We asked some agency folks about the news (see Radio News) that The MRC has denied PPM accreditation for Philly and New York. What does the news mean to the rollout of PPM? What does it mean to buyers and planners that use radio and have been behind PPM?
One buyer said it really isn’t big news "This was done a while again and what has Arbitron done? They announced they will take six months to fix PPM after the Houston fracas. Philadelphia and New York was the reason. Some of the radio station and agency clients lost faith in PPM as well. It is about support of their clients and of the MRC – not just the data being right or wrong."
After the six months of working with the MRC, stations and agencies, Arbitron is likely to gain that support back, but it may set the rollout schedule back a few paces, that’s for sure.
Another thought having another MRC audit down the line would be good, based on the changes that Arbitron intends to make to the whole process.
Yet another said Arbitron needed to introduce PPM as quickly as possible to prevent Media Audit from gaining ground: "The industry, not understanding the motivation—mistaking it for trying to improve the diary—and wanting to jump on the progress bandwagon–allowed and encouraged this advance before the product was ready to go to market. Arbitron’s spin was they were progress—anyone who resisted for any reason was anti-progress—and voila—this mess."
