Arbitron Gets Seven-Year Pact With New Radio Rating System

CBS Radio has announced that it would use a next-generation measuring system from Arbitron, known as the People Meter. The announcement is an important win for Arbitron, as their lock on radio ratings is facing new competition.

Radio industry executives have been searching for an alternative to the ineffective paper-and-pencil diaries Arbitron presently uses. Several viable alternatives, such as IQ Stat with global positioning system technology, are competing to win over radio stations.

The seven year agreement begins immediately, which means CBS will switch to electronic rating as Arbitron launches the People Meter in the top 50 markets beginning this summer. The new system is a pager-like device that can pick up inaudible codes from radio signals and identify what station it is.

Editor�s Note: Because radio is one of the barter industry�s currencies, we�ve previously reported on the changing technology for measuring audiences...see Tuesday Report for December 23, 2003 and March 21, 2006.