Arbitron Posts 17-Point Gain in 18-34 CPO Samples

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Arbitron announced Wednesday double digit gains in its Designated Delivery Index (DDI) sample quality metric for young adults age 18-34 in the first month of cell-phone-only sampling from 151 Spring 2009 diary markets. Arbitron's DDI metric gained 17 points versus the prior survey for Persons 18-34 in two-book markets and 11 points in four-book markets.

"Cell-phone-only sampling is a major step forward for diary markets and we are pleased it has helped produce double-digit growth in DDI for Persons 18-34 so far in the Spring 2009 survey," said Executive VP/Customer Solutions Bob Henrick. "The solid gains in black and Hispanic are also very encouraging. Arbitron remains highly committed to raising the bar on diary market sample quality with our program of continuous improvement."

Arbitron introduced CPO sampling in 151 diary markets with its Spring, 2009 survey to measure people who have "cut the cord" and can not be reached by landline. Looking at sample quality metrics and listening effects for April, the first month of its three-month radio listening survey, there were nearly 6,000 diaries from CPO households.

In four-book markets, the Persons 18-34 Designated Delivery Index (DDI) averaged 70.7 in April, a gain of eleven points versus the Winter 2009 survey. In two-book markets, the increase for Persons 18-34 was even larger moving up to an average DDI of 73.1 in April equaling a seventeen point gain versus the Fall 2008 survey.

Persons 18-54 also showed improvement. Among the four-book markets, the DDI for Persons 18-54 gained two points in April (average of 86.3) compared with the Winter 2009 survey and in the two-book markets the Persons 18-54 DDI for April (average of 93.2) was eleven points higher than the Fall 2008 survey.

The DDI for Black Persons 12+ remained stable at an average of roughly 93 among the 20 four-book markets with black sample controls. However, the DDI for Black Persons 12+ gained 7 points in April to an average of 92.9 compared with the Fall, 2008 survey among the twenty-six two-book markets with black sample controls.

For Hispanic Persons 12+, the DDI gained 16.5 points in April (average of 78.2) compared with the Winter 2009 survey among the eleven four-book markets with Hispanic sample controls. Among the 25 two-book markets with Hispanic sample controls, the Hispanic DDI improved 4.4 points (average of 74.1) versus the prior Fall, 2008 survey.

Among Persons 12+, seven of twelve formats had no change in AQH rating (Monday-Sunday 6am-midnight) when comparing the format rating for all (cell-phone-only with landline households) versus the rating for landline only households. The seven formats with no change in 12+ AQH rating were Country, AC, Religious, Oldies, Alternative, Spanish and Smooth Jazz.

Four formats had a one-tenth of an AQH rating gain including Rock, CHR, Urban and Adult Hits. The changes represent a 10% increase for Rock, 12.5% change for CHR, 14% for Urban and 50% gain for Adult Hits. News/Talk had a one-tenth rating point decline representing a 4.3% change among persons 12+.

The format rating for Alternative and Adult Contemporary gained among persons 18-24 and 25-34 while CHR and Oldies increased among 35-54 when cell-phone-only was added to Landline. The format rating for News/Talk and Spanish declined by one-tenth of a point among persons 18-34.