Majority of PPM Markets Now MRC Accredited

Arbitron has announced MRC accreditation for its PPM ratings in another eight markets, along with continued accreditation in eighteen markets previously approved.

The announcement brings the total number of markets with the MRC double checkmark logo to twenty-six of the 48 covered by the device, including twenty-one of the top 25 PPM markets.

The award covers average-quarter-hour monthly ratings data for Cleveland, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Denver-Boulder, Detroit, Miami-Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood, Pittsburgh, Portland OR, and Nassau/Suffolk (Long Island).

The twenty-two remaining PPM markets were not considered ready for accreditation.

George Ivie, Executive Director of MRC, which celebrates its fiftieth birthday next year and currently has c.85 research products audited, congratulated Arbitron on its 'continued improvements' and said it had 'clearly made progress... particularly in most of the larger PPM markets.

For Arbitron, EVP, Service Innovation and Chief Research Officer Gregg Lindner said MRC accreditation for PPM markets was 'a company-wide priority at Arbitron', with ongoing efforts to improve Sample Performance Indicators and other quality metrics' in PPM services. However he stressed: 'Continuous improvement remains our watchword, for PPM and for all our ratings and software offerings and we are focused on earning accreditation for the balance of our PPM markets.'

Accreditation is certainly a long and winding road for the PPM - in March 2011 Arbitron happily announced the addition of the first big tranche of markets, taking the total from three to fourteen, but the following January saw some accreditations withdrawn and a year ago there were still only fourteen with the MRC's seal of approval. Today's additions take the company beyond the halfway mark for the first time.

Web sites: www.arbitron.com and www.mediaratingcouncil.org .