ARBITRON PRESENTS 'POLICY CHANGES, SERVICE ENHANCEMENTS' TO ADVISORY COUNCIL Radio and Records As part of what Arbitron called a "very full agenda," the ratings firm last week presented to the Arbitron Radio Advisory Council updates on previous announced initiatives including small-market and language-usage weighting and new policies — including management of diary credits for satellite radio and Internet radio — that are being rolled out. Some of the new initiatives are set to commence with the fall 2005 survey.
Starting with the fall survey, Arbitron will begin assigning listening credit to individual satellite radio channels. Individual channels will be eligible for reporting in Arbitron's reports, including the Radio Market Report, if the channel meets minimum reporting standards for that report. Beginning with the spring 2006 survey, Arbitron will start credit broadcast stations with listening to their Internet stream, but only in situations where the online content duplicates 100% of the on-air programming, including all commercials. This policy negates dozens of radio stations, as many Internet streams of over-the-air radio stations insert commercials on the streams to avoid paying royalties for advertisements broadcast on their AM or FM signal.
In regard to measurement of the 110 condensed markets, Arbitron confirmed that it will include diaries from the spring and fall 2005 surveys when tabulating the audience estimates as part of a plan endorsed by the advisory council to shift to a rolling average in the smallest markets measured by the ratings company. Quarterly reports using rolling averages will commence with the spring 2007 ratings.
Meanwhile, Arbitron is eliminating the two-station limit on simulcasts, starting with the winter 2006 survey. To that end, Arbitron has amended its definition of a simulcast. Now, another station must air all of the content — including the commercials — originating from another station 100% of the time. Individual estimates for radio stations that are a part of a simulcast partnership will no longer be made available from Arbitron.
As previously announced, Arbitron will implement language use weighting in 21 Hispanic metros starting in winter 2006. |