Arbitron agrees to targets for diary markets

As the Arbitron Radio Advisory Council (RAC) concluded its final 2008 meeting in Annapolis, MD, the ratings company named the 50 diary markets which will get cell phone-only household recruiting for the Spring 2009 book. Arbitron has also committed to a sample benchmark for 18-54 delivery in diary markets, a move which had been sought by the RAC after seeing them used in Portable People Meter markets.

Beginning with the Fall 2008 survey, Arbitron is committed to an 80 Designated Delivery Index (DDI) benchmark for the 18-54 demo in its diary markets. The company also pledged to set an 18-34 benchmark by next September.

“The Council commends Arbitron for a significant and aggressive program to improve sampling in sales demos in diary markets,” said outgoing RAC Chair Chuck DuCoty, COO of NRG Media. He note that the hope is that what is now a benchmark will lead to a money-back guarantee in 18-54 for diary markets as Arbitron has already done for PPM markets.
 
One big initiative to improve sampling in the younger demos is to recruit diary-keepers from households which only have cellular telephone service. Arbitron last month stepped up its schedule and said 50 diary markets would have cell phone-only households included in the mix for the Spring 2009 survey (rather than Fall 2009). Those markets – the 50 with the poorest 18-34 performance – have now been named.

Spring 2009 Cell-Phone-Only Diary Markets 

Source: Arbitron

An additional 75 diary markets will get cell phone-only household sampling with the Fall 2009 survey.

With PPM hitting its benchmarks, this week’s RAC meeting focused primarily on diary issues. Yes, there are issues with PPM, but they are now before the Media Rating Council and in the courts, DuCoty noted.

The NRG Media COO has wrapped up his year of chairing the RAC, and what an eventful year it was, with so many changes implemented – first for PPM and then for diary markets. Succeeding DuCoty when the RAC meets next April is newly elected Chair Lisa Decker, Senior Vice President-Western Mid-Sized Markets, CBS Radio. Doug Abernethy, VP/GM of Radio One’s Houston cluster is the incoming Vice Chair and DuCoty will continue to be an officer as immediate past chairman.

Elected via ballots from eligible stations to three year terms beginning in January are:

Bruce Demps, Radio One Atlanta – Black/Urban Format/Top 100 Market
Don Benson, Lincoln Financial Media – Continuous-Service Markets 1–50 
Mike Haile, WDWS-AM & WHMS-FM Champaign, IL – Small Market Condensed

Also appointed to designated seats on the Arbitron Radio Advisory Council:

Gerry Boehme, EVP, Katz Media Group – Researcher
Jeff Haley, President/CEO, Radio Advertising Bureau – At Large
Jess Hanson, SVP/Research, Clear Channel Radio – Group Researcher
Lucy Hughes, SVP, Research, CBS Radio – Top 5 Group
Buzz Knight, Vice President, Program Development, Greater Media – Group Programming

RBR/TVBR observation: So, what’s left? That was a serious question in the post-RAC meeting conference call with RBR/TVBR and other trade press. Outgoing RAC Chair Chuck DuCoty notes that the proof is in the pudding, so he’ll wait to see the results from the initiatives in diary markets. And then there’s the future – and just how radio listening will be measured in the markets that now have diaries. Will PPM get a lot cheaper? Or is there another answer?