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Tag: Arbitron

  • Nielsen acquires media & marketing research firm Arbitron

    MUMBAI: Nielsen Holdings, a leading global provider of information and insights into what consumers watch and buy, has said it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Arbitron, an international media and marketing research firm.

    Nielsen has agreed to acquire all of the outstanding common stock of Arbitron for $48 per share in cash, representing a premium of approximately 26 per cent to Arbitron’s closing price on 17 December.

    Nielsen has a financing commitment for the total transaction amount. The transaction has been approved by the boards of both
    companies and is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory review.

    With Arbitron assets, Nielsen intends to further expand its Watch segment’s audience measurement across screens and forms of listening.

    “These integrated, innovative capabilities will enable broader measurement of consumer media behavior in more markets around the world. We will also bring local clients greater visibility to empower more precise advertising placement and campaign effectiveness,” said Nielsen President of Global Media Products and Advertiser Solutions Steve Hasker.

    “Radio reaches more than 92 per cent of all American teens and adults because they love to listen to music, talk, news and information while at home, at work and in their cars,” said Arbitron President and CEO William T. Kerr.

    “By combining Nielsen’s global capabilities and scale with Arbitron’s unique radio measurement and listening information, advertisers and media clients will have better insights into consumer behavior and the return on marketing investments.”

    Together, Nielsen and Arbitron generated total revenues of $6 billion and combined pro forma adjusted Ebitda of $1.7 billion based on the 12 months ended 30 September. Cost synergies associated with the acquisition are expected to be at least $20 million and will be largely driven by the integration of technology platforms and data acquisition efforts.

  • Arbitron, CBS Radio ink multi-year agreement for PPM ratings services

    Arbitron, CBS Radio ink multi-year agreement for PPM ratings services

    MUMBAI: Arbitron Inc. and CBS Radio have entered into a seven year agreement for Portable People Meter (PPM) radio ratings when the new audience ratings technology is deployed in the 35 CBS Radio markets encompassed in Arbitron’s previously announced PPM rollout plan.

    Arbitron plans to launch the PPM system as its radio ratings service to the top 50 markets, beginning with Houston in July 2006.

    CBS Radio chairman and CEO Joel Hollander said, “CBS Radio is counting on the PPM to enhance the value of both our programming and the audiences we reach in the eyes of our advertisers. We’re pleased to be the first major broadcaster to embrace the future by signing a contract for Arbitron’s next-generation electronic audience measurement system. Radio has been searching for a more accountable method to provide advertisers with valuable information about its listeners, and I’m confident that the PPM will be supported throughout the industry.”

    “We are pleased that CBS Radio has signed a long-term agreement with Arbitron for PPM radio ratings. We view this agreement as an endorsement of our electronic measurement technology from one of our largest and most sophisticated customers. We look forward to continuing to provide CBS Radio with the information services to help it grow and manage its business for years to come,” said Arbitron Inc president and CEO Steve Morris.

    The Portable People Meter, an electronic audience measurement technology that has been in US market trials since 2001, is scheduled to be used in the top 50 markets in place of the current paper and pencil diary method that the company has employed to collect radio audience estimates since 1965.

  • Americans still gaga over radio: survey

    Americans still gaga over radio: survey

    MUMBAI: Americans rate the importance and relevance of local commercial radio very highly, despite the entry of high-technology competition, a national survey commissioned by American Media Services showed.

    The survey found that 78 per cent said radio is important in their everyday lives, and 91 per cent said radio is important in American life in general. Nearly three-quarters (74 per cent) said they listen to radio at least once a day.

    The telephone survey of 1,004 American adults was conducted from 13 – 15 April, 2006 by Omnitel, the weekly omnibus survey by the national polling firm of GfK NOP of Princeton. The survey is considered accurate within plus or minus three percentage points.

    The new findings complement those in AMS’ initial survey in January: 64 per cent said they were listening to radio as much as, or more than, they were five years ago.

    “The evidence from our polls and others is conclusive that people are continuing to listen to their local, free radio stations. Arbitron and Edison Media Research just conducted a national survey of 1,925 respondents that revealed 77 per cent of Americans expect to continue to listen to their radio in the future as much as they are today,” said American Media Services president and CEO Ed Seeger.

    In the AMS survey, 57 per cent of men and 49 per cent of women said they listen to radio at least daily. The availability of music, news and reports on weather and traffic continues to be the most often cited reasons for listening to the radio, with 98 per cent of respondents saying they listen to radio for one of those features. “Radio doesn’t need to reinvent itself. It just needs to get its story out in the marketplace. It continues to thrive with the same basic programming we have embraced for the past half-century,” said Seeger.

    Other findings of the survey include:

    78 per cent usually tune to a local radio station when they get in their car.
    More people had a favorite local radio personality in their local markets (37 per cent) than a favorite television personality per cent (32 per cent), newspaper personality (seven per cent) or personality on a local internet site (one per cent).
    When asked what about the different qualities that make a good radio personality, they ranked four as most important: 89 per cent said they liked to listen to someone who makes them think, 82 per cent said one who makes them laugh, 79 per cent wanted a personality they could trust, and 76 per cent said a good radio personality has strong ties to the local community.
    Overall, 41 per cent of respondents said they liked to listen to stations that have a good balance of music, news, weather and traffic information. That rated above playing their kind of music (26 per cent) or making them laugh (3 per cent).
    Of those respondents who had a “favorite media personality,” 37 per cent said their favorite personality worked on the radio, while 32 per cent said their favorite worked on television.
    61 per cent of those likely to change stations during commercial breaks do so in a minute or less.