Arbitron Expands in Mexico

Arbitron Inc has just launched its syndicated radio audience measurement services in Monterrey, the company's third radio market in Mexico. Last autumn, Arbitron began measuring the Mexico City market, followed by Guadalajara in July 2002.

Arbitron has signed long-term commitments with Grupo Radio Mexico, Grupo Radio Centro and ACIR that include all three markets, Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey. These broadcasters operate seven stations in Monterrey. In addition, several national advertising agencies and media buying service companies currently participating in Arbitron's Mexico ratings services--including Control Media, Media Planning, Starcom and OMD Mexico--have extended their contracts to include Monterrey.

'Opening Monterrey, our third market in Mexico, demonstrates our continued commitment to the Mexico media marketplace,' said Steve Morris, president and chief executive officer, Arbitron Inc. 'Our focus is to provide the tools to help the diverse Latin America media marketplace to prosper and grow.'

'We view Mexico as the cornerstone of our Latin American strategy' added Clara Carneiro, vice president, Latin American Marketing, Arbitron Inc. 'With our expansion into Monterrey, we will continue to create a new radio audience measurement standard for Latin American broadcasters and agencies.'

Each quarter, beginning in September 2002, Arbitron will use a Spanish-language version of a standard seven-day radio diary to survey the radio listening behaviour and key socio-economic characteristics of approximately 2,200 Monterrey residents, ages 12 and older.

Collected diaries will be shipped to Arbitron's Columbia Research and Technology Center for processing and tabulation using the company's existing processing infrastructure, which has been adapted to handle the Mexico diaries. The first syndicated report detailing the size and composition of Monterrey radio listeners will be issued in early February 2003.

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

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