Arbitron To Acquire Finnish Research Company

Arbitron Inc. announced Thursday that it has acquired Zokem Oy, a Finland-based mobile audience measurement and analytics firm for a payment of approximately $11.7 million in cash at closing with possible additional incremental cash payments through 2014 of up to $12 million based on future financial performance.
Zokem provides custom and syndicated mobile research panels, plug-and-play mobile media measurement tools and software building blocks for mobile device tracking to the leading companies in the marketing research, wireless, Internet, media and marketing industries.

Through its proprietary and passive mobile application, Zokem customers can track and interpret consumer use of mobile devices and media. The technology also provides information on network performance and effectiveness of mobile ad campaigns. Zokem currently operates panels in 14 global markets and has relationships with a number of the largest mobile industry participants around the world.

Zokem will operate as Arbitron Mobile, which will be led by Dr. Hannu Verkasalo, Zokem founder and CEO, and will report to Sean Creamer, executive vice president, U.S. Media Services for Arbitron.

Also Thursday, Arbitron has decided to let the Spring 2011 Birmingham survey stand as is. 

Cox Media's GM David Dubose contended that African-American listeners did not fill out diaries because their homes were destroyed in the spring storms and they had other priorities.

Here is the Arbitron decision:

Dear Birmingham Client:

Before publishing the Birmingham, Alabama Spring 2011 market report, Arbitron conducted a thorough review of sample sizes, sample representation, diary consent rates, return rates, response rates and other sample metrics. Based on that review, Arbitron believes that the Spring 2011 Birmingham radio listening estimates are reliable and that it was appropriate to publish the Spring 2011 Quarterly Report for the full 12-week period.

In weather-related crisis situations like the Birmingham tornado of April 27, Arbitron follows its standard operating procedures for assessing survey viability during a weather-related crisis in a market. The tornado of April 27 did cause Arbitron to suspend survey operations on April 28; Arbitron was able to resume complete survey operations in the market by April 30, with stepped-up monitoring and special interviewer training.

Throughout the remainder of the Spring survey period, Arbitron closely monitored the facility and technical status of Birmingham stations as well as the sample performance metrics in the market. Arbitron continually reviewed usability rates for household phone lines, consent and placement rates, the percent of diaries reaching their destination, and return rates.

Based on the results of all its reviews that were conducted both during and after the Spring 2011 survey period in Birmingham, the company continues to support its decision to publish the Birmingham, Alabama Spring 2011 market report.

Sincerely,

Gregg Lindner
Executive Vice President
Service Innovation and
Chief Research Officer