CONTENTS PPM Markets Market Changes Condensed Market Enhancements Spring 2008 Response Rate and Sample Representation Initiatives Response Rate Calculation Updated Key Dates Station Information Updates During the Winter 2008 Survey Print-friendly version More Presurvey Bulletins

Radio Presurvey Bulletin,
Spring 2008

This bulletin provides radio stations and other users of Arbitron services with information regarding Spring 2008 survey specification changes and key dates

PPM™ Markets

Concurrent Diary Measurement and PPM Measurement in Three Markets
During the Spring 2008 survey, Arbitron will continue measuring the markets below using Arbitron’s Diary methodology, while separately measuring the markets listed below electronically using Arbitron’s Portable People Meter™ (PPM). During this interval, Arbitron’s audience estimates based on Diary measurement will remain the “Currency” for the these markets.

New York
Nassau-Suffolk (Long Island)
Middlesex-Somerset-Union

Additional Information Available on PPM Markets
Information on other Arbitron PPM markets and on the Arbitron PPM service in general is available in the separate PPM Survey Bulletin. Information is also available at: http://www.arbitron.com/portable_people_meters/home.htm.

Market Changes

Condensed Market Added
One new Condensed market is added, effective with the Spring 2008 survey. This market will be surveyed each Spring and Fall, as part of the Qualitative Diary Service. Effective Fall 2008, audience estimates for this market will reflect a two-book average of the most recent Spring and Fall surveys.

Condensed Market Cancelled
The following Condensed market is cancelled, effective Spring 2008:

The Florida Keys, FL

Metro Definition Change
The Metro definition of one Condensed market changes, effective with the Spring 2008 survey:

TSA Definition Change
The non-Metro TSA definition of one Condensed market changes, effective with the Spring 2008 survey

Geographic Splits Established
The following geographic Metro county splits are established, effective with the Spring 2008 survey:

High Density Hispanic Area (HDHA) Criteria
Effective with the Spring 2008 survey, a county is eligible for a High Density Hispanic Area (HDHA) when the county meets both of the following criteria:

• The county must contain at least one ZIP Code whose population is at least 40 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.

Ethnic Controls Added
Five markets qualify for new Ethnic Controls effective with the Spring 2008 survey:

High Density Area (HDA) Established
A High Density Area (HDA) is established in the following Metro counties, effective with the Spring 2008 survey:

Ethnic Split Added
The following ethnically split Metro counties have new ethnic split portions, effective with the Spring 2008 survey:

Ethnic Split Removed
The following ethnically split Metro counties have ethnic split portions that are removed, effective with the Spring 2008 survey:

Ethnic Splits Collapsed
The following ethnically split Metro counties are collapsed, effective with the Spring 2008 survey:

Metro In-Tab Target Increase
One Standard market receives a Metro target increase effective with the Spring 2008 survey:

Condensed Market Enhancements

Sample Increase in Forty-Five Condensed Markets
Arbitron increased the Metro in-tab target in the 45 Condensed markets identified below, effective with the Fall 2007 survey. These increases are based on Arbitron’s review of sample sizes and are intended to help ensure reliability of audience estimates in the selected markets comparable with that for other Arbitron markets of similar size.

Spring/Fall Multi-Book Reports Continue in Condensed Markets
Arbitron’s Condensed Market Initiative, introduced in 2005, will continue to provide currency estimates (in non-embedded Condensed markets) twice each year that reflect a two-book average of listening in the most recent Spring and Fall survey periods. A second “stage” of the initiative, anticipated when the initiative was first announced, is no longer scheduled to be implemented.

Spring 2008 Response Rate and Sample Representation Initiatives

Second Chance Diary
Effective with the Spring 2008 survey, agreeing households who have not returned any diaries (usable or unusable) will be re-contacted to gain their consent to participate in Arbitron’s Radio Ratings Survey during a subsequent survey week. The “Second Chance” survey week occurs six weeks after the survey week for which the household originally consented. The Second Chance survey week can therefore occur in a subsequent survey period (e.g., original week in Spring and Second Chance survey week in Summer). All continuously-measured Metro markets are eligible for the Second Chance Diary Treatment.

Promised Incentive Extended
Effective with the Spring 2008 survey, Arbitron is expanding Promised Incentive to non-continuously measured markets for which the Male 18-34 proportionality index is less than 60, averaged across the most recent two surveys. At recruitment, households with young male respondents, aged 18-34, are promised an additional premium for each returned diary.

Response Rate Calculation Updated

Response Rate Calculation
Effective with the Spring 2008 survey, the response rate calculation has been updated. Changes will include new adjustment factors for phone numbers of unknown residential status, based on a Fall 2007 sample usability study. Two response rates will be reported in Arbitron Radio Market Report (eBookSM)—an unweighted response rate as currently reported and a weighted response rate incorporating household probability of selection.

In addition, with the implementation of Second Chance Diary, some potential respondents may be carried over into the next survey. Those respondents are not counted in the response rate for the first survey, but will count in the response rate of the survey of their final disposition. There is one exception to the new calculation, which was necessary to prevent the artificial inflation of the Winter response rate. Respondents carried over from Winter 2008 will count in both the Winter 2008 and Spring 2008 surveys.

Key Dates

Station Information Updates During the Spring 2008 Survey

Please remember to notify Arbitron in writing immediately of any call letter, Station Name, or other facility changes that occur at your station during the survey (April 3–June 25). Station updates that should be forwarded to Arbitron include:

*Winter 2008 status used for Spring 2008 Phase 1.
**Diary edit information is not retroactive and becomes effective upon our receipt.

Please address updates to:

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

Fax: (410) 312-8619

Station information updates will be accepted through June 25. All updates will be acknowledged by letter or postcard. If you do not receive an update confirmation postcard, please contact Radio Station Relations at (410) 312-8062.

Station Information Profiles on file with Arbitron for the Spring 2008 survey can be reviewed online at www.ArbitronRadio.com. Click the Station Information Profiles link, and enter the call letters of the station you want to review.

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.

ArbitrendsSM, eBook SM , Arbitron Portable People Meter™ and PPM™ are marks of Arbitron Inc.