Arbitron to settle with the AG of California and the City Attorneys of LA & San Francisco.

Arbitron Inc. announced that it has entered into a settlement with the Attorney General of the State of California, the Los Angeles City Attorney and the San Francisco City Attorney, which has resolved all allegations against Arbitron in a lawsuit that was filed on March 21, 2012 in the Superior Court of the State of California, County of San Francisco relating to the marketing and commercialization of the Arbitron Portable People Meter™ (PPM™) radio ratings service in Los Angeles, Riverside-San Bernardino, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco and San Jose, California.

As part of the settlement, Arbitron has agreed to continue a number of measures already an integral part of the company’s current PPM methodology and of its continuous improvement program for the Portable People Meter ratings services in all markets. These measures include the already completed transition to address-based sample frames, cell-phone-only sampling rates, reporting country of origin for Hispanic households and certain other sample performance and demographic information to subscribers by individual zip code, continuing efforts to maintain or achieve specific in-tab rates and Sample Performance Indicators, and continuing the company’s commitment to using all reasonable measures to achieve Media Rating Council® (MRC) accreditation for the data produced by the PPM ratings service in all California markets.

These commitments are generally consistent with the company’s agreements with other states and are in force through December 31, 2014, or until MRC accreditation is granted, whichever comes first. The Company also agreed to pay a total of $400,000 in settlement of all claims and costs.

The settlement was finalized on March 26, 2012 with the filing of a Final Judgment Pursuant to Stipulation in the Superior Court of the State of California, County of San Francisco. The parties reached the agreement to resolve without litigation all allegations raised by California. The agreement is not an admission of fault or concession of liability or wrongdoing by Arbitron regarding any allegations of law or fact alleged in the Complaint, and Arbitron denies such allegations.