While we ponder the PPM here is the US, there is ongoing testing of numerous electronic measurement technologies for radio listening in the UK. According to the recent RAJAR (the UK's dominant radio ratings company) newsletter, RAJAR successfully issued its RFP in July for new listening gathering technologies and has delivered copies of the new specification to all interested parties.

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Excerpts from the newsletter

The specification is demanding and broad, inviting would-be contractors to create proposals for the survey based upon a choice of methodologies. It challenges them to deliver specific structures and pricing across a wide variety of options. Expressions of interest were received from seven different companies.

RAJAR also commissioned a feasibility study looking at possible hybrid solutions. Should a hybrid survey, comprising mixed methodologies, be the only financially viable route, then a further mini specification will be published at the end of the year.

In the meantime the audiometer testing process has continued under scrutiny of independent engineers and RAJAR. TNS is now nearing the end of the test panel with the Arbitron PPM comprising 750 participants. This will be completed by the end of October. TNS have already accumulated 12 weeks of fieldwork for the PPM used in sweep mode with 1,400 adults and children, assessing placement progress, compliance levels and recording live data for over 50 stations.

GfK/NOP World are currently half way through their fieldwork placements with the Eurisko meter. Early problems with the re-charger and voice recognition system, coupled with unfortunate timing when interviewers initially tried to place the meters during the week of the London bombings, caused some delays. These issues have now been resolved and results will be completed at the end of October. The Eurisko meter has been back into the laboratory and successfully passed technical tests designed to ascertain the meter's ability to simulate normal hearing capability and differentiate platforms with very minor delays to transmission.

The IPSOS meter was still under development when it came into the laboratory for RAJAR tests. Using software within a mobile phone, it is designed to detect inaudible codes in a similar fashion to the Arbitron PPM. It showed the early promise expected, but further development is needed prior to any "golden ears" test or fieldwork placements. Whether they will make the rapid progress necessary to meet the deadlines prescribed by RAJAR remains to be seen.

It is now likely that the meter results and tenders will come back to RAJAR at the end of the year and any assessment of the data and proposals may not be completed until early in 2006.

One of the options within the new specification is to support field activity for these key demographics (15-24's, 25-34's) with PDAs and web diaries. Rather than wait for a new survey, RAJAR is pressing ahead with an immediate trial in Q4 '05, with a view to further enhancing the existing survey, if possible, ahead of the introduction of a new contract.