KC Radio: Arbitron Miffed At “Listen-Longer” Website

Following the launch recently of a website encouraging listeners in the Kansas City market to tune in and "save" their favorite station in KC, Arbitron has informed its subscribers that the site has not affected the integrity of its latest PPM ratings.

The site, listenlonger.com, recently received a cease and desist letter from Arbitron, which it posted online. Arbitron informed the site's owner to stop asking PPM panelists to ID themselves and that the site is not authorized to post Arbitron data.

Meanvhile, Gregg Lindner, EVP of Service Innovation and Chief Research Officer for Arbitron, has penned a letter to its subscribers in the Kanas City market, saying, 

"During the May report period, a third-party website encouraged Kansas City radio listeners to support an unnamed local station, posted general information about ratings methodology and ratings data, and solicited information on PPM panelists. 

We want to assure subscribers that the website is not affiliated or endorsed by Arbitron and that Arbitron has taken substantial steps to ensure the integrity of the Kansas City PPM panel and all Arbitron audience estimates for the market. 

PPM households that disclose their participation to the general public or to any unauthorized party become ineligible to participate.  Such panelists’ households are removed from the panel.  Arbitron monitors social media sites daily, interacts with panelists on a regular basis, and has confidential processes in place to help identify panelists who may have disclosed their participation.  We have also taken special measures in light of the Kansas City website to protect the integrity of in-tab panelists included in the recently-released May 2013 Kansas City data. 

Following a review of the information available, we released the May 2013 Kansas City audience estimates as scheduled. 

We will continue to monitor the panel, monitor the website, and to take on-going actions to protect the integrity of the data on which you rely."