The series of booklets contain the results of surveys carried out in all cities and some country areas by private companies known as The Anderson  Analysis Pty Ltd, The McNair Survey Pty Ltd and, from 1974 when the companies combined; McNair, Anderson and Associates. Anderson reports form the majority in the series up to 1974.

The reports are private documents prepared for the use of subscribers. They are subscribed to by the Tribunal and its predecessor agencies in order to have available current survey data to assist the Tribunal in fulfilling certain functions, especially in ensuring the provision of adequate and comprehensive programmes, considering station broadcasting and transmitting hours and determining conditions subject to which advertisements may be broadcast or televised.

The reports contain analyses of surveys conducted on samples of households in the various locations at different times of the year. The surveys are designed to elicit, in particular, the number of radio and television sets in use, composition of audiences, viewing or listening patterns, levels of popularity of programmes (ratings), levels of exposure to commercial advertising and changes and trends in patterns of listening or viewing. The reports also include details of the particular survey, special factors operating in the sample period, e.g. breaks in power, seasonal and weather conditions, and influence of special features.

Reports on radio audiences and television audiences in different locations are usually contained in separate booklets, although the McNair reports for radio from 1945-56 included separate reports for major cities and country areas within the one booklet and between 1951 and 1959 Anderson reports combined reports of both radio and television audience surveys in all cities in the same booklet. Television audience reports for Sydney and Melbourne are produced at least eight times a year with between one and seven reports for other capital cities and major towns, with one survey of country areas conducted once a year. Radio audience reports are less frequent being produced between one to four times per year for various cities and major towns. Radio audience reports date from 1944 whilst those of television audiences date from 1957 following the opening of that medium in the last quarter of 1956.

The booklets are in various sizes, usually with ink-duplicated pages held between hard or plastic covers by either metal screws or  

Quantity in agency custody
c 3m held by CA , Australian Broadcasting Tribunal, Melbourne