FCC voids resolutions calling for investigation of Arbitron's PPM system

From Radio Ink
(July 7, 2008) Citing violations of the law's "openness" provisions, the FCC has set aside the resolutions made at the FCC Advisory Committee on Diversity for Communications in the Digital Age's July 2 telephone meeting -- including the committee's resolution requesting that the FCC investigate the Portable People Meter on the grounds that it "may not accurately measure minority audiences." The FCC ruled that, because the public had no opportunity to participate, the resolutions made at the meeting were void.

Arbitron has responded to reports that it engaged in maneuvering to get the resolution set aside, saying in a statement that those reports are "an insult to the integrity of the FCC, which is properly insisting on compliance with the law."

The statement continues, "Such allegations also are an insult to the integrity of Arbitron, which has participated in countless numbers of forums to discuss the extraordinary efforts the company makes to properly represent the diversity of the radio audience in its listener surveys."

Arbitron says it has "aggressively reached out" to meet with advocacy groups and hosted FCC commissioners at its Columbia, MD headquarters to discuss the PPM.

The statement goes on, "Arbitron is happy to continue its dialogue with the minority community and the FCC about the advantages the Portable People Meter brings to radio. Experience has shown that PPM ratings are more reliable than systems that rely on memory and are prone to human error and bias. "

Arbitron says its PPM samples "fully represent the diversity of the markets Arbitron measures in terms of age, sex, race, ethnicity, and language preference" and notes that " Hispanics and African Americans have the highest listening levels in the PPM system."


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