PPM™ Presurvey Bulletin for February 2009

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 the Arbitron PPM Radio Market Report service 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.

February 2009:  February 5–March 4

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PPM Markets

New PPM Pre-Currency Market in January 2009

Effective with the January 2009 report period, Diary measurement will be discontinued in the market below, which will be measured only via electronic measurement using Arbitron’s Portable People Meter (PPM):

Boston

 

Previously Established PPM Currency Markets

The markets below were established as PPM Currency markets prior to February 2009 and remain PPM Currency markets:

Atlanta
Chicago
Dallas-Ft. Worth
Detroit
Houston-Galveston
Los Angeles
Middlesex-Somerset-Union
Nassau-Suffolk (Long Island)
New York
Philadelphia
Riverside-San Bernardino
San Francisco
San Jose
Washington, DC

Monthly Audience Estimates

Monthly audience estimates are available to all authorized users of PPM data via the PPM Radio Market Report (Arbitron PPM eBook^SM) and the PPM Analysis Tool^SM. Monthly audience estimates are also available via the Summary Data Set to authorized third-party processors and other authorized users of Arbitron's Summary Data Set.

PPM Weeklies (Weekly Audience Estimates)

Weekly audience estimates are available to authorized users of Arbitron's PPM Weeklies^SM service as soon as estimates for the survey week are processed for release.

This February 2009 PPM Presurvey Bulletin provides information relating to accredited and nonaccredited markets. At the time of this writing, Arbitron’s PPM methodology has been accredited by the Media Rating Council® (MRC) for:

Houston-Galveston (accredited January 2007)
Riverside-San Bernardino (accredited January 2009)

Users of Arbitron’s PPM data should be mindful that Arbitron initiates the accreditation process for each PPM market well in advance of the release of the market’s final currency Diary-based Radio Market Report. The amount of time from the release of a market’s first currency PPM Radio Market Report to MRC accreditation of that market may vary from market to market, and is dependent upon a host of business, research, and other considerations.

Users should also note that Arbitron has not sought accreditation for the PPM Weeklies service.

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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.

Metro Definition Re-evaluation Requests

Arbitron Metro Survey Area definitions are re-evaluated 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 re-evaluated 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 re-evaluations 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.

Alternate Recruitment Conversion

Prior to the February 2009 report period, recruitment of an alternative household ended immediately if the household refused during the recruitment call. Effective with the February 2009 report period, additional measures—including mailing a conversion letter and placing conversion calls—will be taken to attempt to convert households that initially refuse.

Addition to Quarterly Characteristic Updates

Quarterly Characteristic Update (QCU) phone calls are conducted with a household member who is 16 years or older. Effective with the February 2009 report period, panelists will be reminded during the calls to wear their meters at all times during waking hours and will be asked if they have experienced any problems with their meters. Panelists will also be reminded that they must not disclose the fact that they are PPM panelists to anyone affiliated with the media.

Bonus Incentive for New Panelists

Effective with the February 2009 report period, new panelists who exhibit high compliance and motion during their first four weeks after installation may be eligible for a special one-time bonus incentive. Flyers explaining the opportunity to receive additional performance-based bonuses will also be mailed to select panelists.

Cell-Phone-Only Sample Enhancement

Through the January 2009 report month, Radio First PPM markets have placed sample based on listed and unlisted telephone numbers.  Effective with the February 2009 report period, telephone-based sample will be augmented by address-based sample.  Households with landline telephones will continue to be selected and recruited based on telephone sampling. 

During the transition from RDD (Random Digit Dialing used to identify Cell-Phone-Only households) to address-frame sample for Cell-Phone-Only households, recruited sample will be used from both screening methods until all remaining Cell-Phone-Only RDD sample has been selected or expired.

In the address-frame process, which is similar to that announced for Diary markets, questionnaires are mailed to selected addresses. Any household that provides a phone number and indicates owning a cell phone, but no landline phone, will be eligible for sample selection in Radio First PPM markets.  Selected sample will be considered mailable and will receive the same pre-alert treatments as landline mailable sample. 

PPM Panel Demographic Data Editing

Select demographic data obtained from PPM panel households may be edited using specific manual and computer edit procedures.  While the majority of PPM panel household members are likely to answer demographic questions, responses from some panelists may be incomplete or absent.  In order to provide a demographic data set for each applicable panelist, Arbitron uses a variety of techniques to compile incomplete or absent demographic information.

Age Information

Panelists who decline to provide exact age are asked to provide an age group using Arbitron’s standard age group categories.  The panelist is then assigned the midpoint of that age group as his or her age.  In addition, although Arbitron does not report birth month as a demographic variable, Arbitron attempts to obtain birth month information from each panelist.  Where information on a panelist’s birth month is unavailable, Arbitron assigns a birth month for internal use.

Household Income/Education

Where necessary, education for Persons 18+ and household income are assigned via ascription using population percentages.  Ascription is a statistical procedure that assigns values, data, or characteristics based on the population distribution of the corresponding values, data, or characteristics.  For each question requiring ascription, the population distribution of the applicable characteristic in the market is used to assign a value to the nonresponding PPM panel household member.

Qualitative Ascription/Assignment Percentages

The percentages will be published for markets as they transition from Diary to PPM Pre-Currency.  Initially, the percentages for PPM markets will be available monthly on the Arbitron Web site.  The availability of this data will also be communicated in the “PPM Info” client e-newsletter. 

We initially anticipated publication, effective with the Holiday 2008 report period, of information indicating the percent of In-Tab sample subject to Panel Demographic Data Editing. Publication of these data has been rescheduled to begin later in 2009.

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:

Band ID	Station	Example
AM	Analog AM station	WAAA-AM
FM	Analog FM station	WBBB-FM
HA	Digital AM station (HD1)	WAAA-HA
HF	Digital FM station (HD1)	WBBB-HF
IA	Internet stream of an AM station	WAAA-IA
IF	Internet stream of an FM station	WBBB-IF
F2, F3	HD multicast station	WBBB-F2, WBBB-F3
G2, G3	The Internet stream of an HD multicast station	WBBB-G2, WBBB-G3

The Digital Radio Station 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 users 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.

Report users should be mindful that other Arbitron services (and/or services not provided directly by Arbitron but that utilize Arbitron data) may use other conventions for the labeling of Digital Radio Station estimates; please see the methodological information contained in the applicable service or report for additional information.

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.

Some Digital Radio stations, including HD multicast stations, Internet streams of radio stations, and satellite radio channels, have elected not to install Arbitron encoding equipment. Audience estimates are not available for unencoded stations of any kind (analog or digital) in any Arbitron PPM service. Station information for unencoded stations is not available in the PPM Station Encoding Preview, the PPM Radio Market Report, or other Arbitron PPM services.

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 whether they subscribe to any Arbitron service. Encoding equipment is also available for HD multicast stations and streaming Internet stations. Arbitron will generally provide encoding equipment for these stations at no cost, subject to limitations, to authorized users of Arbitron’s PPM data and by lease to other 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 backup 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, backup 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 also 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 Backup 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 backup 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 backup) 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.

Station information updates for February 2009 will be accepted through the last day of the report period (February 5–March 4).

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 authorized users.

© 2009 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 users 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 eBook^SM, PPM Analysis Tool^SM and PPM Weeklies^SM are marks of Arbitron Inc. Media Rating Council® is a registered mark of the Media Rating Council.