Arbitron – Program To Increase The Stability Of Radio Audience Estimates In Small Markets.

Arbitron Inc. announced a program that is designed to increase the stability of its radio audience estimates in 110 small markets that are part of the “condensed market” radio measurement service. The program will be implemented in two phases.

Beginning with the release of the Fall 2005 radio survey results, Arbitron will include the in-tab diaries from the Fall 2005 and Spring 2005 survey when tabulating the audience estimates in 110 of the “condensed” markets. Each report thereafter will be a “two-book average” of the most current and the previous survey, delivering two times the current sample size for audience demographics and dayparts.

Beginning in January 2007, Arbitron will begin surveying these condensed markets continuously, converting them from two quarterly reports (Spring/Fall) to four quarterly reports (Winter/Spring/Summer/Fall). Arbitron will take the sample currently allotted for Spring/Fall surveys and distribute it equally across the four quarterly surveys.
Beginning with the release of Spring 2007 reports, ratings reports will be issued quarterly. By the release of the Summer 2007 survey, each market report will be tabulated based on the in-tab diaries from the four most current quarterly surveys. (This is the quarterly rolling sample approach used in the RADAR® radio network service. Please see the reporting grid on page 3 of this press release.)

“Our customers in these markets have consistently told us that stability from survey to survey is a paramount need,” said Dennis Seely, vice president, Marketing, Arbitron Radio. “Working in conjunction with the Radio Advisory Council and our customers, we’ve developed this program following almost two years of discussion and planning. We are effectively doubling the reported sample and increasing the reliability of the reported estimates and providing two additional reports per year, all without increasing the costs to our subscribers.”