Radio Total Survey Area (TSA) Definition Changes Effective with Fall 2007 Survey

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Arbitron has just completed its biennial review of Total Survey Area definitions for all 299 Fall 2007 radio markets. This TSA Update is based on an analysis of data returned in all syndicated in-tab diaries returned for the 2006 calendar year.

The attached list of changes to TSA definitions will be effective with the Fall 2007 through Spring 2009 quarterly surveys. (The last update was based on all in-tab diaries returned for the 2004 calendar year and was effective Fall 2005 through Spring 2007. TSA geographies are measured in Spring and Fall only.)

In the process of defining a TSA, the separate segments of geographically split counties, including independent cities, are each considered as individual “counties.” The opposite is true for ethnically-split counties. Because of the size of the sampling units, and because they may not be contiguous geographic areas, the separate segments of ethnically split counties are considered parts of the larger county.

Total Survey Area Definitions and Qualification Criteria

The TSA of a radio market is a contiguous area consisting of the Metro Survey Area and all adjacent counties in which each of the following is true:

  1. a minimum of 10 in-tab diaries were returned from the county;
  2. Metro-licensed stations1 cumulatively received a minimum of 10 diary mentions in diaries returned from the county; and
  3. mentions to the Metro-licensed stations account for at least 15 percent of the total mentions to all stations in that county (14.5 rounds to 15).

Alternate Qualification Criteria

A county that does not meet the qualification criteria outlined above may still be added to the TSA if:

  1. at least 20 percent of its station mentions are to Metro-licensed stations, regardless of the number of in-tab diaries and/or number of mentions to Metro-licensed stations (14.5 rounds to 15); or
  2. approximately 75 percent of the county’s border is contiguous with other counties in the TSA.

Total Survey Area Retention Criteria

In order to stabilize market TSA definitions from one review cycle to the next, Arbitron has adjusted the criteria for retaining a county within a TSA lower than those of the initial TSA qualification criteria. A county will be retained in a TSA if each of the following is true:

  1. a minimum of 10 in-tab diaries were returned from the county;
  2. Metro-licensed stations cumulatively received a minimum of 10 diary mentions, and the mentions to Metro-licensed stations account for at least 10 percent of the total mentions to all stations from that county (9.5 rounds to 10); and
  3. Metro-licensed stations cumulatively received fewer than 10 diary mentions, but the mentions to Metro-licensed stations account for at least 10 percent of the total mentions to all stations from that county (9.5 rounds to 10).
Arbitron reserves the right to exercise its professional research judgment in modifying, suspending and/or waiving any criteria in cases where the strict application of the criteria would, in Arbitron’s judgment, produce illogical survey area configurations or would adversely affect the quality and/or utility of the reported audience estimates.

Other Considerations

A county from which fewer than 10 in-tab diaries were returned generally will not be added to, or deleted from, a TSA. Unlike DMA®s, TSAs are contiguous geographies. Therefore, a county will be excluded from a TSA if it is not contiguous with the rest of that market’s TSA, regardless of its having met any of the above-mentioned criteria.

TSA counties and county equivalents are currently ineligible to be updated if:

  1. the county (or county equivalent) is included in the TSA of a non-embedded Condensed market;
  2. the county is electronically measured as part of the Arbitron PPM™ service; or
  3. the county is part of a market scheduled to become a PPM Pre-Currency market within the next 12 months.

For Additional Information

Broadcaster or agency requests for information regarding the attached changes can be directed to your Arbitron representative or to David Johnston at (410) 312-8411 or david.johnston@arbitron.com.

1Metro-licensed stations refer to stations that are considered Home to an Arbitron Metro. Stations that are FCC-licensed to a city located within an Arbitron radio Metro generally are reported as Home to that Metro. In addition, a station that is not FCC-licensed to a Metro city but identifies with a Metro city may be listed as Home to that Metro (or “above-the-line”) in that market’s Radio Market Report if the station uses its FCC city and its alternate city ID together in a station identifier at least once per hour throughout the survey period; and specifically requests Metro Home status in writing by contacting Arbitron’s Radio Station Relations staff.  

PPM™ is a registered service of Arbitron inc. DMA® is a registered service mark of Nielsen Media Research, Inc., and is used pursuant to a license from Nielsen Media Research, Inc.

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