Nielsen Settles Suit Against Bubba ''The Love Sponge''

RADIO ONLINE | Monday, July 9, 2018

Bubba ''The Love Sponge'' Clem

Nielsen has settled with Bubba "The Love Sponge" Clem in its ratings tampering case. Filed almost three years ago in October, 2015, Nielsen alleged that Clem paid several PPM panelists and diarykeepers ratings-tampering scheme to boost listening to his Tampa-based morning show. The suit stated that on July 30, 2015, Bubba met with a cooperating PPM panelist, telling him that he would be paid $300 per month beginning in October, once Bubba had seen an improvement in his ratings resulting from the cooperating panelist's help. Nielsen claimed Bubba paid the cooperating panelist a portion of the monies he promised to pay.

"The Court has been advised that this case has settled," wrote U.S. District Judge James Whittemore in an Order issued last Friday. Under the settlement terms, Bubba agreed to make an undisclosed payment to Nielsen and admitted that he hadn't previously disclosed all contacts with Nielsen panelists.

In a statement, Nielsen said that Bubba is not presently in contact with any Nielsen panelist, and promised to never knowingly communicate with any active Nielsen panelist in the future, and agreed to immediately notify Nielsen of any future contact with its active ratings panelists.

"I understand how important it is to the radio industry that the Nielsen ratings be free from bias and I deeply regret interfering with Nielsen's collection of listening data," said Bubba in a statement.

With the settlement Bubba's countersuit against Nielsen was also dismissed.