It's not WEEI vs. WCRB - it's WEEI *and* WCRB

[David Tomm]

PPM stands for Personal People Meter, developed by Arbitron and 
currently testing in Philadelphia and Houston.  It's a system that 
electronically records radio listening.  It will eventually replace the 
diary method of collecting ratings data in the top 50 markets.  Boston 
is set to come on line with it sometime next year.

The PPM looks like a small beeper that is worn on a belt or clipped 
onto a purse.  You take it wherever you go, and it records every radio 
station you're exposed to, like in businesses, riding in cars, work, 
commuting, home listening etc.  At the end of each day, the respondent 
docks the PPM at home where it recharges and Arbitron downloads that 
day's data via internet or phone hookup.  PPM respondents will carry it 
for a year or more.

Radio signals in these markets are embedded with code that the PPM can 
receive.  This can also include non-comms, satellite radio channels or 
even internet streams.  Similar technology being used in Europe can 
also measure TV exposure, but for now PPM is only being used for radio 
in the US.

So far the results have been erratic and samples of certain 
demographics are underrepresented, such as 18-34's and minority 
listeners.  Once the bugs are worked out, it should be much more 
accurate and reliable than diaries for measuring radio listening.

-Dave Tomm
"Mike Thomas"


On Aug 22, 2007, at 1:22 AM, A. Joseph Ross wrote:

> On 21 Aug 2007 at 16:29, David Tomm wrote:
>
>> Entercom just bought 97.7 from Radio One not that long ago.   Why
>> would they want to donate it now?  97.7 will stay as is until the
>> market switches over to the Arbitron PPM.  So far rock stations have
>> faired well in PPM markets, so Entercom will want to see if the WAAF
>> simulcast gets a ratings boost with the new methodology.
>
> What's the Arbitron PPM?