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Arbitron And IBOPE Media Information Reach Agreement For Portable People Meter Trials In Latin America
Two Companies Plan Market Trials Of New Audience Measurement
System In Four Latin American Countries. 06.13.02
NEW YORK, June 13, 2002 - Arbitron Inc. (NYSE: ARB) and IBOPE Media Information today announced an agreement to cooperate in the testing of Arbitron's Portable People Meter (PPM) technology in Latin America.
The Portable People Meter is a new technology being developed by Arbitron that can track audiences for terrestrial, satellite and Internet radio stations as well as broadcast, cable and satellite television. It is currently undergoing a U.S. market trial in Philadelphia and is being evaluated in a number of countries around the world.
The exclusive agreement will give IBOPE access to operational data from Arbitron's U.S. market trial. IBOPE and Arbitron will work jointly with radio and television broadcasters, advertisers and advertising agencies to help them evaluate the PPM technology. The two companies will also cooperate in an effort to introduce the PPM into a number of Latin American countries.
"As the leading provider of media audience measurement in Latin America, IBOPE is a perfect company for Arbitron to work with in our efforts to expand internationally," said Steve Morris, president and chief executive office, Arbitron Inc. "We respect their media research expertise in this important region. We look forward to working with them to establish the Portable People Meter as the audience measurement methodology of choice for the vibrant and diverse Latin American media marketplace."
"This agreement offers IBOPE an excellent opportunity to embrace a new concept of television and radio audience measurement," said Ana Lúcia Lima, chief executive officer, IBOPE Media Information. "Our relationship with the local media will surely help in accelerating the introduction of the technology in the most important markets in the region. Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Mexico are amongst our priorities. We are sure that our clients will be enthusiastic about this project and will be watching its evolution with great expectation."
The Portable People Meter is a pager-sized device that is carried by consumers. It automatically detects inaudible codes that are embedded in the audio portion of any broadcast programming by specially designed Arbitron encoders. At the end of each day, the survey participants place the Portable People Meters into base stations that recharge the devices and send the collected codes to Arbitron for tabulation. The meters are equipped with a motion sensor that allows Arbitron to monitor the compliance of the PPM survey participants every day - a quality control feature unique to the Arbitron Portable People Meter in the realm of media research.
About IBOPE
IBOPE is the largest research group in Latin America, having a leading presence in the Ad Hoc, Public Opinion, Consumer Panel and Media Research markets through its own resources and its investments in different companies. IBOPE Media Information offers television audience measurement services in 13 countries in the region as well as advertising expenditure and radio audience measurement services and other media related products, such as TGI, which is held in partnership with Kantar Media Research in several countries.
About Arbitron
Arbitron Inc. (NYSE: ARB) is an international media and marketing research firm serving radio broadcasters, cable companies, advertisers, advertising agencies and outdoor advertising companies in the United States, Mexico and Europe. Arbitron's core businesses are measuring network and local market radio audiences across the United States; surveying the retail, media and product patterns of local market consumers; and providing application software used for analyzing media audience and marketing information data. Arbitron Webcast Services measures the audiences of audio and video content on the Internet, commonly known as webcasts. The Company is developing the Portable People Meter, a new technology for radio, TV and cable ratings.
Arbitron's marketing and business units are supported by a world-renowned research and technology organization located in Columbia, Maryland. Arbitron has approximately 800 full-time employees; its executive offices are located in New York City.
Through its Scarborough Research joint venture with VNU Media Measurement &
Information, Arbitron also provides media and marketing research services to
the broadcast television, magazine, newspaper, outdoor and online industries.
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This
press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The statements regarding Arbitron
in this release that are not historical in nature, particularly those that utilize
terminology such as "may," "will," "should," "likely,"
"expects," "anticipates," "estimates," "believes"
or "plans," or comparable terminology, are forward-looking statements
based on current expectations about future events, which Arbitron has derived
from the information currently available to it. These forward-looking statements
involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause our results
to be materially different from results implied in such forward-looking statements.
These risks and uncertainties include whether we will be able to:
-realize the benefits we expect to achieve from our spin-off from Ceridian
Corporation;
- renew contracts with large customers as they expire;
- successfully execute our business strategies, including timely implementation
of our Portable People Meter and our Webcast Ratings services, as well as expansion
of international operations;
-effectively manage the impact of further consolidation in the radio industry;
and
- keep up with rapidly changing technological needs of our customer base, including
creating new products and services that meet these needs.
Additional important factors known to Arbitron that could cause forward-looking statements to turn out to be incorrect are identified and discussed from time to time in Arbitron's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including in particular the risk factors discussed under the caption "ITEM 1. BUSINESS - Business Risks" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, which discussion is incorporated herein by reference.
The forward-looking statements contained in this release speak only as of
the date hereof, and Arbitron undertakes no obligation to correct or update
any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future
events or otherwise.
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