Increase in cell-phone-only household sample target scheduled to be implemented six months earlier than previously announced All Arbitron-rated radio markets in all fifty United States* include cell-phone-only household sampling Spring and Summer 2009 Results show substantial gains in key sample quality metric for Persons aged 18-34Arbitron Inc.
(NYSE: ARB) today announced plans to accelerate a scheduled increase in its diary market cell-phone-only (CPO) household sample target. Updating its August 13, 2009 announcement, Arbitron now plans to raise the proportion of its diary sample coming from CPO households to an average of 15 percent across all of its diary markets in the continental US, Hawaii and Alaska by Spring 2010.
When implemented, the planned increase in cell-phone-only household sampling will represent an increase of 50 percent from the year-end 2009 sample target, which is equal to an average of 10 percent. Previously, Arbitron had announced that this increase was scheduled for completion by year-end 2010.
Effective with the current Fall 2009 survey, Arbitron implemented CPO sampling in all of its 268 diary markets, completing the rollout of CPO sampling to all Arbitron-rated radio markets in the 50 United States, including diary- and PPM-based ratings services.
Arbitron began CPO sampling in 151 diary markets during the Spring 2009 survey where CPO sampling yielded a 25 percent gain in the Designated Delivery Index (DDI) sample quality metric for Persons aged 18-34. CPO sampling helped maintain the sample quality momentum in Summer 2009 diary markets where DDI improved by 11 points over the Summer 2008 survey for Persons aged 18-34 in markets with CPO sampling.
“Arbitron is committed to reflecting the increasing trend of CPO households across the U.S., which is why we’ve moved up the date to increase the number of these households in our samples, said Alton Adams, Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President, Arbitron Inc. “Our continuous improvement program means that we are always raising the bar to enhance the quality of our services.
The company completed the roll-out of cell-phone-only sampling in all 50 states in Fall 2009, and we are delivering improved sample performance in those markets. We are very proud of this milestone and are looking forward to achieving the quality improvement initiatives ahead.”Persons who live in CPO households are more likely to be age 18-34.
While the CPO sample target was an average of 10 percent of the total (12+) diary sample in Spring 2009 across all markets, it represented approximately 28 percent of the 18-34 in-tab sample. “With this new increase in spring 2010, the percent of 18-34 sample represented by CPO households should be closer to 40 percent,” said Dr. Robert F. Henrick, Executive Vice President, Customer Solutions, Arbitron, Inc.
*EDITORS NOTE:
Portable People Meter’ markets include cell-phone-only households in the rating panels. At year-end 2009, an average of 15 percent of the PPM panel across the aggregate of markets consisted of CPO households. Arbitron has announced plans to raise the CPO household sample target in PPM markets to 20 percent by year-end 2010.
