How Arbitron Diarykeepers record Internet Radio Listening to AM/FM Radio Stations.

Arbitron Inc. released a 30-market analysis of diarykeeper entries for Internet-based listening to AM/FM radio stations.

In the 30-market study, diary entries for Internet listening to AM/FM radio stations grew substantially in Fall 2006 accounting for 20,331 unweighted quarter-hours. In Spring 2006, only 4,684 quarter-hours were noted in survey diaries.

• The increase in entries coincides with implementation of new diary instructions (effective Fall 2006) that identify Internet and satellite radio as sources of listening for respondents to note in their diary in addition to AM/FM radio.

• Despite the growth, Internet listening to AM/FM radio stations still accounts for less than 1 percent of un-weighted quarter-hours overall in the 30 analyzed markets (from 0.11 percent in Spring 2006 to 0.47 percent in Fall 2006).

• Diarykeepers that recorded Internet listening to AM/FM radio stations tend to be older, male and Other (not black, not Hispanic).

Sixty-six percent of the quarter-hours that included an Internet identifier for an AM/FM station identified a local station– that is, a station whose AM/FM signal reaches into the county from which the diary was returned.

• Seventy-eight percent of these diaries that contained listening to local stations’ Internet stream also contained listening to the over-the-air version of the station.

Diarykeepers who record Internet listening recorded this listening differently than how respondents typically record listening to AM/FM radio. Those recording Internet listening tend to identify this listening by call letters more so than frequency.

Diarykeepers use the word “Internet” the most when recording their Internet listening.

• Eighty-one percent of the quarter-hours credited as Internet included the word “Internet.”
• Nine percent of the quarter-hours credited as Internet included the suffix .com, .org, .net, or .edu.
• Eight percent of the quarter-hours credited as Internet included the word “online.”
• Four percent of the quarter-hours credited as Internet included the word “stream”, “streaming”, or “streamed.”
• Less than 2 percent included the words “computer”, “pc”, “Web”, “Webcast”, or “Web site.”

AM/FM radio stations are credited for their Internet listening in Arbitron’s ratings reports only if the station’s stream is a 100 percent simulcast (including all programs and commercials, for all of the station’s broadcast hours.)

• For Fall 2006, 12 percent of stations submitted to Arbitron that they simulcast 100 percent of their programming over the Internet.
• Of the quarter-hours which contained an Internet identifier, 29 percent was credited to the 100 percent simulcast primary station. The remaining Internet listening was credited as “Unidentified Internet.”

Note: Listening to Internet-Only radio (online radio that is not broadcast on over-the-air radio stations) is not included in the Arbitron local market radio ratings and is not included in this analysis.

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