The large-scale evaluation of the portable people meter (PPM), consisting of a panel of 1,500 consumers age 6+ equipped with portable meters in Philadelphia, has passed the one-year mark. It is now clear that media outlets will encode their signals to enable the PPM to automatically detect audience exposure, and that the encoding/decoding technology works as planned. Currently, nearly 90 media outlets are encoding their signals for the Philadelphia market trial. The panelist compliance results also show that consumers will continue to wear the PPM over time, without evidence of fatigue. The attention of media researchers is now turning to the more practical questions of 'Do the ratings make sense?' and 'How will they help my business?' This paper compares and contrasts the PPM ratings data to the results from the existing radio diary and television meter-diary methodologies in Philadelphia. The findings appear logical and highlight the specific advantages the PPM system offers for better understanding actual audience behaviors.
The portable people meter (PPM) is a promising new media research tool that makes it possible to automatically track consumers? exposure to the electronic media. An inaudible code is inserted into the audio signal of radio, broadcast and cable television channels, Internet streaming sites, and other media outlets. These codes are then passively recorded by pager-sized personal meters worn by respondents. Media exposures captured by the PPM are collected overnight when panelists "dock" their meters at bedtime. After nearly a decade of research and development, Arbitron Inc. has launched the first full-scale market trial of the PPM system in Philadelphia. Approximately 80 media outlets are encoding their signals and a panel of 1,500 consumers age 6+ are equipped with the portable meters. Channel-specific ratings for radio, broadcast and cable TV are being reported for the first time so customers can evaluate the PPM results against existing ratings methods. Assuming adequate client support, Arbitron plans to convert the Philadelphia panel to commercial operation early in 2003, and begin the rollout to additional U.S. markets.
The portable people meter (PPM) is a promising new media research tool that makes it possible to automatically track consumers' exposure to the electronic media. An inaudible code is inserted into the audio signal of radio, broadcast and cable television channels, Internet streaming sites, and other media outlets. These codes are then passively recorded by pager-sized personal meters worn by respondents. Media exposures captured by the PPM are collected overnight when panelists 'dock' their meters at bedtime. After nearly a decade of research and development, Arbitron Inc. has launched the first full-scale market trial of the PPM system in Philadelphia. Approximately 80 media outlets are encoding their signals and a panel of 1,500 consumers age 6+ are equipped with the portable meters. Channel-specific ratings for radio, broadcast and cable TV are being reported for the first time so customers can evaluate the PPM results against existing ratings methods. Assuming adequate client support, Arbitron plans to convert the Philadelphia panel to commercial operation early in 2003, and begin the rollout to additional U.S. markets.
The portable people meter (PPM) is a promising new media research tool that makes it possible to automatically track consumersâ exposure to the electronic media. An inaudible code is inserted into the audio signal of radio, television, cable and other media outlets. These codes are then detected by pager-sized personal meters worn by respondents. As a follow-up to the successful PPM test panels fielded in Manchester, England during 1998- 2000, Arbitron Inc. launched a large-scale market trial and demonstration of the PPM system in the Philadelphia area in the United States in late 2000. Phase One of the trial is being conducted with a panel of 300 persons aged 6 years and older in the Wilmington, Delaware Arbitron Radio Metro. Initial installation of the panel was completed in March 2001. This paper reports preliminary results from the trial covering cooperation, panel representativeness and respondent compliance with the PPM methodology. Results to date suggest that consumers in the United States, like those in the United Kingdom, comply with the PPM âwear or carryâ instructions to a high degree.
Since 1992 Arbitron has been developing and testing a personal portable meter (PPM) system capable of detecting exposure to any audio medium both in-home and out-of-home. With this system an inaudible identification code is embedded into the audio signal of radio television cable and other media outlets. These codes are then detected by pager- sized personal meters worn by respondents. The 1998 pilot in the United Kingdom was the first fully functional test of the entire PPM system. Fourteen radio and television stations encoded their signals and we recruited fifty respondents to wear the personal meters for the nine-week test period. Results showed that the encoding and decoding systems functioned as planned and respondent cooperation levels were high. All encoded stations were detected by the meters and respondents wore or carried the meters for a median fourteen hours per day. Given these positive findings we are proceeding with a larger scale PPM test panel in the United Kingdom starting in June 1999.
Because of the large sample sizes, the variety of market conditions, and the variety of methods used by Arbitron in syndicated audience measurement in the United States, the authors have had a rich opportunity to conduct rigorous experimentation in reducing the biases of both nonresponse error and response error in audience surveys. This paper presents a two-stage process model for the execution of audience search surveys. We describe survey strategies drawn from our experiments and experience in conducting diary surveys, set meter, people meter and personal portable meter panels over more than three decades.
In the fall of 1993 Arbitron conducted a special diary pilot study to measure radio listening among children 02-Nov and the adults in their households. Jointly sponsored by Arbitron and the Children's Satellite Network (CSN), the study included a detailed methodological evaluation to assess the feasibility of ongoing childrenâs measurement using standard diary methods. The pilot study achieved an excellent response rate of nearly 60%, good retumed- diary usability rates, and near-perfect representation of children in the in- tab sample. Post survey interviews with adults and children age 08-Nov in the study households yielded positive feedback on respondentsâ experiences with the survey. Interview results suggest parents did provide the support needed to help children properly complete their diaries, and that the large majority of in-tab diaries provided a reasonably complete record of childrenâs total listening. Based on a detailed evaluation of study results, Arbitron's Methods Research department recommends that the âparent-assistedâ diary method be continued for future children's radio measurement. Evaluation of listening estimates indicates that radio reaches 91% of children 2-11. Children spend less time per week listening than do adults or teens; however, during weekdays they are very consistent in the amount of time spent with each day part. Whereas Monday-Friday 6AM-10AM is the peak day part for Persons 12+, Monday-Sunday 3PM-7PM is the peak day part for children. Saturday-Sunday listening of children is very similar to that of adults and teens. Overall, their listening patterns are more similar to teensâ than to adults. Persons in households with children tend to spend more of their listening time in-car than does the radio listening population as a whole.