Contracts End Univision's PPM Boycott

Arbitron has announced that Spanish-language broadcasting group Univision Radio has signed multi-year contracts for its PPM (Portable People Meter) ratings services in twelve markets.

The announcement marks the apparent conclusion of a rapprochement between the two companies. Univision was an active critic of the PPM in 2008 and 2009, helping to found the Spanish Radio Council and joining the outspoken PPM coalition. In July of 2009 it announced it would not renew contracts for PPM ratings in San Diego, Miami and Phoenix, and would refuse to encode its signals for PPM in the three markets. Evidence of a partial thaw in relations came in the spring of this year when encoding resumed.

The twelve markets included in today's deal are New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, San Jose, Dallas, Miami, San Diego, Phoenix, Las Vegas, San Antonio and Austin - cities served by a total of 44 Univision Radio stations. Financial details were not disclosed.

Univision Radio is part of Univision Communications Inc., a prominent US Spanish-language media company whose operations also include TV giant Univision Network; TeleFutura Network; cable network Galavision; content producer Univision Studios; Univision Television Group; and Univision Interactive Media, which includes www.univision.com and mobile suite Univision Movil.

Ceril Shagrin, Univision's EVP of Audience Measurement Innovation and Analytics, said that based on Arbitron's actions to date and future commitment to improve the PPM, her firm 'concluded that we could begin subscribing to the PPM service again.' She adds: 'We remain committed to ensuring that the technology has access to the most reliable ratings data by working closely in partnership with Arbitron.'

Carol Hanley, Arbitron EVP, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, welcomes the 'renewed partnership' and says that 'Univision Radio's commitment to the PPM radio ratings service is one more vote of confidence in the value and utility of Arbitron's electronic ratings for radio.'

The PPM service is currently commercialized in 43 markets nationwide, and is scheduled to be commercialized in a total of 48 markets by December 31, 2010. Arbitron is online at www.arbitron.com .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.

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