Arbitron Expands Portable People Meter Market Trial

Arbitron Inc has this week announced that it will expand its Portable People Market trial in the United States.

The company plans to equip a new and separate panel of approximately 1000 consumers in the Philadelphia Radio Metro Survey Area that will allow direct comparisons to the radio station audience estimates being produced by the existing panel of consumers in the current PPM market trial.

Arbitron also announced that it agrees in principle with the radio industry's request for a second Portable People Meter market trial in one of the Top 25 Hispanic markets. The company noted that fielding this second PPM trial market would be contingent on the formation of the proposed joint venture with Nielsen Media Research.

The company also reaffirmed its commitment to a thorough examination of radio listening, diary keeping behaviour and PPM compliance during the morning drive time period and other radio dayparts.

'Through our Radio Advisory Council and through the Radio Advertising Bureau, our customers have asked for expanded market trials to give the industry the information it needs to embrace the Portable People Meter as an improved means of measuring radio audiences,' said Steve Morris, president and chief executive officer, Arbitron Inc.

'Arbitron welcomes the involvement of our radio customers in the PPM development process,' continued Mr. Morris. 'We are confident that any expansion of the trial would further demonstrate the validity of PPM, paving the way for industry-wide acceptance of our new audience measurement system. With that ultimate goal in mind, we intend to deploy this expansion of the trial while maintaining our overall financial plan for 2002.'

The company noted that the timing and additional specifications for the parallel Philadelphia PPM panel will be decided over the next few weeks.

Nielsen Media Research is providing financial support as well as its television survey research expertise in the U.S. market trial of the Portable People Meter. Nielsen also has an option to join Arbitron in the commercial deployment of the Arbitron Portable People Meter in the United States.

All articles 2006-22 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas unless otherwise stated.

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