Arbitron Debuts Calculator, Meets Broadcasters

Ratings giant Arbitron has released reliability calculators for its diary and Portable People Meter (PPM). Separately, the firm has met for the fourth time with a group of diary-market broadcasters to review and plan for service improvements for diary-based ratings markets.

The new features include an eBook, for both the diary and the PPM, to help users gauge the estimated statistical reliability of audience estimates for published demographics and dayparts.

In addition, the PPM GRP Reliability Calculator software has been developed to estimate a margin of error for gross ratings points for radio ad schedules in PPM markets.

'The GRP Reliability Calculator makes it easy for buyers and sellers to estimate the margin of error of the total rating points delivered by radio schedules in PPM markets,' explained Chief Statistical Officer Al Tupek.

As part of the firm's focus on improving its ratings, Arbitron last week met with the Diary Market Owner/Operator Caucus, which includes representatives who provide feedback and advice on the firm's services in markets measured using the diary.

The meeting focused on Arbitron's plans to improve diary market sample quality; to expand Scarborough Research's qualitative services tailored for mid-sized markets; and to accelerate work on new methods for gathering listening and qualitative data beyond the paper diary.

Previously announced plans for sampling cell phone-only homes, redistributing incentives from older respondents to younger persons, and establishing an 18-54 benchmark were also reviewed.

'I have worked closely with Arbitron for a long time and believe it has made more progress on improvements for diary markets in the last 12 months than it has in the past decade,' said Gary Fries, President Emeritus, Radio Advertising Bureau. 'Arbitron needs to keep the momentum going and move even faster.'

The firm - which has recently been subject to legal proceedings to halt commercialization of its PPM, and is currently under investigation for insider trading - is online 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.

• Arbitron Inc.
• All news