WPP Commits to Arbitron PPM.

Arbitron Inc. announced that WPP Group plc, the world’s second-largest media and communication services company, has signed a contract to the use of Portable People Meter (PPMSM) based radio audience estimates when Arbitron makes a decision to deploy its state-of-the-art audience measurement service. The agreement is part of the agency’s renewal of an Arbitron data and software services contract.

“Advertisers are demanding greater accountability for all the ad supported media,” said Kathy Crawford, President Local Broadcast, Mindshare. “It is vital that the radio industry embrace electronic measurement before their advertisers lose all faith in the medium. We are supporting Arbitron because they are the only viable option for delivering electronic measurement to the radio industry.”

The agreement covers the U.S.-based radio planning and buying activities of the WPP Group companies: MindShare, Mediaedge:CIA, A. Eicoff & Company, Cole & Weber/Red Cell, Ford Motor Media, J. Walter Thompson USA, Ogilvy & Mather Public Relations, Media Marketing Solutions, Wunderman and Bravo Group.
This agreement with WPP Group does not commit Arbitron to a specific timetable for deployment of the Portable People Meter system. Arbitron has not yet made a decision regarding when and for which markets it will deploy the Portable People Meter system to measure local market radio audiences.

Arbitron is evaluating two approaches for the commercialization of the Portable People Meter system. Arbitron granted Nielsen Media Research an option to join in the potential commercial deployment of the Portable People Meter for audience measurement in the United States. In the event that Nielsen Media Research exercises the option, the Arbitron and Nielsen would form a joint venture to commercially deploy and operate the Portable People Meter system for the collection and measurement of listening and viewing audience data in local markets for broadcast and cable television as well as for radio.
In the event that Nielsen Media Research chooses not to exercise its option to form a joint venture with Arbitron to use the PPM technology for radio and television audience measurement, Arbitron intends to offer a PPM service for audience measurement to the radio industry.
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