Broadcasters, Advertisers and Ad Agency Leaders Partner With Arbitron to Define Radio Affinity Metric

Broadcasters, Advertisers and Ad Agency Leaders Partner With Arbitron to Define Radio Affinity Metric

COLUMBIA, Md., Sept. 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Arbitron Inc. (NYSE: ARB) announced today the formation of a task force of radio and advertising industry leaders to develop an ongoing measure of "affinity" that is designed to reflect the advertising value of the unique relationship listeners have with their stations. The mission of this leadership team is to design a relevant, timely and accessible metric that captures audience involvement and has a lasting, balanced impact on radio planning and buying.

Following the September 15, 2009 kick-off meeting, the group is moving aggressively to articulate the parameters that will help define, architect and introduce this significant metric across the industry as soon as possible.

"In assembling this prestigious committee of industry luminaries, Arbitron intends to create a measurement that complements existing data and showcases radio's true impact for agencies and advertisers," said Alton Adams, Executive Vice President of Arbitron Inc. "Given the industry's challenges, this timely and important endeavor is bringing the insights and expertise of advertisers, agencies and broadcaster together to help measure radio's true value."

"This initiative brings together a cross-representative group of concerned industry leaders from advertisers, agencies, and radio companies to find a new qualitative metric that will make the planning and buying of radio more meaningful," said Dr. Tom Evans, Vice President of Audio Research & Special Projects at ESPN. "Radio is at a critical crossroads today. This initiative will help relevant industries understand radio beyond the traditional quantitative metrics and comprehend what radio can uniquely contribute to a media plan."

Shannon Pederson, Senior Local Media Manager at Subway commented, "I am joining this committee because I believe radio is absolutely necessary to reach our consumers and get them into our restaurants. I think we struggle with understanding how radio fits in with our overall plans as well as how to use it as efficiently as possible."

"We believe that Arbitron's commitment and collaborative approach to developing this metric will help bring greater clarity to strategic radio planning and buying decisions," concluded Adams.

Arbitron retained Sequent Partners to oversee, guide the development of the metrics and facilitate the process and is providing resources to fund and implement the process.

                             Task Force Leadership Team    Gerry Boehme                          Matt Johnson   Executive Vice President              Media Director   Strategic Planning & Information      Belron U/Safelite AutoGlass   Technology Services   Katz Media Group                                         Betty Kuphal                                         Director of Regional Media, East                                         Region   Paul Bronstein                        The Coca-Cola Company   Vice President, Research   Westwood One Radio                    Deon Levingston                                         Vice President/General Manager   Joanne Church                         Inner City Broadcasting   President   Radio Research Consortium                                         Brian McElroy   Dr. Tom Evans                         Vice President of Research   Vice President of Audio Research &    Katz Marketing Solutions    Special Projects   ESPN                                         Dennis P. McGuire   Janice Finkel-Greene                  Vice President Group Spot Director   Executive Vice President and          Carat   Director of Futures and Technology   Magna Global                                         Shannon Pedersen   David Gleason                         Senior Local Media Manager   Executive Vice President              Subway/SFAFT   Programming Support Information    Systems   Univision                             Isabella Sanchez                                         SVP, Managing Director   Tony Gray                             Tapestry   President/CEO   Gray Communications                   Amy Vokes                                         Vice President, Research   Jeff Haley                            Radio One   President/CEO   Radio Advertising Bureau              Gail Warren Associate                                         Media Director   Lucy Hughes                           Burrell Advertising   Senior Vice President, Research   CBS Radio    About Arbitron  

Arbitron Inc. (NYSE:ARB) is a media and marketing research firm serving the media - radio, television, cable, online radio and out-of-home - as well as advertisers and advertising agencies. Arbitron's core businesses are measuring network and local market radio audiences across the United States; surveying the retail, media and product patterns of local market consumers; and providing application software used for analyzing media audience and marketing information data. The company has developed the Portable People Meter(TM), a new technology for media and marketing research. Portable People Meter(TM) and PPM(TM) are marks of Arbitron Inc.

About Sequent Partners

Sequent Partners was formed in 2003 as a specialized brand and media metrics consultancy focused on helping marketers, the media and research companies navigate the changing media landscape. Clients come to Sequent Partners for thought leadership and analytically oriented consulting to leverage their media investment and build brands. Sequent Partners has been at the forefront of many of the industry's leading media initiatives including managing the client steering committee for Project Apollo, developing measurement guidelines for OVAB (Out of Home Video Advertising Bureau) and working with Ball State University to deliver the Nielsen-funded Council for Research Excellence's Video Consumer Mapping Study.

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Source: Arbitron Inc.

CONTACT: Jessica Benbow of Arbitron Inc., +1-410-312-8363,
jessica.benbow@arbitron.com

Web Site: http://www.arbitron.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment