Arbitron & IBOPE Media Information Launch Portable People Meter Trials In LatAM.

Arbitron Inc. and IBOPE Media Information announced an agreement to cooperate in the testing of Arbitron’s Portable People Meter (PPM) technology in Latin America.

The Portable People Meter is a new technology being developed by Arbitron that can track audiences for terrestrial, satellite and Internet radio stations as well as broadcast, cable and satellite television. It is currently undergoing a U.S. market trial in Philadelphia and is being evaluated in a number of countries around the world.

The exclusive agreement will give IBOPE access to operational data from Arbitron’s U.S. market trial. IBOPE and Arbitron will work jointly with radio and television broadcasters, advertisers and advertising agencies to help them evaluate the PPM technology. The two companies will also cooperate in an effort to introduce the PPM into a number of Latin American countries.

“As the leading provider of media audience measurement in Latin America, IBOPE is a perfect company for Arbitron to work with in our efforts to expand internationally,” said Steve Morris, president and chief executive officer, Arbitron Inc. “We respect their media research expertise in this important region. We look forward to working with them to establish the Portable People Meter as the audience measurement methodology of choice for the vibrant and diverse Latin American media marketplace.”

“This agreement offers IBOPE an excellent opportunity to embrace a new concept of television and radio audience measurement,” said Ana Lucia Lima, chief executive officer, IBOPE Media Information. “Our relationship with the local media will surely help in accelerating the introduction of PPM technology in the most important markets in the region. Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Mexico are amongst our priorities. We are sure that our clients will be enthusiastic about this project and will be watching its evolution with great expectation.”

The Portable People Meter is a pager-sized device that is carried by consumers. It automatically detects inaudible codes that are embedded in the audio portion of any broadcast programming by specially designed Arbitron encoders. At the end of each day, the survey participants place the Portable People Meters into base stations that recharge the devices and send the collected codes to Arbitron for tabulation. The meters are equipped with a motion sensor that allows Arbitron to monitor the compliance of the PPM survey participants every day – a quality control feature unique to the Arbitron Portable People Meter in the realm of media research.