Former Arbitron Critic Backs Nielsen Deal

Jim Winston

Arbitron’s one-time critic the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters (NABOB) has told the FTC it is ‘cautiously optimistic’ about the potential for improvements in audience measurement for television and radio if the Arbitron-Nielsen merger goes ahead.

The body said that while it had concerns about the acquisition, it was not in favor of blocking the deal, and believed that ‘The combination of the companies could provide better and more extensive audience measurement benefits to both the television and radio industries’.

The perhaps unexpected support came in the same week NABOB’s Executive Director Jim Winston wrote to the FCC urging it to refrain from further relaxing its rules on radio-newspaper cross-ownership and other media combinations, citing potential disadvantages for minority owners.

Three years ago, NABOB was one of a number of groups representing minorities who complained that Arbitron’s new PPM device and approach led to under-representation of ethnic minorities in sampling - and expressed 'disappointment and frustration' with the measurement giant’s attempts to upgrade the methodology accordingly.