18 March 2006 | Technology | Ernesto Aguilar

Arbitron’s adoption of PPM, regarded by many radio professionals to be far more accurate than the company’s old diaries, could make major waves, as could Clear Channel’s attempt to launch its own PPM-style service. Since this piece came out a day or so ago, RadioOne, which runs the Box (97.9) and Majic 102 (among others), has reportedly agreed to encode signals to pick up PPM. This is from MediaBuyerPlanner:

PPM Rollout Begins in Houston

Arbitron will begin rolling out its portable people meter measurement service in Houston in July, with the top 10 markets following Houston by the fall of 2008 and the rest of the top 50 within three years after that, according to Mediapost. Only two radio broadcasters - Spanish Broadcasting and Beasley Broadcasting - have committed to using the PPMs, though 18 of the nation’s major agencies ad agencies and one national advertiser, Wendy’s International, are already onboard and most large radio buyers have endorsed the service, Mediaweek writes.

The announcement comes less than two weeks after Nielsen Media Research backed out of a joint venture with Arbitron to commercialize a PPM-based ratings system for television. Arbitron president and CEO Steve Morris said that Nielsen’s decision left Arbitron free to focus on radio’s needs “without having to negotiate trade-offs to accommodate television requirements.”

Radio groups are balking at the PPM because of the 40 to 65 percent cost increase over the current diary based service.

Meanwhile, Clear Channel is searching for an alternative to the PPMs, having issued a request for proposals for an electronic radio ratings service. Yesterday, Clear Channel announced it had narrowed the field to three candidates: Arbitron, Mediamark Research Inc., and Media Audit.

Philadelphia, the first city tested for the PPM, will be the second PPM market in the rollout.

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