Arbitron Receives Media Rating Council Accreditation for the Portable People Meter Radio Ratings Data in Houston.Company to work with local market on schedule for commercializing the PPM radio ratings service Ratings Service A company, such as Moody's or Standard & Poor's, that rates various debt and preferred stock issues for safety of payment of principal, interest, or dividends. in Houston; Television data accreditation process continues pending source of language universe estimates for TV NEW YORK New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of -- Arbitron Inc. (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange :ARB) announced today that the Media Rating Council[R] (MRC See Maximum return criterion. ) has accredited accredited recognition by an appropriate authority that the performance of a particular institution has satisfied a prestated set of criteria. accredited herds cattle herds which have achieved a low level of reactors to, e.g. the Portable People Meter The Portable People Meter (sometimes mistakenly "Personal People Meter") or PPM, is a device developed by Arbitron to measure how many people are listening (or at least exposed) to individual radio stations and television stations, including cable TV. (TM) radio ratings data in Houston. "This is a significant milestone for Arbitron and for the radio industry," said Steve Morris Steve 'Slippery' Morris was an Australian rugby League footballer. A halfback, Morris played for the Dapto club. In the 1978 season he gained selection in the New South Wales Country Rugby League side and was then chosen to represent Australia, making Morris the last player , president and chief executive officer, Arbitron Inc. "This is the first completely new, electronic methodology for broadcast ratings since the set-top, push-button (electronics) push-button - A roughly fingertip-sized plastic cover attached to a spring-loaded, normally-open switch, which, when pressed, closes the switch. Typical examples are the keys on a computer or calculator keyboard and mouse buttons. people meter The People Meter is a device and system used by Nielsen Media Research in the USA to allow a relatively passive measurement of the viewing habits of TV and cable audiences. The people meter was invented by a British company called Audits of Great Britain, or AGB for short. was introduced in the late 1980s. It's the only personal, portable electronic meter system in the world that's ever been subjected to an MRC audit and has met the accreditation standards of the Media Rating Council for a radio ratings service." "Obtaining accreditation of the Houston PPM(TM) radio ratings data is a major accomplishment-two years in the making-for the industry and for Arbitron. 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," said Owen Charlebois, president, Operations, Technology and Research & Development, Arbitron Inc. "We are grateful for the hard work of the MRC staff, their auditors and the members of the MRC committees who worked tirelessly tire·less adj. Not yielding to fatigue; untiring or indefatigable. tire  less·ly adv. to help us complete the rigorous
accreditation process.""The MRC appreciates the extensive commitment Arbitron made to the accreditation process for the Houston PPM service." said George Ivie, executive director, Media Rating Council. "We broke a lot of new ground over the last two years, and Arbitron worked with us constructively during the audit and thereafter to ensure necessary audit committee learning took place. We know that supporting this large audit internally and externally has been a challenge for Arbitron." Next Steps in the Rollout of Arbitron PPM Radio Ratings in Houston Now that MRC accreditation has been granted for the Houston Portable People Meter radio ratings data, Arbitron will meet with its customers-radio broadcasters, agencies and advertisers-to determine the most appropriate schedule for commercializing the electronic radio ratings service in Houston. In March 2006, at the request of the Arbitron Radio Advisory Council, Arbitron agreed to wait until it received MRC accreditation for the PPM radio ratings service in Houston before it would "discontinue dis·con·tin·ue v. dis·con·tin·ued, dis·con·tin·u·ing, dis·con·tin·ues v.tr. 1. To stop doing or providing (something); end or abandon: " the diaries and make the PPM the "currency" radio ratings service in Houston. Arbitron is currently conducting a Winter 2007 survey in Houston using its standard diary methodology. Arbitron intends to complete that diary survey and deliver a full suite of ratings reports for the Winter 2007 survey in April. Status of Arbitron Portable People Meter Television Ratings Television ratings may refer to:
Arbitron is pursuing MRC accreditation for the broadcast television and cable television data in Houston that utilize the same PPM technology and respondents In the context of marketing research, a representative sample drawn from a larger population of people from whom information is collected and used to develop or confirm marketing strategy. as the radio ratings data. Because Arbitron does not have, at this time, a license to use its current source of MRC-approved language universe estimates in Houston to sample-balance television audience estimates, the television data have not yet been granted accreditation by the MRC. Because of the importance of the weighting procedure, the MRC has requested that Arbitron not represent any television ratings data from the Houston PPM service as accredited until it is able to language-weight the television ratings data by the language usage of Hispanic respondents using MRC-approved methods and universe estimates. Arbitron can and does sample-balance radio audience estimates by the language usage of Hispanic respondents in Houston. The MRC Accreditation Process MRC accreditation means that the Houston PPM radio ratings service delivers radio audience estimates that meet the MRC's Minimum Standards for Media Rating Research, which include requirements for ethics and operations, for disclosure and for electronic delivery tools. Accreditation helps ensure that audience measurement products are "valid, reliable and effective." In addition, the MRC membership actively pursues research issues they consider priorities in an effort to improve the quality of research in the marketplace. MRC accreditation begins with an audit, which is a detailed and rigorous review of every aspect of a ratings service