CONTENTS PPM Report Period PPM Markets PPM Release Schedules and Methodology Market Definition Changes Metro Definition Reevaluation Requests High Density Hispanic Area (HDHA) Criteria Change to Sample Performance Indicator Calculation Change to Cell-Phone-Only Screening Process Basic Recheck Procedure (Houston-Galveston) Promised Incentive PPM Client Software Digital Radio Station Reporting Digital Radio Station Information Expanded Total Line Reporting Operations Internet Streaming Technical Guidelines Encoding Encoding Steps Station Information Print-friendly version. More Presurvey Bulletins for Radio Stations More Presurvey Bulletins for Advertisers/Agencies

PPM™ Presurvey Bulletin for August 2008

This bulletin provides radio stations, advertisers, agencies, and other users of Arbitron Portable People Meter™ (PPM) data with information regarding market specification changes and with other information regarding Arbitron’s PPM reports and services.

PPM Report Period

Audience estimates in each Arbitron PPM Radio Market Report are based on a four-week report period. This bulletin covers the report period below and may be supplemented by additional bulletins or notices as warranted.

PPM Release Schedules and Methodology

Additional information on the release schedule for PPM audience estimates and data, and information on PPM methodology, is available at the Arbitron Web site at:

http://www.arbitron.com/portable_people_meters/home.htm

Note: Although all PPM markets utilize methodology that is similar in most respects, the Houston-Galveston market employs methodology that may differ in some respects from the methodology in other PPM Pre-Currency and Currency markets.

Market Definition Changes

No changes in market definition or ethnic controls are planned for any of the above PPM radio markets during the August 2008 report period.

Metro Definition Reevaluation Requests

Arbitron Metro Survey Area definitions are reevaluated on a decennial basis, taking into account updated commuting data published in the decennial census, as well as available data concerning listening patterns. Arbitron Metro Survey Area definitions may also be reevaluated at the request of report subscribers.

Subscribers should note, however, that Metro Survey Area definition changes in any market scheduled for conversion from Diary measurement to PPM measurement must be finalized within the 12 months prior to the market’s first Pre-Currency report period. Requests for Metro Definition reevaluations of any market scheduled for conversion to PPM should therefore be made more than 12 months in advance of Pre-Currency reporting. In addition, to ensure a smooth transition from Diary measurement to electronic measurement, market definition requests involving the addition or deletion of Metro counties (or county equivalents) will not be considered for any PPM Currency or Pre-Currency market until three years after the market’s first Pre-Currency report period, or until January 2011, whichever comes first. Arbitron will continue to implement changes involving the creation or consolidation of split counties (or county equivalents) in Diary markets that have been converted to PPM markets, provided the changes do not require the addition or deletion of the corresponding whole counties.

High Density Hispanic Area (HDHA) Criteria

In the counties in the PPM markets identified above (under “PPM Markets”), a county remains eligible for an HDHA during the July 2008 report period only if the following criteria are met:

• The county must contain at least one zip code whose population is at least 25 percent Hispanic; and
• The proposed ethnically split portions of the county (HDHA and Balance) must have sufficient population, as a proportion of the total Metro, to appropriately be allocated an in-tab target of at least 21 diaries. An HDHA will be retained as long as the target for each portion of the county is at least 18 diaries.

Change to Sample Performance Indicator Calculation

Sample Performance Indicator (SPI) is one of the appropriate metrics with which to measure a panel’s sample performance. Arbitron tracks and reports an average daily SPI and a monthly SPI for both Households and individual Persons. Effective with the July 2008 report period, Arbitron defines and calculates SPI as follows:

Household SPI is determined by dividing the number of reporting Basic households by the number of all eligible Basic households for the applicable reporting period. To be counted in the SPI calculation on a given media day, the household must have at least one household member provide complete data for that media day. Arbitron does not include households in any SPI calculation that have been deinstalled from the panel due to the household’s moving to a residence outside of the Metro, or households deinstalled for reasons related to panel security or media-affiliation. (Arbitron estimates the eligibility of refusing sample based upon the outcomes of completed sample calls. Additionally, when estimating the number of Basic Persons in Estimated Usable Basic Households, Arbitron assumes that, on average, there is the same number of persons in refusing/non-contacted Basic households as in households that agree to participate in the panel).

