PPM Debate Turns to Auditor's Comments

In the US, Edolphus Towns' investigation into Arbitron's PPM claims Media Ratings Council (MRC) documents flag up 'persistent problems' with the technology. Arbitron says his Committee has reached 'erroneous conclusions' which it looks forward to clarifying.

Towns, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, launched an investigation into Arbitron in June, after receiving complaints from broadcasters that the PPM (Portable People Meter) under-represents minority groups.

Towns served a subpoena to the MRC for documents detailing its oversight of Arbitron's use of the PPM, after Arbitron forbade the MRC from releasing documents related to his committee's investigation. Shortly after this, Arbitron provided the committee with documents Towns described as 'insufficient' and either publicly available or biased toward the company.

Arbitron's counting of ethnic minorities is already under the microscopes of a large number of critics and investigators, recently joined by the Federal Communications Commission. Past and ongoing complaints and law suits include those of the Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum, The Spanish Radio Association and the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters, New Jersey Attorney General Anne Milgram, and New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, among others.

According to the House Oversight Committee, the MRC confirmed that Arbitron consistently undercounts minority populations across the US. For example, in New York City, Arbitron undercounted Hispanic and African American populations by 7%, it said. The Committee also said the council had described Arbitron's sample sizes as 'unacceptably low' to accurately measure minority audiences' listening habits.

In a statement issued today, Arbitron responded to this latest claim by saying that in the last four months, it has been 'open and forthcoming' with Towns and the Oversight Committee staff, by supplying detailed information answering questions and providing recommendations to 'address the challenges faced by minority broadcasters'.

'We respect and support Chairman Towns' commitment to the health of minority broadcasters and look forward to a fact-based dialogue as we clarify some of the erroneous conclusions reached in this current analysis,' Arbitron concluded.

Web site: www.arbitron.com .