Houston: We No Longer Have a Problem

Arbitron has won Media Rating Council® (MRC) accreditation for its Portable People Meter™ radio ratings data in Houston, after a tough two-year process which has seen deadlines pushed back and plans changed for the audience measurement firm.

The Houston launch was originally scheduled as the first of the 50 major markets to be covered, beginning in July 2006. However, despite praising Arbitron's 'excellent cooperation' in the process the MRC was not prepared to pass the service at the time, forcing the ratings company to continue the paper diary system for another 6 months plus (www.mrweb.com/drno/news5611.htm ).

Arbitron President and CEO Steve Morris said the accreditation was 'a major accomplishment – two years in the making – for the industry and for Arbitron'. Owen Charlebois, the firm's President, Operations, Technology and Research & Development, comments: 'Users of the new PPM radio ratings currency in Houston – monthly data based on average quarter hour radio ratings–can have confidence that the radio methodology, sampling systems and survey processes that are the foundation of the PPM service have been independently and thoroughly audited and have met the standards of the MRC. We are grateful for the hard work of the MRC staff, their auditors and the members of the MRC committees who worked tirelessly to help us complete the rigorous accreditation process.'

The MRC's Minimum Standards for Media Rating Research include requirements for ethics and operations, for disclosure and for electronic delivery tools. Executive Director, George Ivie, says his organisation 'appreciates the extensive commitment Arbitron made to the accreditation process for the Houston PPM service... We broke a lot of new ground over the last two years.' He acknowledges that 'supporting this large audit internally and externally has been a challenge for Arbitron.'

Arbitron says it will now meet with its customers to determine the most appropriate schedule for commercialising the service in the city. It is currently conducting a Winter 2007 survey in Houston using its standard diary methodology – it intends to complete this and deliver 'a full suite of ratings reports' for the Winter 2007 survey in April. The firm is still pursuing accreditation for its broadcast and cable television data in the city, which use the same PPM technology but awaits receipt of a licence for use of MRC-approved language universe estimates for sample balancing.

Arbitron says it will be releasing a new PPM ratings delivery tool in 2007, which is currently being audited by the MRC and would be its 16th MRC-accredited service.

Arbitron has approximately 1,800 employees. Its executive offices are located in New York City and its research and technology organisation is located in Columbia, Maryland. Its home page is 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.

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