Luckoff Calls for More PPM Panelists in Every Market

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In an open letter to Arbitron President Michael Skarzynski, KGO-AM and KSFO-AM/San Francisco President/GM Michael Luckoff claims the number of PPM devices placed in each market is far under the number promised. He further claims that while serving his last term as President of The Advisory Council, they were positively assured there would be as many meters in each market being surveyed as diaries in each market.

"Unfortunately for the radio broadcasting industry and the advertising community, not only was this promise never kept, but in fact only a fraction of that guaranteed number were ever placed," Luckoff writes. "In the San Francisco metro for instance, approximately 7200 diaries were distributed every quarter. Now, there are but 2,000 meters -- 800 households surveyed."

"The number of meters being placed in each market is far short of the number originally promised and as a result some of the very same irregularities are beginning to appear as we had been accustomed to seeing in the 'diary era,'" he continued. "PPM have become next to worthless if not actually destructive to many radio broadcasters."

In conclusion, Luckoff says that "broadcasters are paying far more for much less usable data input than was ascertained in the past. Having so few meters stymies the ability to measure any aspect of programming at any particular time. Therefore, the promised advantage to programmers to make decisions based upon PPM input is virtually non existent."