Arbitron Agrees to 2nd Philly PPM Trial

After meeting with a group of radio executives and the RAB, Arbitron has decided to expand its Portable People Market trial in the United States. The company plans to equip a new and separate panel of about 1,000 consumers in the Philadelphia Radio Metro Survey Area that will allow direct comparisons to the radio station audience estimates being produced by the existing panel of consumers in the current PPM market trial. 47 radio stations are encoding in the current Philly trial. When the parallel panel would begin has not been decided.
Radio executives have also been asking Arbitron for a PPM trial in a market with a high Hispanic population. The ratings firm agrees in principle with the request but says doing it depends on whether Arbitron and Nielsen Media Research form a joint venture to commercialize the PPM.
“Through our Radio Advisory Council and through the Radio Advertising Bureau, our customers have asked for expanded market trials to give the industry the information it needs to embrace the Portable People Meter as an improved means of measuring radio audiences,” said Steve Morris, president and chief executive officer, Arbitron Inc. “We are confident that any expansion of the trial would further demonstrate the validity of PPM, paving the way for industry-wide acceptance of our new audience measurement system. With that ultimate goal in mind, we intend to deploy this expansion of the trial while maintaining our overall financial plan for 2002.”
The company also reaffirmed its commitment to a thorough examination of radio listening, diary keeping behavior and PPM compliance during the morning drive time period and other radio dayparts.