RBR's Daily Morning Epaper

Volume 23, Issue 68, Jim Carnegie, Editor & Publisher

Thursday Morning April 6th, 2006

Radio News ®

Couric jumps to CBS;
Will she do radio?
Katie Couric marked her 15th anniversary on NBC's "Today" show by announcing that she is leaving to anchor the "CBS Evening News." What does it mean for radio? The focus now is all on what she'll be doing on the TV side: Anchor and Managing Editor of the "CBS Evening News with Katie Couric," contributor to "60 Minutes" and anchor of primetime specials. But CBS News has traditionally used radio as an outlet for its main anchor as well, both to help promote the TV newscast and to give the anchor a forum for commentary that might be out of place in the context of the "CBS Evening News." Both Walter Cronkite and Dan Rather voiced weekday commentaries on the news for CBS Radio. No doubt Westwood One would have no trouble finding sponsors and station clearances for a regular radio commentary by Katie Couric.

RBR observation: No, we're not contradicting ourselves. We think a Couric commentary would do well on radio. But we stand by our previous observation that she is not a good fit for the "CBS Evening News" gig (4/5/06 RBR #67). As it did previously with Dan Rather, CBS has taken a very talented person and put them in a job they are ill-suited for. Will Couric prove us wrong? Only time and ratings will tell.

Inventories down 5.9% in March
Harris Nesbitt analyst Lee Westerfield's monthly number crunch of Media Monitors data shows radio spot loads down 5.9% for the top 10 markets. The good news is that the yield-per-minute is up 7-8% over a year ago, but Westerfield is becoming worried that some groups may miss their Q1 guidance. For all of 2005, inventory reductions were good news, as Clear Channel's Less is More initiative took hold and other groups followed suit. But Westerfield has been looking for a leveling off now that Less is More is more than a year old. While the 5.9% decrease for March was a modest improvement over the 7-10% declines of recent months, Westerfield says he doesn't yet see any indication of an upturn in radio ad growth overall. "We continue to anticipate a recovery in radio advertising growth to 3-5% levels no sooner than August-November months, based on an influx of political ads and comparatively easy commercial sport reduction comps during Q3 and Q4 last year," said the analyst. But near term, Westerfield thinks there could be some negative surprises from several radio groups when they report their Q1 revenues - - "notably Entercom and Emmis."

Cell phone-only households: The issue is real
While two of the finalists to become the next generation of radio ratings churn up their PR machines to battle over which is leading the field to incorporate cell phone-only (CPO) households into the sample, what's really important is that the issue has to be dealt with. Jacobs Media recently released results of its second annual web survey on technology issues. It found that the percentage of respondents with only a cell phone, no land line in their home, had grown to 21% from 17% a year earlier. While Paul Jacobs admits that the survey conducted over the Internet might not be reflective of the entire US population, what's important is the trend. "Let's not parse the numbers, and instead agree the CPO problem is of concern to youth formats, especially for Arbitron. And as our study suggests, it is gravitating to other formats and older listeners. As the economy gets shakier, more and more people are questioning the need for a land line and a cell phone," Jacobs said. Read the results of the Jacobs survey.

RBR observation: It's not even just cell phone-only households anymore. Also growing in popularity are VOIP (voice over Internet protocol) phone services, such as Vonage and Skype. Those function pretty much like land line phones, but are connected over the user's broadband Internet connection. You can use the same area code and number at your main residence and at your beach house three states away. Or, if you wish, you can get a number with a different area code than the one you actually live in. No matter what the number is, it's not going to show up in any phone book, so just like cell phones you will be off the radar screen for companies that survey based on phone numbers. The ratings companies have to move fast to catch up. CPO and VOIP households are here now and increasing in number daily.

Supremes likely to shy away
from electronic coverage
Supreme Court Justices Anthony M. Kennedy and Clarence Thomas were on Capitol Hill to discuss their annual budget request. In the course of that appearance, they were afforded an opportunity to discuss legislation allowing cameras in their courtroom. The verdict: Don't waste your time charging the camera battery pack just yet. The duo shared the opinion that the presence of cameras in the courtroom would affect the way they do business, and not for the better. Kennedy even made it a separation of powers issue, saying that Congress could allow cameras or not, but it has no right to step in and tell the Court how to conduct its own business. Thomas also indicated that the justices would prefer to retain what anonymity they currently enjoy away from the spotlight of the national electronic media eye. They noted that the degree of opposition varied among the other members of the bench, but that all agreed it was a matter for the justices, not Congress, to decide.

