Arbitron detailed how it plans to increase target sample sizes for Portable People Meter markets. Broadcasters and advertisers have both requested the increases.
The audience research firm hopes to increase its 18–54 PPM sample targets by 10 percent mid-year 2011, with an 8 percent increase in place by year-end 2010.
Arbitron President/CEO Michael Skarzynski said the company has made “significant advancements” in sample quality improvement over the past nine months, like placing increasing the size of its cell-phone-only sample on the front burner. The new plan to increase 18–54 sample targets complements Arbitron’s commitment to increasing the number of cell-phone-only households in all PPM markets, he said.
Arbitron plans to maintain a minimum sample target of at least 750 panel participants aged 6 and older by mid-year 2011 in substantially all PPM markets.
The company also plans to increase the minimum sample target for Memphis and Providence to 675 by year-end 2011. The company said clients in these two markets “did not elect to take advantage of a previously offered sample increase proposal.” Both markets will have options to increase minimum sample targets further.
