Arbitron representatives recently met with Interim FCC Chairman Michael Copps to discuss the company’s efforts to improve its Portable People Meter sample.
The meeting concerned a pending request from minority groups that the commission review the PPM and possibly halt the roll-out until grievances are satisfied. Their concern is that PPM undercounts minorities.
According to an ex parte filing dated March 9 from attorney Paul Hastings of Hastings, Janofsky and Walker, he and new Arbitron President/CEO Michal Skarzynski, EVP/Chief Legal Officer Timothy Smith and Senior Attorney Michelle Levister met with Copps and his senior staff.
In response to a question from Copps, Skarzynski pledged that Arbitron will continue to seek PPM accreditation from the Media Rating Council where the service is used now and where it will be commercialized in the future, as well as work with broadcasters and their advertisers to improve PPM service and keep Copps abreast of those developments, according to the document.
Granting the petition, Arbitron said, would likely retard progress in PPM because staff would have to divert resources, time and energy to litigation-related tasks.
Earlier in the week Arbitron announced its moving its corporate headquarters to its Columbia, Md. complex. The former New York space will be retained as a sales office.