RBR observation: No doubt there is much rejoicing over at whatever they call the national association of courtroom sketch artists, if there even is such a thing (a quick search of the Internet makes it seem that the artists are a disparate bunch of rugged individualists who are loathe to band together). Justice David Souter's long-ago vow that cameras would be allowed in the court over his dead body does not bode well for those of us who would like to drag the court into the 21st Century. How nice for the justices, that they can conduct their affairs in peace and quiet, deciding matters of vital importance to the citizens who are paying their salaries, without any petty distractions like openness of process and public scrutiny (as if the Supreme Court Channel, if there ever is one, is going to be a ratings hog). Chief Justice John Roberts indicated last fall that he at least had an open mind about the presence of cameras in the court. Maybe all we need is a little more turnover on the bench to get a crew that is aware that the year 1789 and the technology of the 18th century have come and gone.

Video competition bill moves forward
"It is my intention to go to full committee with the work product of the subcommittee the first week that we're back after our next district work period - which will be about two and one half weeks from now." Those are the words of House Committee on Energy and Commerce Chairman Joe Barton (R-TX), and they refer to his intention to get a full committee vote on "Communications Opportunity, Promotion, and Enhancement Act of 2006" before the end of April. At press time, markup session in the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet was still in session. It was expected that amendments would strengthen language in the bill somewhat on the topics of assuring that Internet providers abide by the principles of network neutrality. Democrats and consumer watchdogs are also concerned that the original bill, without major changes involving the requirement that entrants into the MVPD business, primarily telcos, build out service to the entirety of any media market they enter. Consumer activists wrote a letter to the committee saying, "In short, the legislation not only fails to ensure that consumers will benefit from new video competition, it exposes them to the risk of higher cable and broadband rates, reduced service quality and reduced access to competitive choices offered via the Internet."

RBR observation: Not only would the bill as originally written allow telcos to "redline," or ignore portions of the communities they enter, thus denying those residents the benefits of competition, it would sock them twice by allowing incumbent cable companies to treat them differently than they do customers in their service area where telcos do move in, i.e. raise their rates or cut back service, if they want. There seems to be universal agreement on Capitol Hill on replacing the current patchwork local franchising regime with a national system which guarantees that the LFAs are fairly compensated for use of their rights of way. That alone should be a huge aid to telcos entering the business. If telcos are going to have right of way access, however, they, like cable, should be required to make sure all of the citizens have a chance to enjoy the benefits of their access. It just seems crazy to let telcos off the hook and, on top of that, undo the work cable has already done to bring MVPD service to everybody.

Radio hardly registers with Peabody judges
While local TV stations won accolades for their Hurricane Katrina coverage, with Peabody Awards going to WLOX-TV Biloxi, MS and WWL-TV New Orleans, along with NBC and CNN for Katrina-related coverage, no radio stations were so honored. In fact, radio was almost a no-show for the Peabodys this year, winning only two of the 32 awards announced yesterday - - and one of those was to Canada's CBC Radio. The only US winner was non-commercial WNYC-AM & FM New York for its "Radio Rookies" program. Here are the two radio winners.

Radio Rookies Project WNYC Radio, New York
Teenaged reporters pick up microphones and let down their guards in this series of remarkably immediate and illuminating first-person dispatches. WNYC Radio/Radio Rookies.

What If Winter Never Comes? (Et si l'hiver ne venait plus?) CBC/Radio-Canada
From the frontlines of global warming, the Arctic, this report brought listeners voices of native people, the Inuit, whose way of life is literally melting away. Deftly employed ambient sound enhanced the piece's power. La Premiere Chaine (French Radio Network) - CBC/Radio-Canada.

Ad Business Report TM

Las Vegas monorail moves forward with GM ad deal
The Las Vegas Monorail will become home to the nation's first "autotainment" experience when General Motors officially opens "The Drive" on 4/10. "The Drive," a hands-on driving experience for consumers, is located on 11 acres at the base of the Sahara Hotel & Casino monorail station. "The Drive" will feature two professionally designed driving courses, including a high-performance loop and an off-road adventure with two trails over a dirt terrain.
| Read More... |

