Daily Research News Online no. 5971 - Arbitron Defers Satellite Radio Measurement

Arbitron Defers Satellite Radio Measurement

September 26 2006

Arbitron has further postponed its reporting of individual satellite radio channels and HD radio, pending more work to develop standards. It has also announced the inclusion of public and non-commercial radio stations in its local market ratings reports, beginning with the Fall 2006 release.

The company had already revised its launch deadline for reporting of satellite channels, and now says it will not set a firm date but hopes to include the channels at some point in 2007. Problems include how to handle diary entries that could be assigned to either satellite or over-the-air stations: 'As an example', says Brad Feldhaus, the firm's VP Product Management and Client Services, 'we want to test the rules necessary to assign entries such as NFL football, or MLB baseball since these programs are broadcast on both over-the-air radio and satellite.'

Diaries will also include further reminders for diary keepers to record their listening to Internet and satellite radio, while the term 'listening' is redefined as follows:

'any time you can hear a radio station � whether you choose the station or not. You may be listening to a radio on AM, FM, Internet or satellite. Be sure to include all your listening.'

Feldhaus says the improved instructions should result in a rise in the volume of satellite entries and an improvement in the quality of entries � results will be reviewed for further refinements.

Public and non-commercial radio stations are currently reported in Arbitron's Maximi$er� and Media ProfessionalSM respondent level data services and in the special public radio service marketed by the Radio Research Consortium (RRC). Non-commercial stations are also currently reported in Arbitron's national radio ratings services such as Nationwide and the National/Regional Database (NRD). They will now be included in the electronic local market reports (eBook), in the data sets used in buy/sell software applications such as Tapscan, Smart Plus and third party software applications, provided they meet the same minimum reporting standards as commercial radio stations, for both the standard Arbitron radio listening diary and the PPM.

Starting with the winter 2007 survey, Arbitron will begin collecting HD radio facilities information as part of the station information collection process. It will continue to review diaries for early indications of how consumers identify and report HD Radio. In PPM markets in 2007, encoded HD radio stations will be reported in the PPM Analysis Tool.

Arbitron has approximately 1,800 employees, with executive offices in NYC and a web site 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.