Arbitron moves up start date for Cell-Phone-Only Sampling in Diary Markets.

Arbitron Inc. announced an expansion of its sample quality improvement programs for diary markets.

Arbitron announced plans to:

· Introduce cell-phone-only households to its diary survey sample, starting with 50 markets for the Spring 2009 survey–six months earlier than first planned; and
· Establish a sample quality benchmark in diary markets for persons aged 18-54 equal to a Designated Delivery Index of 80. Reporting of the diary market sample performance versus the new benchmark will begin with the current Fall 2008 survey.

“The Radio Advisory Council and the Diary Market Owner Operator Caucus, which have been working closely with Arbitron on these matters since last year, deserve credit for encouraging Arbitron to speed up the introduction of cell-phone-only sampling in diary markets and to introduce a sample quality benchmark for 18-54 year olds, the demographic on which most radio advertising is focused,” said Steve Morris, chairman, president and chief executive officer, Arbitron Inc. “This new benchmark will narrow the present sample guardrails in diary markets and add greater transparency to the sample quality in all diary markets.”

Accelerates introduction of cell-phone-only sampling in diary markets

Arbitron now plans to accelerate the introduction of cell-phone-only sampling in diary markets by six months sooner than the company had announced earlier this month.

Beginning with the Spring 2009 survey, Arbitron will add cell-phone-only households to the sample frame in 50 diary markets. Arbitron also plans to expand cell-phone-only household sampling to a total of 125 diary markets with the Fall 2009 survey. (Specific market lists not yet finalized.)

“We believe that cell-phone-only sampling will help improve sample quality for young adults in diary markets and we are pleased to be able to start sooner than we originally anticipated,” said Owen Charlebois, president, Technology, Research and Development, Arbitron Inc.