Hispanic agencies honored for pro bono campaigns
The Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies (AHAA) recognized 16 member Hispanic advertising agencies for their pro bono work valued at more than 12.1 million for more than 25 media campaigns at its semi-annual conference "AHAA Knows Latinos: Insights on Media Behavior" this week in Los Angeles. LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa opened the exhibition and conference yesterday during the opening night reception recognizing the creative campaigns of these philanthropic agencies. Media work for organizations including March of Dimes, United Way, Heal the Bay, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Aids Foundation for Chicago and many others are being featured. AHAA members helped convey issues including birth defects, drug use, animal cruelty, spirituality, obesity, driving safety, environmental, child safety and others affecting the Hispanic population. The following AHAA members' pro bono campaigns are being showcased: :30 SEGUNDOS, LLC; Arvizu Advertising & Promotions; Bromley Communications; cruzkravetz: IDEAS; Dieste, Harmel & Partners; Enlace Communications, Inc.; Fusion Multicultural; Garcia 360 degrees; Interlex; K. Fernandez and Associates, LLC; La Agencia De Orci @ Asociados; Lapiz; Lopito Ileana & Howie, Inc.; Machado/Garcia-Serra (MGS) Communications; The San Jose Group; and Ofrenda, Inc.

NHL to launch "My Stanley Cup" campaign

New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, Nashville Predators forward Paul Kariya and Tampa Bay Lightning forward Martin St. Louis are among the NHL players who will be featured in a new campaign that will celebrate the start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Players from each of the 16 playoff-bound teams will appear in the "My Stanley Cup" ads, which will debut during the 4/8 NHL on NBC and will be in the US and Canada, including primetime on NBC and cable nets.
| Read More... |

Media Business Report TM

Online console and handheld gaming services
will see downloads replace subscription fees
According to a study by ABI Research, the online console gaming market is expected to migrate from its current subscription fee model to one in which game and content sales make up the majority of revenue. The technology market analyst forecasts that the overall market for gaming downloads for game consoles and handhelds will grow from less than USD 1M in 2005 to over USD 3.8B by 2011. Today's online console market - where Microsoft has an early lead with its well received Xbox Live service - is rapidly moving away from a largely fee-based model to one in which online content sales become the main business focus. The introduction of new gaming services from Sony and Nintendo that feature online gameplay as part of a free tier will help shift the overall market focus, and in the long run may require Microsoft to adjust. "Sony's new Playstation Network Platform - which will launch with its Playstation 3 console - and Nintendo's Wi-Fi Connection service for its Nintendo DS and Revolution, are changing the market for online console and handheld services," says principal analyst Michael Wolf. "With both of the dominant handheld gaming platforms and two of the next generation consoles doing away with fees for the majority of online gameplay, consumers will come to expect online multiplayer gaming as a core component included with the purchase of the game." As online gameplay moves to a free service model, game and content delivery will become the new focus. Microsoft's revamped Xbox Live, with its Live Arcade and Marketplace, has already increased take rates among those willing to pay for online gaming content. Sony, which plans to deliver game content through its PNP network, and Nintendo, with its Virtual Console game download service, will increase momentum in the online game download market.

Media Markets & Money TM

CapSan banks on the Carolina coast
Bill Whitlow and Jason Baker are entering the radio business under the name CapSan Media, and their first acquisition will be in North Carolina's Outer Banks (known to Arbitron as Elizabeth City-Nags Head). They'll be getting Convergent Media's FM foursome. The stations are WYND-FM, WFMZ-FM, WVOD-FM and WZPR-FM. According to brokerage firm Kalil & Co., Convergent still has an FM trio in Corpus Christi. No price was announced yet on the CapSan deal. According to documents filed with the FCC, Convergent cut three separate deals worth a total of 5.375M to put the quartet together.

Washington Media Business Report TM

WaPo wants to level 527s
There was one great big campaign cash loophole in 2004, big enough, to borrow a cliché from the lexicon of NFL play-by-play broadcasters, to drive a truck through - - and many trucks-drivers saddled up, notably MoveOn.org for the Democrats and Swift Boat Veterans for the Republicans. These so-called 527 groups (named after their place in the tax code) were able to collect unlimited amounts of money from donors and spend as much of it as they wanted on campaign advertising. The Washington Post is urging that this loophole be shut down. It notes the irony of the current situation. Generally, Democrats favor campaign restrictions, and Republicans do not. Not this time, though, because this was one loophole better exploited by Democrats last time around (thanks largely to George Soros). However, the Democrats are getting better at using the Internet to gather in small hard donations, and WaPo notes that the Republicans will surely close the gap on soft 527 money if the loophole is left open. So the playing field should be leveled and the loophole shut.

