Arbitron Loses RADAR and Nationwide MRC Accreditation

In the US, the Media Rating Council (MRC) has withdrawn its accreditation for Arbitron's RADAR and Nationwide network and national radio audience services, because they incorporate data from PPM markets that are not accredited by the MRC.

The MRC was established in the 1960s to improve the quality of audience rating services, and to provide a better understanding of the applications (and limitations) of rating information.

Arbitron's PPM (Portable People Meter) is an electronic measurement system designed to automatically detect radio signals wherever a listener may be - in the car, at home, or at work.

While the PPM accreditation process is ongoing, just three of the 43 markets where the PPM service is currently commercialized - Houston-Galveston, Riverside-San Bernardino, and Minneapolis-St. Paul - have been accredited by the MRC. Last year, the firm failed to gain accreditation for its PPM service in the New York Metro area.

The withdrawal of accreditation is effective with RADAR 107, which is scheduled to release on December 13, and with the Fall 2010 Nationwide report, which is scheduled to release in early March 2011.

Arbitron says it intends to continue to use 'commercially reasonable efforts' to pursue MRC accreditation of its PPM ratings service in each market where it has commercialized, or is currently scheduled to commercialize, to regain MRC accreditation of the two services.

The firm adds that it is continuing to comply with the minimum requirements of the MRC Voluntary Code of Conduct.

Web sites: www.mediaratingcouncil.org and 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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