Arbitron Spreads PPM Net as MRC Deadline Looms

Ratings giant Arbitron has commercialized its Portable People Meter (PPM) radio ratings service in five new local markets, as the deadline approaches for the firm to obtain Media Rating Council (MRC) accreditation for its service in New York.

If Arbitron fails to receive MRC accreditation this Thursday, it could face renewed action from the New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo.

In September 2008, Cuomo began an investigation into the accuracy of Arbitron's PPM following concerns that the ratings misrepresented minority listenership. The lawsuit was settled in January, when Arbitron pledged to undertake a number of actions to increase samples sizes for ethnicity minority groups.

However, at the time, Cuomo reserved the right to reinstate the civil action if the firm had not obtained MRC accreditation by October 15 2009. So far, Arbitron has only received MRC accreditation for two markets: Houston and Riverside-San Bernardino, California.

Ahead of the MRC decision, Arbitron has now released radio audience estimates for the September 2009 PPM survey month to its subscribers in the five markets of Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, St. Louis, Denver-Boulder, Baltimore and Pittsburgh.

It claims that PPM audience estimates are now the buy/sell 'currency' in 25 local markets, which account for more than 50% of the estimated radio station revenue in all Arbitron-rated markets.

At the end of the year, Arbitron plans to commercialize the PPM radio ratings service in another eight markets: Portland, Oregon; Sacramento; Cincinnati; Cleveland; Salt Lake City-Ogden-Provo; San Antonio; Kansas City; and Las Vegas.

Web site: www.arbitron.com .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.

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