NAB Day Time Planner

	The following will be attending the NAB. Call or email to make your appointment in advance.

EQUIPMENT Les Kutasi, Sales Manager; Stainless, Booth #C2447, 215-631-1313, [email protected] BROKERS Todd Fowler/David Reeder/Gene Ferry, American Media Services, Bellagio, 843-972-2200, [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] Cliff Gardiner, Clifton Gardiner & Company, 303-758-6900, The Wynn Hotel, [email protected] Andy McClure/Dean LeGras, The Exline Company, The Wynn Hotel, 415-479-3484, [email protected] Frank Boyle, Frank Boyle & Co., LLC, Hilton Grand Vacations Villa, 703/765-8300, [email protected] Gordon Rice, Gordon Rice Associates, 843-884-3590, Treasure Island, [email protected] John L. Pierce, John Pierce & Company LLC, Mirage Hotel, 859-647-0101, cell 859-512-3015, [email protected]	Jamie Rasnick, John Pierce & Company LLC, Mirage Hotel, 859-647-0101, cell 513-252-1186, [email protected] Dick Kozacko/George Kimble, Kozacko Media Services, The Wynn Hotel, office 607-733-7138, cell 607-738-1219, [email protected] Elliot Evers/Brian Pryor/ Adam Altsuler/Tim Beach Media Venture Partners, LLC, 415-391-4877, [email protected], [email protected] Larry Patrick/Greg Guy, Patrick Communications, Bellagio, 410-740-0250, [email protected] Glenn Serafin, Serafin Bros., Aladdin Hotel, office 813-885-6060, cell 813-494-6875, [email protected] LAWYERS Gregg P. Skall Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, PLLC 202-857-4441, Wynn Hotel [email protected]

Ratings & Research

Arbitron chooses Vyvx for Project Apollo
Content distributor Vyvx announced that Arbitron has selected it as a preferred encoding and distribution provider of radio, television and other spots for national advertisers who are participating in the pilot panel of Project Apollo. Vyvx is applying one of the latest advances in PPM encoding technology - - an "enhanced multilayer" encoding algorithm - - that allows advertisers to embed a unique identifying code directly into their commercials. The commercial code co-exists with network-level AND station-level PPM encoding. All three codes can be tracked simultaneously by the 10th generation Arbitron PPM. The commercial code is also tracked even when a local station is not encoding for PPM at all. This last capability is especially important for the advertisers participating in the pilot panel of Project Apollo. No matter what local station that spots encoded for Project Apollo are broadcast on, the Portable People Meter can track them.

RBR Stats

Edmunds.com reports
Euro and Japanese
automakers spending
at record levels
Edmunds.com reported the average automotive manufacturer incentive in the US was USD2,510 per vehicle sold in March 2006, up USD162, or 7%, from February 2006, and down USD46, or nearly 2%, from March 2005. Edmunds.com's monthly True Cost of Incentives report takes into account all manufacturers' various U.S. incentives programs, including subvented interest rates and lease programs, as well as cash rebates to consumers and dealers. The industry's aggregate incentives spending is estimated to have totaled approximately 3.8 billion in March, up from nearly 3.0 billion in February. Chrysler, Ford and General Motors spent an aggregate of 2.73 billion, or 71% of the total; Japanese manufacturers spent 688 million, or 18%; European manufacturers spent 283 million, or seven%; and Korean manufacturers spent 129 million, or three%.
| Read More... |

Transactions

650K KJRG-AM Wichita KS (Newton KS) from KJRG Inc. (Daisyann Anderson) to Community Broadcasting Inc. (Richard P. Bott, Charles M. Watkins, Sherley E. Bott). 17.5K escrow, 282.5K cash at closing, 300K note, 50K non-compete. [File date 3/16/06.]

350K WADA-AM Shelby NC from Edwin K. Johnson to HRN Broadcasting Inc., a subsidiary of Kentucky Fried Chicken of Lincolnton Inc. (D. Mark Boyd III, W.G. Boyd, David M. Boyd). 35K down payment, balance in cash at closing. Superduopoly with WCSL-AM Cherryville, WOHS-AM Shelby. Cherryville station is in Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill Arbitron market; Shelby stations are not in any rated market. [File date 3/16/06.]

Stock Talk

Radio stocks down as Dow hits five-year high
Enthusiasm for stocks clearly does not extend to the media sector. Radio stocks were mostly lower on Wednesday as all three major market barometers - - the Dow Industrials, S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite - - closed at five-year highs. The Dow rose 36 points, or 0.3%, to 11,240.