Persons SPI is determined by dividing the total number of Basic Persons In-Tab at any time during the applicable report period by the total number of estimated persons in Estimated Usable Basic Households. To qualify as In-Tab, a panelist must have passed the minimum qualification standard for the applicable report period.

Change to Cell-Phone-Only Screening Process

Currently, Arbitron randomly selects cell-phone numbers for a market based upon known available cell-phone exchanges assigned to that market. These phone numbers are screened to confirm that the number is a cell phone number, and not a residential or business landline phone number. During this screening, the residential zip code is collected for the cell-phone-only respondent. Should the respondent provide a zip code that is outside of the market for which the cell-phone number was originally selected, the cell-phone number is discarded and not considered for further sample selection.

Effective August 2008, residential zip codes that are collected for cell-phone-only respondents that are outside of the market for which they have been selected will be analyzed to determine if the zip code is contained within any PPM market. If so, that number will be transferred to the available cell-phone-only sample for that market that contains the zip code offered by the respondent. Cell-phone respondents that offered a zip code that is not included in any PPM market area will be assigned a random zip code from the market within which the phone number was originally sampled. As such, the phone number will remain eligible for sample selection within the cell-phone-only sample frame. Should the Household be selected for recruiting, installation only takes place if the Household resides in the market.

Basic Recheck Procedure (Houston-Galveston)

Effective August 2008, in the Houston-Galveston DMA, Basic households which refuse to participate in the Panel will be contacted once approximately every six months. Upon each contact, an attempt will be made to recruit the Basic household into the Panel. If the Basic household agrees to participate in the Panel, the Basic household’s corresponding Alternate household will be deinstalled.

Promised Incentive

Currently when a Basic household refuses to join a PPM panel, the household is sent a mailing intended to encourage the household to participate. This mailing contains a monetary premium. Effective August 2008, households that receive a “conversion mailing” and then agree to participate in the panel will receive an additional premium which will be sent to the household after it is successfully installed. During the calls (which complement the conversion mailing), the respondent is made aware of this Promised Incentive.

PPM Client Software

In August 2008, a new version of the PPM Analysis Tool (v9.0.15) will be released to subscribers. This version of the tool has been enhanced in the following ways:

• Demos named according to established conventions.
• Addition of “In Home and Out-of-Home Composition Report.”
• Addition of a Scheduler Module based upon a Linear Frequency model using multi-week Cume growth.
• Faster data install times.
• Addition of detailed footnotes to printout/export functions within scheduler module.
• Software updated to enable reporting of digital radio stations (subject to the station meeting minimum reporting standards).

Digital Radio Station Reporting

The term “Digital Radio Station ” is used to refer to radio stations that broadcast in a digital format. Examples of Digital Radio stations include HD-primary stations, HD-Multicast stations, and the Internet streams of AM stations, FM stations, and HD-Multicast stations.

Effective with the July 2008 report period, Arbitron began reporting estimates for eligible encoded Digital Radio stations (and Total Line Reporting combos that include a Digital Radio station), subject to Minimum Reporting Standards.  Also, effective with the July 2008 report period, exposures to encoded Digital Radio stations are included in Persons Using Measured Media estimates.

Effective with the July 2008 report period, Arbitron added numerous band indicators (in addition to AM and FM) to its databases to accommodate the reporting of Digital Radio stations. Estimates for Digital Radio stations, are labeled with the 4-letter FCC-assigned call sign of the analog station that broadcasts the digital station, followed by a 2-character alphanumeric band ID that is indicative of the digital station’s “type.” . Listed on the table below is the full complement of Arbitron band-IDs and a description of the station types to which the band IDs are applied:

The digital radio Band ID labels listed above are proprietary to Arbitron and protected under terms of Arbitron’s subscriber agreements and/or federal copyright and trademark law. Authorized subscribers and purchasers of Arbitron data may display and use the Band ID labels provided the user clearly states that the labels are proprietary to Arbitron.

Digital Radio Station Information

Each quarter, Arbitron plans to publish a PPM Station Encoding Preview  in which each encoded station eligible for reporting is identified by call letters, frequency, and Station Name (as submitted to Arbitron). Digital station information appearing in the PPM Station Encoding Preview and in the PPM Radio Market Report is based on information provided by Digital Radio stations (via Arbitron’s Station Information Form), the FCC, and other relevant sources.

