Arbitron to Remove Week 4 from NY, Embedded PPM

RADIO ONLINE | Monday, November 19, 2012 | 2:59pm CT

Arbitron continues to monitor the Average Daily In-Tab and other PPM performance metrics for each market affected by Hurricane Sandy during the November, 2012 report period (October 11-November 7). During the last two days of Week 3 (October 25-October 31) and throughout Week 4 (November 1-November 7), Arbitron says a substantial number of homes remained without power.

As a result of the storm, approximately one third of the targeted in-tab sample in Nassau-Suffolk and Middlesex-Somerset-Union (both embedded in New York) was unavailable during Week 4. In addition, average daily in-tab rates were substantially lower for Week 4 in these embedded metros than during unaffected weeks in recent currency reports.

These factors, combined with other performance metrics, resulted in a decision to not produce PPM estimates for Week 4 for Nassau-Suffolk and Middlesex-Somerset-Union. Since the New York Metro includes the Nassau-Suffolk and Middlesex-Somerset-Union Metros, the unavailability of these metros impacts the sample performance of the New York Metro. As a result, Week 4 PPM estimates for New York will not be produced.

The November 2012 reports for New York, Nassau-Suffolk, and Middlesex-Somerset-Union will be based exclusively on November Weeks 1, 2, and 3 (October 11-October 31). Arbitron plans to release these reports on Monday, November 27, as originally scheduled.

The November 2012 report for all PPM markets other than New York, Nassau-Suffolk, and Middlesex-Somerset-Union will be based on the standard four-week November report period. Arbitron plans to release these reports as originally scheduled.