Arbitron is fixing its latest PPM data for Houston, after omitting data for KKHH-FM. The CBS Radio station recently changed call letters from KHJZ. The company discovered the error itself and alerted clients. However, this is the second time that Arbitron has had to correct PPM data errors in Houston, so RBR/TVBR asked what’s being done to prevent a third.
Here’s what Arbitron told us:
“On two occasions (once in 2007 and once in 2008), Arbitron’s Houston-Galveston Weeklies estimates required remedial action. Although these two instances may appear similar on the surface, they were different in a number of important ways and Arbitron has taken steps in both instances to help preserve the integrity of the estimates.
Weeklies data for August 2007 Week 1 was reissued after we discovered that technical factors had resulted in a data file not being fully loaded. We took steps to help ensure that barriers to successful file loading would be eliminated in the future, and there has been no subsequent recurrence of this type for any PPM report.
Weeklies data for April 2008 Week 2 required the release of audience estimates for a station that had been omitted from the original release. This resulted from a call letter change that was made retroactively effective to accommodate the date on-air usage of the call letters began. We are reviewing our policies regarding call letter change effective dates, to determine how best to provide stations with flexibility (in reporting station information changes), while accommodating the need for timeliness associated with weekly data releases.
We continue to review all of our processes and procedures for any potential improvements we can bring to our service.”
