Arbitron Veteran Bob Michaels Dies

Former Arbitron researcher Bob Michaels has died, reportedly from a heart attack while vacationing in Key West, Florida. As the measurement giant's first ever ambassador to radio programmers, he was known for a unique combination of software skills and understanding of the ratings themselves.

Michaels most recently worked at Clear Channel Radio as EVP of Research, responsible for supervising projects and personnel across all terrestrial and digital platforms; but previously spent seventeen years at radio ratings giant Arbitron in roles including VP of PPM Programming Services for Radio and Television. In between these two, he ran his own research firm, Bob Michaels' MediaSense.

He earned a degree from Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, PA and an MBA from York College of Pennsylvania, then began his 30-year career in the radio and television industry with various roles in local radio stations, plus TV sales experience at WGAL-TV. At Arbitron, he led 34 day-long PD Seminars aimed exclusively at radio programmers, was Executive Editor of 'PD News', co-created the PD Advantage service, and oversaw the redevelopment of the Arbitron Programmer's Package. He is also credited with the development of Maximizer's Programmer's Package, the first software designed expressly for the PD

According to a statement released by his family, Michaels began his pioneering research work while at WQXA(FM) in York during the early '80s: 'Bob converted a tiny abandoned station studio into an informal one-stop research agency where sales people, programmers and clients would gather to better understand what ratings actually meant.'

Pierre Bouvard, who recruited him into Arbitron, had repped with him in Pennsylvania and said: 'I was always amazed with how he understood our data better than most of us. When we had an opening in Dallas, he was my first call.' Latterly, Michaels was heavily involved with the introduction of the PPM, working with programmers to help them understand its merits.

A keen scuba diver and owner of a dive quarry, Michaels also collected model trains and his display of these outside his house in Carrollton, Texas each Christmas attracted 'tens-of-thousands of onlookers' who were asked to contribute cans of food for the local food bank - huge truckloads of which were dispatched every week.

He is survived by his wife of 22 years, Cindy.

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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