Expanded Total Line Reporting Options

In 2006, Arbitron introduced Total Line Reporting as an option for AM and FM stations that simulcast their programming 100%, including commercials and PSA’s. Listening for eligible stations that request Total Line Reporting is combined and reported on a single estimate line with the call letters of the “primary” station selected by the combo (subject to meeting Minimum Reporting Standards).

Effective with the July 2008 report period, Arbitron expanded the Total Line Reporting options to allow combinations of AM, FM, HD-Multicast, and streaming Internet stations that simulcast 100% (including commercials and PSA’s) to request Total Line Reporting.

• Total Line Reporting combos that include an AM or FM station must select an AM or FM station as the “primary” station.
• Separate estimates are not available for stations that receive Total Line Reporting.
• AM, FM, and HD-Multicast stations home to an Arbitron market may request Total Line Reporting for 100% simulcast partners home to the same Arbitron market or an adjacent Arbitron market, but may not request Total Line Reporting for stations home to different nonadjacent markets.

Note: To be eligible for Total Line Reporting for any PPM survey month, stations must simulcast all programming 100% (including commercials and PSA’s) throughout the three-month interval corresponding to Arbitron’s quarterly survey period.

Internet Streaming Technical Guidelines

For the purpose of PPM encoding, Arbitron recommends streaming audio at a 44.1 kHz sample rate and a 32 kbps rate. In Arbitron’s opinion, these settings are the recommended minimums as they mitigate, to the greatest extent possible, risks from both the streamer and the listener that may detract from the efficacy of the stream’s PPM encoding.

Although optimal settings may vary depending on the software used to stream an Internet station, the above minimum settings should ensure successful encoding for the brands of Web-streaming software currently in use. Adherence to the above minimum technical standards is particularly important for Internet stations that use Microsoft^® Web-streaming products. Arbitron will continue to update our guidelines for minimum settings as Internet technology develops.

Note: Time-domain compression technology is sometimes used to allow the insertion of additional commercial time in a given piece of programming. Use of this technology should PRECEDE the Arbitron encoder to ensure consistently receivable encoding. (Use of time-domain compression technologies AFTER the Arbitron encoder may negatively impact encoding.)

Encoding

Arbitron will provide encoding equipment without a fee to each eligible AM or FM station that chooses to encode (subject to limitations). AM and FM stations are eligible to encode their signals, and to receive encoding equipment, regardless of subscriber status. Encoding equipment is also available for HD-Multicast stations and streaming Internet stations. Arbitron will generally provide subscribers with encoding equipment for these stations at no cost, subject to limitations. Encoding equipment will also be available for lease to nonsubscribers wishing to encode their HD-Multicast and streaming Internet stations.

No Metro audience estimates will be tabulated or reported for stations that choose not to encode. Once a market is converted to PPM electronic measurement, estimates based on Diaries will no longer be available.

Although a station may begin encoding after the reporting period begins, stations should note that audience estimates will not be adjusted to exclude unencoded intervals. For example, audience estimates for a station that begins encoding the third week of the report period will include two weeks of zero listening averaged with listening that occurs during the third and fourth weeks of the report period. Similarly, any portion of a day during which a station’s signal is not encoded will be counted as zero listening, since no meter will be able to detect listening to the station. It is for that reason that Arbitron provides a monitor and a back-up encoder. Close attention to the guidelines and recommendations below will help ensure that each station’s audience estimates reflect any listening that occurs during the station’s broadcast hours:

• Stations will need to give high priority to ensuring the encoder is operating. Although the encoder is easy to use, the encoder will need monitoring. The station will need to monitor encoding at all times. We will provide the station with the tools (encoding monitor, back-up encoders, and associated documents) to make this possible.

• Arbitron’s Encoding Operations staff will be available to help the station begin encoding. Working in cooperation with Arbitron’s Encoding Operations staff, the station engineer will have the tools necessary to ensure the effective installation of encoding equipment. A staff member will be available 24 hours a day to address questions or concerns regarding operation of the encoding equipment.

• In the event of an encoder failure:
• The station should switch to the Back-up or Spare encoder immediately!
• The station should contact Arbitron Encoding Operations.

Notes:

• Each AM station, FM station, Internet stream, and HD-Multicast station should be encoded separately unless expressly instructed otherwise by Arbitron.

• Upon request, Arbitron will note, on the Special Notices page of the applicable PPM Radio Market Report, any technical difficulties or unencoded intervals (as defined by Arbitron) that a qualifying station reports to Arbitron (subject to verification where applicable).

