Infinity, ABC Extend Arbitron Pacts

Infinity Broadcasting Corp. and ABC Radio have extended their contracts with Arbitron for audience measurement data. The one-year extensions give the radio groups access to measurement data up to the release of the Spring 2003 survey. Both the groups and Arbitron are holding off on inking longer extensions until the ratings firm figures out if it will commercialize the Portable People Meter in the U.S., and if so, what the costs associated with that would be for stations.
“As we make progress in our market trial of the Portable People Meter and in our joint venture discussions with Nielsen Media Research, we will be better able to articulate the value proposition for the new ratings service, said Arbitron President/CEO Steve Morris. “This contract extension is specifically designed to provide the time we need to give our customers the information they have requested in our continuing discussions for the long-term renewals of their ratings contracts.”