Arbitron: Successful Recruitment Of Consumers For PPM Trial In Houston.

Arbitron Inc. announced that the program developed to recruit consumers for the Houston market trial of the Portable People Meter (PPMSM) is delivering positive, initial results in terms of sample performance indicators (SPI), response rate metrics and panel representation at the household level.

At the end of the first wave of recruitment, Arbitron has achieved at 52.7 household sample performance indicator (SPI). Other response rate measures are in line with the results that Arbitron and Nielsen Media Research achieved during the successful research and development program for PPM response rates that was fielded in 2003 and 2004. These measures are also substantially higher than those achieved by Arbitron in the first U.S. market trial of the PPM in Philadelphia in 2002.

The preliminary sample proportionality measures for the installed PPM households are also well in line in terms of race and ethnicity. Household fault rates to date have been well under 10 percent and are consistent by race and ethnicity.

“Arbitron is demonstrating that, on our own, we can recruit a high-quality, representative panel of consumers for a PPM ratings service,” said Bob Patchen, vice president, Research Standards and Practices, Arbitron. “Arbitron recruiters, using Arbitron-only branded materials, have delivered an initial PPM panel that we believe will stand up to the scrutiny of the radio and television industry in terms of its quality.”

“Our recruiting success has also been consistent across all ethnic and racial groups. We are confident that the completed PPM panel will reflect the diversity of Houston marketplace, which is approximately 28 percent Hispanic and 18 percent Black,” said Mr. Patchen.

To view charts CLICK above on ‘More Images’.