The Radio Index, however, declined 0.608, or 0.4%, to 162.124. Radio One's Class A fell 2.7%, although its more widely traded Class D declined only 1.2%. Beasley was off 2.5%.

Radio Stocks

**Here's how stocks fared on Wednesday**
Company	Symbol	Close		Change	Company	Symbol	Close		Change
Arbitron	ARB		32.89	-0.39	Hearst-Argyle	HTV		23.20	-0.16
Beasley	BBGI		11.55	-0.30	Journal Comm.	JRN		12.35	-0.02
CBS CI. B	CBS		24.90	+0.13	Lincoln Natl.	LNC		57.71	+1.24
CBS CI. A	CBSa		24.97	+0.16	Radio One, Cl. A	ROIA		7.56	-0.21
Citadel	CDL		10.73	-0.14	Radio One, Cl. D	ROIAK		7.61	-0.09
Clear Channel	CCU		29.12	-0.05	Regent	RGCI		4.53	-0.13
Cox Radio	CXR		13.53	+0.12	Saga Commun.	SGA		9.00	-0.01
Cumulus	CMLS		11.25	+0.06	Salem Comm.	SALM		14.72	-0.07
Disney	DIS		27.79	-0.12	Sirius Sat. Radio	SIRI		5.04	-0.02
Emmis	EMMS		15.53	+0.09	Spanish Bcg.	SBSA		5.53	+0.03
Entercom	ETM		28.49	+0.25	Univision	UVN		34.75	-0.05
Entravision	EVC		9.09	+0.03	Westwood One	WON		10.79	-0.06
Fisher	FSCI		43.28	+0.04	XM Sat. Radio	XMSR		22.35	+0.74
Gaylord	GET		44.24	+0.06	-	-	-	-	-

Bounceback

Send Us Your Opinions We want to
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This is your column, so send your comments and
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Below the Fold

Ad Business Report
Las Vegas monorail moves
Forward with GM ad deal...

Media Business Report
Online console and handheld
Gaming services will see downloads replace subscription fees...

Media Markets & Money
CapSan banks on coast
That is the Carolina coast first acquisition - Outer Banks...

Washington Media Business Report
WaPo wants to level 527s
There was one great big campaign cash loophole in 2004...

Ratings & Research
Arbitron chooses Vyvx
For Project Apollo, a preferred encoding & distribution provider...

Arbitrends

Radio Media Moves

Ferguson retires
Dick Ferguson announced plans to retire as Executive Vice President of Cox Radio at the end of May. He is also not standing for re-election to the company's Board of Directors at the annual shareholders meeting next month. He will become a consultant to Cox Radio on acquisitions and station upgrades.

WW1 board changes
CBS CEO Les Moonves has resigned from the board of directors at Westwood One. Elected to fill the seat is WW1's new CFO, Walter Berger.

CEO opening
at Air America
Air America Radio announced that Danny Goldberg, who had been CEO, has been appointed Vice-Chairman of the network. As part of this transition, the board of directors has appointed Jim Wiggett as Acting CEO and has started a search for a permanent CEO.

Stations for Sale

Central Oregon Coast AM
Portland to Eugene Coverage
Northeast Utah Profitable FM
Move-in to Rated Market Possible
Cliff at Clifton Gardiner & Co
(303)758-6900
[email protected]

CA Central Coast Class A
Rated Market. Asking $1.5M
Nevada Class C1
Dual Market. Asking $950K
Brett Miller-MCH Enterprises, Inc.
(805) 237-0952
www.mchentinc.com

9 Station Cluster
Upstate New York
9x cash flow $6.5m
George Kimble - Kozacko Media
520-465-4302
[email protected]

RBR Radar 2006

Radio News you won't read any where else. RBR--First, Accurate, and Independently Owned.

End to cross-ownership ban
The Third Circuit affirmed the FCC's decision to allow broadcast properties to be owned in conjunction with newspaper assets in a single media market. That's the message FCC Chairman Kevin Martin delivered to the Newspaper Association of America. Martin wonders if a easing on cross-ownership restrictions may have been allowed if the issue had been addressed separately from the many other issues included in predecessor Michael Powell's omnibus ruling approach. For more and Martin's comments see
04/05/06 RBR #67

RBR News Analysis
Is Stern missing the point?
In Howard Stern's just-released interview with Entertainment Weekly, he was asked if it bothered him that most of his fans haven't followed him to Sirius from terrestrial radio? He responded: "It's insulting to me that everyone hasn't come with me. I take it personally...I want to say to my audience in this article, ''F--- you!
04/04/06 RBR #66

Good news, more good news and...oops
RAB/Miller Kaplan & Arase numbers, February national radio sales made gains over the same month in 2005. And non-spot revenue enjoyed a double-digit surge. However, the categories were not strong enough to overcome a 3% drop in local business and prevent an overall plunge into the red ink....Again.

