Nielsen De-Lists Two Stations in Toledo for Distortion

RADIO ONLINE | Friday, November 13, 2020

Nielsen

Nielsen has de-listed two stations in Toledo, OH after it found that a household of a staff member from Urban Radio Broadcasting's Urban AC WIMX-FM (Mix 95.7) and Urban WJZE-FM (Hot 97.3) "obtained and returned" ratings diaries for the September, 2020 survey period. In a notification sent to clients on Thursday, Nielsen said it identified and pulled the diaries from its sample before releasing the September results and estimates for other stations were not affected.

"The diaries did not meet Nielsen's quality standards, and had been removed from the diary sample prior to release of the September 2020 Toledo Radio Market Report," said the company. "Nielsen expressly prohibits participation in its ratings surveys by any household associated with a radio station."

This is the second time Nielsen has de-listed a station this year. In August, the firm re-issued the June 2020 (a three-month average from April-June) ratings results for Fort Myers-Naples, FL. The move came after it delisted a station from the report released on July 21. The ratings firm discovered that a household of a station staff member of Sun Broadcasting's Rhythmic CHR WFFY-FM (Fly 98.5) obtained and returned multiple diaries during the measurement period in May.