Posted by chicagomedia.org on November 27, 2007 at 13:11:52:
Radio's brave new world will just have to wait a while longer.
Faced with a growing chorus of complaints from clients, radio industry groups and community organizations, Arbitron Inc. has decided that its new elechicagomedia.orgonic method of gathering ratings isn't quite ready for prime time yet.
The New York-based company announced Monday that it would delay implementation of its Portable People Meter service in nine markets, including Chicago.
The new technology, which was scheduled to start here in only a few weeks, won't begin to deliver results until September.
Instead of relying on people to remember (and write down in paper diaries) what they listen to, Arbitron will equip survey participants with devices that automatically monitor every broadcast airing around them.
Arbitron said it plans to use the extra time in part to gather insights to "improve compliance among persons 18-to-34, including ethnic young adults, across the diverse communities of New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and subsequent markets."
Chicago radio execs expressed surprise -- and, in at least one case, sadness -- at the news.
"I guess that gives us another nine months to get our products fine-tuned to perform in a world of elechicagomedia.orgonic measurement," said Darren Davis, vice president of programming and operations for Clear Channel Radio in Chicago.
"I, for one, am a little sad. I was really looking forward to zooming into Portable People Meters come January," he added. "But I would rather have a delay than have a flawed system rolled out prematurely."