that has applied for MRC accreditation. The cost of the audit is paid for by the company seeking accreditation. Over a two-year period, the audit team inspected all aspects of the PPM methodology as deployed in the Houston demonstration. The audit included, for example: * Laboratory and real-world field tests of the PPM technology: encoders, meters, automatic data collection and editing systems, in-home/out-of-home tracking system and other technical aspects of the system; * An end-to-end evaluation and verification of the PPM software, including the development process, documentation and functionality; * A thorough examination of the address-based sample design and sampling execution that are unique to the PPM Houston service; * An examination of panel recruitment and installation methods and results; * A review of panel management and compliance monitoring methods and results; * A detailed assessment of sample performance, proportionality and in-tab rates; * An assessment of data processing data processing or information processing, operations (e.g., handling, merging, sorting, and computing) performed upon data in accordance with strictly defined procedures, such as recording and summarizing the financial transactions of a , universe estimate and weighting procedures; and * An assessment of the rating service disclosures of methodology and survey performance. The multi-phase audit was completed in early 2006 and delivered to the MRC staff and audit committee members for their review. Since January, the MRC's PPM audit committee members (who include television and radio broadcasters, cablecasters, advertisers, advertising agencies and industry trade associations) reviewed and discussed the audit findings; asked questions and gathered responses from Arbitron on a number of issues. In the course of this process, Arbitron submitted to the PPM audit subcommittee sub·com·mit·tee n. A subordinate committee composed of members appointed from a main committee. subcommittee Noun a comprehensive plan to improve respondent In Equity practice, the party who answers a bill or other proceeding in equity. The party against whom an appeal or motion, an application for a court order, is instituted and who is required to answer in order to protect his or her interests. compliance, which will be implemented throughout 2007. A number of the projects outlined in the plan are under way, and Arbitron will continue to work with the MRC in assessing the results of these efforts and determining next steps as necessary. Additionally, Arbitron will be releasing a new PPM ratings delivery tool in 2007, which is currently being audited by the MRC. About Arbitron's Commitment to the MRC Process Arbitron has been a strong supporter of the MRC process since the organization's founding at the urging of Congress in 1964. Counting the Houston PPM service, 15 Arbitron services are accredited by the MRC. Arbitron services currently audited and accredited by the MRC [TABLE OMITTED] About the Portable People Meter The Arbitron Portable People Meter system uses a passive audience measurement device - about the size of a small mobile phone - to track consumer exposure to media and entertainment, including broadcast, cable and satellite television; terrestrial, satellite and online radio, as well as cinema advertising and many types of place-based electronic media. Carried throughout the day by randomly selected survey participants, the PPM device can track when and where they watch television, listen to radio, as well as how they interact with other forms of media and entertainment. The PPM detects inaudible codes embedded Inserted into. See embedded system. in the audio portion of media and entertainment content delivered by broadcasters, content providers and distributors. At the end of the day, the meter is placed in a docking station (1) A cradle for a portable device that serves to charge the unit and connect it to other sources or destinations. For example, an iPod docking station charges the iPod and connects it to a computer, speakers or TV set. that extracts the codes and sends them to a central computer. The PPM is equipped with a motion sensor, a patented quality control feature unique to the system, which allows Arbitron to confirm the compliance of the PPM survey participants every day. About Arbitron Arbitron Inc. (NYSE: ARB) is an international media and marketing research firm serving radio broadcasters, cable companies, advertisers, advertising agencies and outdoor advertising companies in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. , Mexico and Europe. Arbitron's core businesses are measuring network and local market radio audiences across the United States; surveying the retail, media and product patterns of local market consumers; and providing application software used for analyzing media audience and marketing information data. The Company has also developed the Portable People Meter system, a new technology for media and marketing research. Arbitron's marketing and business units are supported by its research and technology organization, located in Columbia, Maryland Columbia is a census-designated place and planned community in Howard County, Maryland, United States. It is a suburb of Baltimore, and, to a lesser degree, Washington, DC. It began with the idea that a city could enhance its residents' quality of life. . Arbitron has approximately 1,800 employees; its executive offices are located in New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. . Through its Scarborough Research joint venture with The Nielsen Company The Nielsen Company is a global information and media company. It was formed in 1964 through the merger of two Dutch publishing companies De Spaarnestad and Cebema. Its original name was Verenigde Nederlandse Uitgeversbedrijven (formerly VNU VNU Volontaires des Nations Unies (French) VNU Verenigde Nederlandse Uitgeversbedrijven (Dutch) VNU Virtual Network User ), Arbitron also provides media and marketing research services to the broadcast television, magazine, newspaper and online industries. Portable People Meter(TM) and PPM(TM )are marks of Arbitron Inc. RADAR[R] is a registered mark of Arbitron Inc. Maximi$er[R] is a registered mark of Arbitron Inc. Media Professional(SM) is a service mark of Arbitron Inc. Media Rating Council[R] and the "double checkmark" logo design are registered marks of the Media Rating Council. |
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