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

Market Specification Changes

No changes in ethnic controls or market definition are planned for any of the above PPM radio markets during the June 2008 report period. Please note that in Diary markets in which PPM panels have not been installed, a change in the High Density Hispanic Area (HDHA) Criteria was implemented with the Spring 2008 Diary survey period (See Spring 2008 Presurvey Bulletin for details.) These changes have not been implemented in any of the 14 markets referenced above (i.e., markets in which PPM panels have been installed.)

Methodological Enhancements and Sampling Initiatives

Enhanced Premiums for Households with Persons 18-34
Effective October 2007, all panelists in households with at least one Person 18-24 began receiving an enhanced weekly performance bonus for meeting specified motion criteria. Effective February 2008, the weekly performance incentive for all panelists in households with at least one Person 18-24 was further enhanced.

Household Moves
From the October 2007 through April 2008, panelist households in Philadelphia and NY that moved after joining the panel were deinstalled. These households were replaced with new sample from the same geography. Effective May 2008, Arbitron retains panelist households that move either before or after joining the panel, if those households remain within the defined Metro area. Although a minor reduction in panel turnover may occur (from additional retention of movers within the Metro), given the continuous potential for some moving households to be retained from October 2007 onward, no systematic impact on representation or ratings is anticipated.

Impact of Enhanced Procedure to Improve Validity of Media Code Matching
Effective with the November 2007 report period, Arbitron implemented enhanced procedures to credit closely matching codes. These procedures reduce the likelihood that a media code will be incorrectly attributed. An impact analysis of this procedure found that it had no significant impact on AQH ratings, but affected Cume ratings such that on average, station Cume ratings indexed at 97% to the ratings without the enhanced procedure. Both effects were consistent across standard demographic groups and formats.

Deinstallation of Non-Matching Alternates
To be eligible for inclusion in the in-tab sample, Alternate households must match a refusing Basic household’s pre-designated characteristics. If the characteristics cease to match as a result of changes in the characteristics of either household, the Alternate household becomes ineligible for inclusion in the in-tab sample. The addition of matching characteristics, or an update in demographic ascription rates (i.e., the probabilities used to ascribe demographic characteristics to refusing Basic households), may result in households no longer matching. Arbitron will deinstall Alternate households that no longer have a corresponding Basic household. Such households are deinstalled gradually over a period of up to 60 days, resulting from natural turnover and, as necessary, from scheduled deinstallation of random households for whom demographic characteristics were ascribed. At the end of the specified period, any remaining non-matching Alternate households are deinstalled.

Expanded Alternate Sample Pool
Effective during the February 2008 report period, Arbitron modified its procedures for selecting alternate sample to expand the pool of potential eligible panelists. Prior to February 2008, potential alternates were interviewed in a sample preparation call only in response to a specific existing need, and became ineligible for future selection if their characteristics did not match the needed characteristics. Effective February 2008, potential alternates are interviewed at random, and remain eligible for selection should a specific need emerge for which their characteristics match.

Expanded Matching Characteristics
As of March 2008, Arbitron introduced the presence of Persons 25-34 within a household as a Basic/Alternate matching characteristicin all “Radio First” PPM markets. This allows an increased sampling rate for households containing Persons 25-34 and improved representation of Persons 25-34 and Persons 18-34 in the in-tab sample. As this maintains our random sampling methodology, no systematic impact on ratings is anticipated.

Time-Comparison Enhancement
Effective April 24, 2008, additional panelists’ Meters may potentially be eligible for inclusion in daily in-tab. Prior to April 24, meters were ineligible for inclusion in daily in-tab if the time indicated by a Meter’s internal clock, during docking and recharging, differed by one or more minutes from the time indicated in the corresponding recharger. Effective April 24, an otherwise eligible panelist’s Meter will be included in daily in-tab if the variance between the Meter’s internal clock and the recharger clock is five minutes or less. (Variance of more than five minutes will continue to result in the exclusion of the meter from daily in-tab.) Although this may potentially result in an increase in daily in-tab, we do not anticipate a substantial increase.  No substantial change in the amount of time-shifted listening is anticipated.  

Consistency in Matching Characteristics Across Markets
To maintain consistency in the criteria for Basic/Alternate matching characteristics in all Radio First markets, effective May 2008, Race/Ethnicity was removed as a Basic/Alternate matching characteristic in Philadelphia. Effective with this change, the Basic/Alternate matching characteristics utilized in all Radio First markets are: geography, presence of at least one Person 18-24 in the household, and presence of at least one Person 25-34 in the household. Based on experience in other markets, no negative impact on Race/Ethnicity is expected. The reduction of matching characteristics is expected to allow for more rapid progress on the representation of young adult (Persons 18-34) in the in-tab sample. As this maintains our random sampling methodology, and the post-stratification sample balancing model remains unchanged, no systematic impact on ratings is anticipated

Special Welcome Letter Added
Effective May 2008, all panelists 13+ receive a special “Welcome” letter after recruitment and equipment shipment.

Travel Recharger Information
Effective May 2008, all panelists 13+ are provided information and instructions regarding the availability of travel chargers.

Updated SPI Eligibility Estimation
Effective with the June 2008 report month, we are updating the calculation used to determine usable sample (i.e., the denominator for the SPI calculation). We expect that this adjustment will result in an improvement in reported SPI levels.  

Concierge Service
As an additional incentive for participation, effective May 2008, a free wake-up reminder service has been made available to all panelists in households with at least one Person 18-34 in Houston, New York, and Philadelphia.

Recruitment Communication Enhancements
Effective during the June 2008 report period, recruitment and recruitment conversion mailings are scheduled to include the following enhancements:

• Mention of Time magazine’s designation of PPM as the 2007 invention of the year will be added to all recruitment mailings.
• The money sleeve design will be changed and a “thank you” card will be added to Promised Incentive Recruitment mailings.
• A "Frequently Asked Questions" insert will be added to recruitment conversion mailings.;

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. 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 measurement 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.

Total Line Reporting

Broadcasters are reminded that, in order to be eligible for Total Line Reporting for any PPM survey month, stations must simulcast all programming 100%, including commercials, throughout the three-month interval corresponding to Arbitron’s quarterly survey period.

Encoding

Arbitron will provide encoding equipment at no cost for each eligible AM or FM station that chooses to encode. AM and FM stations are eligible to encode their signals, and to receive encoding equipment, regardless of subscriber status. Encoding equipment will also be available for HD-Multicast stations and streaming Internet stations (scheduled to become eligible for reporting after the report periods covered in this bulletin). 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 non-subscribers 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 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 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 encoders) and in-station encoding monitor as soon as possible.

• The equipment is tested.
  Once the equipment is installed, the station 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 changes.
  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 June 2008 will be accepted through the last day of the report period (May 29–June 25).

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.

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.

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