Arbitron Upgrades Diary Processing Center

In the US, audience measurement firm Arbitron has upgraded its diary processing center by opening a new facility which combines several processes under one roof. The new building, new layout and new equipment were all designed by Arbitron staff.

The firm says that in a typical survey, its diary team assembles 60 different configurations for diary packages. These are tailored to individual respondent requirements including different treatments based on age, gender and race/ethnicity. In 2007, the diary processing team assembled more than one million diary packages.

'Arbitron has a commitment to continued improvement of the diary service,' said Mike Haggerty, VP of Processing and Fulfillment. 'This new home for diary processing was designed by our experts, the team that works with the diary packages every day and understands the fulfillment process.'

The firm has also improved 'Lucy', the machine it launched in 2000 to automatically assemble diary boxes in place of the previous system of sending respondents diaries in envelopes. The system was named after an episode of the 1950s TV show 'I Love Lucy', in which the main character worked on a factory assembly line.

Lucy has been upgraded with additional features to enable Arbitron to send 100% of its diary packages - in 60 different package configurations - to prospective respondents in boxes rather than envelopes. According to the firm, this achieves a higher return rate. The system also now ensures weight and postage for each box is accurate.

In addition, the new facility includes a high-tech inserter machine, which the firm says improves package assembly and efficiency by more than 100%, and a new 'state-of-the-art' printer, which allows the diary processing team to send additional communications to respondents.

The Arbitron Radio Diary was launched more than 40 years ago, and now tracks audiences for more than 13,000 stations broadcasting in the US, Canada and Mexico. The firm recently offered a 'second chance' diary to respondents who have agreed to participate in a survey, but failed to return their diary (www.mrweb.com/drno/news8087.htm ).

Earlier this month, Arbitron revealed that the Media Rating Council had turned down accreditation of its Portable Peter Meter (PPM) electronic diary device in Philadelphia and New York (www.mrweb.com/drno/news8033.htm ).

Web site: 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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