Univision Sacks Radio Exec for PPM Fraud

Spanish-language broadcasting group Univision Communications has fired an executive at its KSCA-FM (101.9) station in Los Angeles for using a number of Nielsen's Portable People Meters (PPM) to inflate audience ratings.

In 2010, prior to Arbitron's $1.26bn sale to Nielsen, Univision signed multi-year contracts for the firm's PPM ratings services in twelve markets, served by 44 of its radio stations.

The unnamed KSCA exec managed to become a PPM panelist, and was given access to several PPMs which were set to KSCA. This made it seem as though the station had far more listeners than it actually did have, which in turn caused a surge in figures.

Univision Radio President Jose Valle confirmed: 'Nielsen recently reached out to inform us that a media-affiliated household had been identified in Los Angeles, and that it was connected to a Univision Radio employee from the KSCA station. We commenced an investigation and took immediate action by terminating the employee based on our findings.'

In a statement issued on Monday, Nielsen said it will be conducting an impact analysis extending back over the last year, and it will provide the market with this analysis. The firm also said that it will be taking a number of actions to minimize the risk of reoccurrence, and to ensure users of Los Angeles ratings data are 'adequately and prominently notified'.