MRC, NABOB Executives Meet with FCC Over PPM

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Acting FCC Chairman Michael Copps met with Media Rating Council (MRC) Executive Director George Ivie and MRC Senior VPs/Associate Directors Anthony Torrieri and David Gunzerath on April 14, according to a FCC filing. At the meeting, the MRC execs provided a briefing that included background information on MRC and the role it plays within the media industry.

At the request of the FCC officials in attendance, the MRC executives reviewed the latest publicly disclosed statuses for each of the Arbitron PPM markets that have been submitted to date for consideration of MRC accreditation.

The meeting is on the heels of an emergency petition filed by NABOB, the Spanish Radio Association, and others asking the agency to investigate PPM's effect on minority broadcasters.

"We noted that despite the recent settlements with New York, New Jersey, and Maryland, many of the same problems identified in the Emergency Petition for Section 403 inquiry still exist," stated NABOB's latest filing. "We reviewed the settlements reached between Arbitron and the Attorneys General of New York, New Jersey, and Maryland against Arbitron. We explained that the settlements, while welcome, do not go far enough to ensure that Arbitron's data is representative and valid."

NANBOB also noted that Arbitron's PPM methodology remains unaccredited by the Media Rating Council in almost all of the markets in which it is used. Member of the trade group also discussed the percentage of cell-phone only users in Arbitron's panels, stating the requirements of the settlements were far too low.

The trade group said it also discussed the results of Nielsen's radio audience measurement pilot project in Louisville.