• Encoding equipment should be used only as instructed by Arbitron. Arbitron may request the return of its encoding equipment from, or decline to publish audience estimates for, any station that uses Arbitron’s encoding equipment in an unauthorized manner.

Encoding Steps

The following steps are necessary to ensure that the equipment is correctly selected, installed, and tested before the station is fully encoded and eligible for audience estimates:

• The station signs and returns an encoding agreement.
  This will help clarify the parties’ respective responsibilities.

• The equipment is shipped.
  A representative from Arbitron Encoding Operations will contact the station’s engineer to assess the station’s technical needs. Arbitron then ships the appropriate equipment.

• The equipment is installed.
  Once received, the engineer should install the encoding equipment (main and back-up encoder) and in-station encoding monitor as soon as possible.

• The equipment is tested.
  Once the equipment is installed, the station’s engineer and Arbitron Encoding Operations need to test each encoder (main and back-up) to make sure the equipment is functioning properly. This will require an off-air audio sample from each encoder.

• Arbitron confirms the station is properly encoded.
  Once all components have been tested, Arbitron will provide the station with confirmation that the station is considered encoded and eligible for reporting.

• The station monitors its encoder status.
  Following installation of the encoder, it is the station’s responsibility to monitor the encoding status using the provided in-station monitor. Arbitron’s engineers recommend connecting the monitor to the station’s existing air-fault alarm system.

Station Information

Radio stations in PPM markets will continue to receive quarterly Station Information Packets (SIPs). We ask that stations in PPM markets continue to complete and return the packets on a timely basis. Stations may further update their submitted station information at any time. Arbitron strongly encourages stations to note the following:

• Stations should continue to submit Station Information Profiles (SIPs).
  Station Information Profiles will still be needed to enable Arbitron to report detailed and timely station information such as format. For stations that reach into adjacent markets in which Diaries are used, Station Names will continue to be used to assign listening credit in the adjacent markets. The careful and timely submission of Station Names may therefore continue to be important.

• Stations should notify Arbitron of Frequency Moves, “Hot” Call Letter Changes, and other complex changes in advance.
  These changes will continue to have important reporting implications. By notifying us in advance, Arbitron can work with stations to ensure that their estimates are reported most appropriately. We will not be able, for example, to implement frequency moves retroactively.

• Stations should promptly notify Arbitron about call letter changes and other station information.
  With more frequent and timely reports than our quarterly Diary service, updates will have to be processed quickly. We may be unable to note call letter changes and other important changes if stations delay notifying us. Station Information changes must be received by the last day of the applicable report period.

Please address updates to:

Address:
Radio Station Relations
Arbitron Inc.
9705 Patuxent Woods Drive
Columbia, MD 21046-1572
Attention: Station Information

Phone: (410) 312-8062
Fax: (410) 312-8619

Station Information updates will be acknowledged by e-mail, letter, or postcard.

The policy and procedure amendment(s) set forth in this bulletin are hereby incorporated by reference into, and deemed to amend and supersede in pertinent part, the most recent Description of Methodology as published in the Local Radio Market Report or as otherwise furnished to subscribers.

(c) 2008 Arbitron Inc. Warning: The digital radio Band ID labels referenced in this report are proprietary to Arbitron and protected under terms of Arbitron’s subscriber agreements and/or Federal copyright and trademark law. Authorized subscribers and purchasers of Arbitron data may display and use the Band ID labels provided the user clearly states that the labels are proprietary to Arbitron (e.g., “Arbitron Inc. retains all copyrights or other legal rights to the Band ID labels used herein”). The reports may be used in accordance with the applicable license agreement between the subscriber and Arbitron. All other uses, unless Arbitron's prior written approval is obtained, are expressly forbidden, and may subject the user to legal action, damages and recovery of Arbitron’s legal expenses incurred in enforcing its intellectual property and proprietary rights.

For more detailed information on the topics in this bulletin, including the specific markets affected by Arbitron’s ongoing efforts to improve sample quality, please contact your local Arbitron sales representative.

Portable People Meter™, PPM™, Arbitron eBookSM, PPM Analysis Tool™ and PPM Weeklies™ are marks of Arbitron Inc.

Media Rating Council® (MRC) is a registered mark of the Media Rating Council.