SBS "extremely disappointed" with PPM roll-out


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Posted by chicagomedia.org on October 07, 2008 at 15:00:20:

In Reply to: Radio companies urge FCC to stay out of PPM's business posted by chicagomedia.org on October 06, 2008 at 19:14:34:

SBS: PPM 'Will Severely, Irreparably Harm Media Diversity'

One of the nation's leading Spanish-language broadcasters says it is "extremely disappointed in Arbitron's decision to accelerate the implementation of its flawed Portable People Meter (PPM) despite not having resolved the large number of critical errors in their methodology." In a statement released late Monday (Oct. 6) by Miami-based Spanish Broadcasting System, the company claimed that the alleged flaws in the PPM "have been brought to Arbitron's attention from a range of constituencies including the broadcasting and advertising communities, the New York Attorney General's office, members of Congress and local community leaders."


SBS said Arbitron's "imprudent PPM implementation will severely and irreparably harm media diversity and ultimately limit the variety of voices and viewpoints on our radio airwaves." The company added that the data research and measurement company's decision to push the PPM into the marketplace "without the support of broadcasters and government officials or MRC accreditation demonstrates the company's blatant disregard for the radio industry, its 'customers' and minority communities."


SBS apparently did not realize that some in the industry have given a cautious green light to continued use of PPM as a measurement tool. Late in the day, nine top executives and lawyers for an assortment of major radio groups sent a five-page letter to the FCC pooh-poohing the PPM Coalition's Sept. 2 letter that alleged PPM "grossly undercounts and misrepresents the number of and loyalty of minority radio listeners." The companies argued that the coalition's request for an FCC investigation into PPM would mean the FCC was "stepping beyond its legal and regulatory authority." The radio broadcasters' letter, which included such radio giants as Bonneville, CBS Radio, Citadel, Entercom, Emmis and Greater Media, pointed out that "entities that decide to subscribe to Arbitron's services, including audience measurement by PPM, voluntarily enter into private contractual agreements with Arbitron" and that those agreements are regulated by states and not by the FCC.


SBS concluded its statement by applauding the New York Attorney General's office for its condemnation of Arbitron and announcing its intention to pursue a legal case against the Columbia, Md., outfit, with others who have joined in the general criticism of the company's launch of a new measurement tool. Clearly drawing a line in the sand, SBS ended its statement by saying, "SBS will continue to seek a solution on these issues until all of the identified PPM problems have been resolved."

(Jeffrey Yorke, Radio & Records)


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