Minority Broadcasters Seek FCC Review of 'Still Flawed' PPM

In the US, the Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies (AHAA) has joined with a group of minority radio broadcasters known as the PPM Coalition to ask the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to investigate Arbitron's Portable People Meter (PPM) methodology.

A statement on the AHAA's web site says that overall AHAA council members feel the methodology, measurement, and design of the PPM ratings system remain flawed. Yesterday, the two organizations filed an emergency petition with the FCC to urge it to probe the accuracy of the PPM.

In response, Arbitron says that the PPM is more accurate than the diary and that the petitioning groups have failed to recognize improvements in the quality of its minority samples.

The AHAA and PPM Coalition's decision to approach the FCC follows months of meetings between Arbitron and minority broadcasters who believe the PPM service under-represents certain minority groups. In addition, last week, the Spanish Radio Association expressed its disappointment with the methodology. Last year, the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters pointed to 'significant flaws' with PPM.

The AHAA believes that Latinos in the US are not appropriately represented in the PPM sample, which they say is yielding 'faulty and inadequate' results for the marketplace.

Isabella Sánchez, AHAA PPM Council Chairwoman acknowledges that the transition from diary to electronic audience measurement is the right thing to do, but adds: 'Preliminary data shows enormous declines in Hispanic station audience size, rankings and time spent listening. No matter how precise the tool, if the mechanics behind the tool are not sound, it will not accurately reflect the Latino audience.'

AHAA council members say the in-tab - the number of people actually being counted on a given day - needs to be much higher than the 60% target Arbitron is using as its benchmark, if it is to be considered an accurate representation of the audience.

'Our PPM samples are designed to effectively represent the diversity of the African-American and Spanish-language radio marketplace and of all the markets we measure,' Arbitron said in a statement. 'We do not believe that the FCC has jurisdiction over the company or its operations and assets and consequently lacks the authority to commence an investigation.'

However, Arbitron re-iterated its committed to continue attending voluntary meetings with the FCC.

Web sites: www.ahaa.org and 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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