At the request of the radio advisory council, Arbitron re-evaluated its policies regarding total line reporting (TLR) specific to streams. After some evaluation, effective with the Summer Diary survey and July PPM report period, a stream will not be required to simulcast any content outside the over-the-air station’s home Metro and DMA to be eligible for TLR. The stream must simulcast 100% of its content inside the over-the-air station’s home Metro and DMA. The following alert was sent to Arbitron clients:
Internet Stream Total Line Reporting New Policy for Summer 2013
Over-the-air stations and streams that simulcast have been eligible for Total Line Reporting (TLR) for a number of years. Combos that receive TLR are reported with a combined total line using the “primary” station’s call letters, selected by the combo from among the over-the-air stations.
Until May 2013, in order to be eligible for TLR, a stream had to simulcast 100% with its over-the-air partner, including any commercials, throughout the stream’s reach. Starting May 2013, Arbitron introduced a change in the policy that enables a stream to receive TLR while substituting commercials outside the home market of its over-the-air partner, subject to certain restrictions. After carefully reviewing this policy and with input from the Radio Advisory Council, Arbitron is modifying this policy to provide greater flexibility to stations that stream.
New TLR Policy for Out-of-Market Streaming
Starting with the July 2013 PPM report month and Summer 2013 Diary survey, a stream is eligible for TLR as long as the stream simulcasts all content 100%, including commercials, in the home Metro and DMA of its over-the-air partner. Under this new policy, the stream is not required to simulcast any content outside the over-the-air station’s home Metro and DMA.
The 100% simulcast requirement for streams will remain in effect in the over-the-air station’s Metro and DMA. Over-the-air stations requesting TLR with one another will also need to simulcast 100% without exception, as required under the long-standing Arbitron TLR policy.
Requesting TLR for Streams
An eligible station with a stream may request TLR on the quarterly Station Information Packet by checking the boxes in the Internet section of the Station Information Form. An Arbitron staff member will contact the station to verify the request. A station may also request TLR via an email to Arbitron Radio Station Relations.
Station Reporting
Total line estimates will be reported for a combo in any market in which the combo meets the applicable Minimum Reporting Standard. The combo’s estimates are reported with the primary station’s call letters, regardless of the amount of listening the respective partners contribute.
Individual station estimates are not reported for combos that receive TLR in any syndicated Arbitron service. Individual station estimates are available to the owner of a subscribing TLR combo on a limited basis for the combo’s internal use.
