Mass Arbitron Ratings Embargo

[EvanJ]

I hope this doesn't happen. The only good thing is that Nassau-Suffolk isn't listed.

www.radioandrecords.com/Newsroom/2004_07_14/topstory.asp
Infinity Sticks To Its Guns On Ratings
Arbitron this morning released its "client exclusive" market list for the spring 2004 survey period, and it clearly reflects Infinity's refusal to agree to a new contract with the ratings company. While spring results are set to roll Friday, news organizations including R&R are now prohibited from offering 12+ quarterly data for 106 markets — including the entire top 10 — for a six-month period. The new markets include, in alphabetical order, Atlanta; Austin; Baltimore; Boston; Charlotte; Chicago; Cincinnati; Colorado Springs; Columbus, OH; Dallas; Detroit; Denver; Fresno; Hartford; Indianapolis; Las Vegas; Los Angeles; Milwaukee; Minneapolis; New Orleans; New York; Orlando; Palm Springs, CA; Phoenix; Philadelphia; Pittsburgh; Riverside; San Antonio; San Diego; San Francisco; San Jose; Seattle; St. Louis; Tampa; Victor Valley, CA; Washington; and West Palm Beach. There are 28 other markets that are holdovers from the winter 2004 survey. Additionally, the noncontinuously measured markets of Ft. Wayne, IN and Gainesville were added to the embargo list. Meanwhile, R&R has learned that several Infinity stations' sales and marketing staffers have already received training on how to work without Arbitron data.

[snoman]

Welcome to Houston... land of the embargoed "client exclusive" ratings. You had to know back when all this deregulation madness started happening, that Arbitron would become obsolete for them. Companies now can sell package deals for all their stations and they don't necessarily need ratings to sell 4 100,000 watt FM's and 2 50,000 watt AM's. They can show clients coverage and do their own research. They have found a way to cut out the middle man. I'm actually surprised that companies like Infinity have waited so long to do this. Now, don't read anything in to this, I think it is total B.S. and I'm not praising what they are doing. It is just the nature of the beast these days. >:( :(

[The Music Man]

Oh, I am SO PISSED! I follow a lot of those markets' ratings and thanks to Infinity, I no longer can do that. Now I have to hope that the guys at Radio-Info can hook me up... >:(

[Drew]

that s*cks! >:(

[reception]

Ridiculous.

[Edf85]

Im confused ???

[EvanJ]

Arbitron Reconsiders Its 'Client
Exclusive' Market Lists
Data for continuously measured markets available
Following concerns from editors and reporters throughout the U.S. that cover the radio industry, Arbitron today agreed to reconsider the markets that were designated "client exclusive" for the spring 2004 survey. As a result, Arbitron has agreed to make 12+ quarterly reports available for continuously measured markets for the spring survey — not just the markets that had been added to the list this week. Noncontinuously measured markets that were previously designated "market exclusive" will remain on the list until further notice.

Update: Although they are still labeled Spring Part 2, the Spring final ratings were released today as usual for New York, Nassau-Suffolk, Middlesex-Somerset-Union, and Westchester.