RBR observation: Weak February results were no surprise if you've been listening to quarterly conference calls. It didn't seem like anybody at all was happy with the way the month was going. There was more optimism looking ahead, but others see more gray clouds. It's going to take hard work and out-of-the-box thinking to turn this around - - maybe the silver lining will be lessons learned will ultimately strengthen the industry.

Publisher note: Thinking out of the box yes but also, do not forget to fix what is inside the box. Radio has to boot strap rebuild from the marketing ground level. I have had these discussions with a number of CEO's and referring back to the recent BIA flow chart radio has to form stronger allies and these same CEO's have to get on the playing field as a radio team.
04/04/06 RBR #66

Most radio stocks fell in Q1
With radio pacings still struggling against what were supposed to be easy comps from 2005, it's hardly surprising that the public radio stocks didn't perform well in Q1 of 2006. Of the 28 terrestrial and satellite radio stocks in RBR's chart, only six were up for the quarter. Read and weep
04/04/06 RBR #66

Slow growth? Get used to it
Radio revenues will grow more this year than last year's almost no-growth pace, but only 2.2%. if you're waiting for radio to return to "normal" growth in the mid single digits, he doesn't see that happening any year this decade. Blaming it on increased competition for listeners and, in some cases, advertising dollars, from iPods, satellite radio, the Internet and other new digital devices - - a trend is expected to continue.

RBR observation: Recommendation is to track your pacing is always to compare comparable markets. Review the data and print the chart from this report.
04/0/3/06 RBR #65

Will radio pay for payola settlement?
According to reports, four of radio biggest companies - - Clear Channel, CBS, Citadel and Entercom - - have been in very hush-hush negotiations with the Commission on a settlement. Hush-hush remains the operative word - - nobody seems to want to go on the record - - but it would appear that the consent decree approach is the avenue being pursued. According to the New York Times, Clear Channel is said to have upped the ante to 1.5M-3M after prior bids in the 500K-1M range were rebuffed. There was no speculation on amounts for other smaller groups.

RBR observation: If a consent decree is indeed the way this goes down, it will allow the FCC to come to the aid of its country by getting its clientele to help defray the national debt. The radio companies themselves would at least cap their legal expenses, and, on the major plus side, would not be, in essence, "confessing" to any crimes or misdemeanors. (There is more)
04/0/3/06 RBR #65

Diaries aren't going away
Arbitron Radio Advisory Council notes that diaries are going to be around for some time in many markets. So, Council members were also focused on diary ratings quality. The Council was unanimous in agreeing that MRC accreditation is critical before PPM can go forward.

RBR observation: Yes to the Advisory Council for getting all this brooHaHa of recent headlines and massive PR blitz by Cinderella knockoffs in some perspective and setting a focus on reality for the entire radio business dealing with ratings. Ratings for right now and for tomorrow demonstrating the best interest for the total medium. Arbitron also gets the congrats for listening and demonstrating the willing to work with instead of against their clients best interest. This is what your Advisory Council is for and they did their job for ya radio.
03/31/06 RBR #64

Advisory Council puts
MRC hold on PPM
Arbitron Radio Advisory Council insisted that Media Ratings Council (MRC) accreditation is absolutely essential before Arbitron's Portable People Meter (PPM) can be commercially deployed for radio ratings in the US. Arbitron has accepted that position and agreed not to begin using PPM as a ratings currency until it gets the MRC stamp of approval. That could mean that Arbitron's announced plan to launch PPM commercially this July in Houston will be delayed.

RBR observation: But then, Arbitron is far ahead of its would-be competitors in the Next-Generation Electronic Ratings Evaluation Team as far as the MRC is concerned. The Media Audit/Ipsos has just begun the MRC accreditation process, while PPM is well along in Houston. Mediamark Research hasn't yet scheduled a US test which could be used for MRC auditing. This is good common sense thinking and decisions on all sides of this table for Arbitron and the radio business.
03/30/06 RBR #63

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