Court Order: SBS Must Encode Arbitron PPM

Feb 12, 2010 9:53 AM

Columbia, MD – Feb 11, 2010 – The Supreme Court of the State of New York for the County of New York has issued a temporary restraining order requiring Spanish Broadcasting System (SBS) to resume encoding its broadcasting signals for the Arbitron Portable People Meter (PPM) radio ratings service until Feb. 16, 2010. The order applies to nine SBS radio stations in five cities. Arbitron also indicated that it suspended delivery of PPM data to SBS in December 2009.

Arbitron sought the temporary restraining order after learning on Feb. 4, 2010, that SBS had ceased encoding its broadcast signals for the PPM service in any of its radio properties in cities where Arbitron has commercialized the PPM ratings service. The court will convene a hearing on Feb. 16, 2010, to determine whether to continue to compel SBS to encode pursuant to its agreement with Arbitron.

“SBS has existing contracts with Arbitron for both the PPM service and to encode its broadcast signals that remain in effect,” stated Timothy T. Smith, Arbitron chief legal officer. “We expect SBS to honor the terms of its agreements.”

Arbitron has had difficulties with Spanish broadcasters and the PPM. Arbitron has yet to resolve an ongoing issues with Univision Communications after that broadcaster terminated its subscription the PPM service in all PPM markets except Houston and refused to encode its stations in the newer PPM markets.

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