviews Charles Gibson...

"I'm not a great fan of the ratings," he said. "I'm stumped about how it reverberates," Gibson shrugged. "We're a country of list-makers." Then he contemplated how the despondent newspaper companies have it easier on one level, since the public is fixated on factoids such as television ratings and box-office tallies. "I wish we published newspaper circulations!" Gibson exclaimed.

Charlie is spot-on. Read the entire piece here. We are close to the day when we compare all measured media by reach. Radio's move to PPM is a smart move for a number of reasons but most importantly it reveals the strength of the medium - reach. Once we get a good grasp of reach we can move on to some measure of engagement.

Bonus: Outstanding use of video by Avril Lavigne. "When You're Gone." Thanks to programming ace Brian Kelly for the tip. If you can watch this and not be somewhat moved please do consult a mental health professional.