PPM Encoding Question

[WTUX]

Now that Arbitron's PPM is moving into more markets, I have a question about encoding.

If you are listening to, let's say, KYW at home or in the car. You are wearing a PPM. It will record the fact you are listening to 1060.

If you are at work listening to KYW on your pc. Will the PPM still record that listening? In other words, is the encoding in the transmitted signal or in the audio feed?

This is an important issue for AM stations. They are seriously promoting listening on-line in order to capture more of the listen-at-work crowd. The multiple pc's in the office cubes makes listening to an AM radio next to impossible. So in order to survive, AM needs the on-line audience. The stations know how many hits their audio feed receives. But will Arbitron reflect that?

 

[MikeF]

The encoding is in the audio. There is separate encoding for the on-line stream.

 

[MrRF]

And...starting in July, the on-line listening will be in the book.Listed on a seperate line, because it is not a true simulcast.

 

[Tom Wells]

What if the PPM wearer is an unwilling captive to the radio choice of another person? In a friend's car, etc.
Is there any way for the subject to indicate they are not in control or even worse, if they dislike/dispprove of what they're hearing?

 

[MorningRadio]

I hate PPM but if your listening to a show you dont like ...PPM unlike the book will show what people are really listening to ( if PPM actually worked ) not what there favorite show is. Which I think is a great "idea" but PPM and arbitron are both full of $#!t.

 

[The Beave]

I hate PPM but if your listening to a show you dont like ...PPM unlike the book will show what people are really listening to ( if PPM actually worked ) not what there favorite show is. Which I think is a great "idea" but PPM and arbitron are both full of $#!t.

I back that 100%

 

[aindik]

What if the PPM wearer is an unwilling captive to the radio choice of another person? In a friend's car, etc.
Is there any way for the subject to indicate they are not in control or even worse, if they dislike/dispprove of what they're hearing?

Advertisers (who are arbitron's customers) don't care why you are listening. They only care whether you are listening or not.

 

[WTUX]

Advertisers (who are arbitron's customers) don't care why you are listening. They only care whether you are listening or not.
[/quote]

Ditto. That was one of the problems with the diary. You didn't like the station the office radio was set to, so you didn't record it, or you wrote down something else.

Yet you were listening and you heard the ads whether you wanted to or not. That is what really counts.

 

[davideduardo]

Advertisers (who are arbitron's customers) don't care why you are listening. They only care whether you are listening or not.

Advertisers don't care why you are listening... very true. But Arbitron's customers are radio stations, not the advertisers. Nearly all the cost of surveys is borne by stations. Ad agencies can subscribe pretty much at cost, and very few advertisers themselves subscribe.

Whether it be Nielsen, Arbitron, ABC, etc., the medium pays for it's sales aids.

 

[davideduardo]

The encoding is in the audio. There is separate encoding for the on-line stream.

First, the encoding is optional. Not all stations encode streams.

Second, unless the stream is a 100% simulcast, Arbitron requires a separate code and encoder. Any listening generated by the stream is considered a separate station and not added to the AM or FM station listening. Nearly no streams in rated markets are 100% simulcasts.

 

[crmc]

A point of clarification:In Philadelphia, the streams will be counted starting in July. Encoding any part of the content distribution is at the station's option. Over-the air analog, HD-1, and stream all have a seperate encoder. HD 1 is the same code, however because it is by law a rebroadcast of the analog air signal. The internet stream is not a simulcast because the stopsets are different. They will be counted starting in July.For the numbers to be added a commercial message would have to be on each of the two.
Some stations have very large streaming audiences.I know of a Philadelphia station who's weekly streaming audience is in the 15 million minutes of weekly listening range. Why wouldn't a broadcaster want to count an audience like that?

IMHO, the day will come when the streaming audience is bigger than the over-the-air audience. I believed it since I got involved in streaming radio in the late 90s.

 

[DToTheJ]

I know of a Philadelphia station who's weekly streaming audience is in the 15 million minutes of weekly listening range.

Can you confirm if the station is currently in the Top 5?

 

[aindik]

Why wouldn't a broadcaster want to count an audience like that?

A broadcaster exists to sell ads. For as long as the ads can't be simulcast, the broadcaster can't sell over-the-air ads using combined OTA+streaming ratings. The advertiser buying time over the air wants to know who is listening to the station over the air.

 

[crmc]

The station I am referencing is not in the top 5 12 + although it is very successful.
As to the simulcast issue and two sets of ads, you are correct. i think the stream ads will be eventually re-done by the station to match the over-the air ads and avoid the rights fee issue. Eventually, advertisers will produce ads that are licensed on both over the air and stream. Many are already,. If the same ad runs oin both, then the numbers can be combined.

 

[Kabrich]

I know of a Philadelphia station who's weekly streaming audience is in the 15 million minutes of weekly listening range. Why wouldn't a broadcaster want to count an audience like that?

And all those listeners in Montana, Russia and South America really enjoy the station as well. However, no advertiser really cares about them when buying the local Philadelphia market, so they will not be wearing PPM devices nor counted in the total.

Bottom line, the online streaming will be next to non-existant for most station (even more so considering the bugs within the PPM streams that only certain computer brands actually pass the PPM Encoded Information). Your 15 million minutes of weekly listening station will continue to be a no-show in the Top 5. Luckily, they have better metrics than the PPM (the number of streams and minutes) that they can sell to anyone interested in a global audience.

 

[aindik]

And all those listeners in Montana, Russia and South America really enjoy the station as well. However, no advertiser really cares about them when buying the local Philadelphia market, so they will not be wearing PPM devices nor counted in the total.

I think that's overstating the case. Some advertisers care, some don't.

 

[Kabrich]

And all those listeners in Montana, Russia and South America really enjoy the station as well. However, no advertiser really cares about them when buying the local Philadelphia market, so they will not be wearing PPM devices nor counted in the total.

I think that's overstating the case. Some advertisers care, some don't.

No, they would be doing National, sorry, Global buys if they cared. This is money that is part of a strategic plan to be directed to population of the Philadelphia Area.

 

[aindik]

And all those listeners in Montana, Russia and South America really enjoy the station as well. However, no advertiser really cares about them when buying the local Philadelphia market, so they will not be wearing PPM devices nor counted in the total.

I think that's overstating the case. Some advertisers care, some don't.

No, they would be doing National, sorry, Global buys if they cared. This is money that is part of a strategic plan to be directed to population of the Philadelphia Area.

When McDonalds buys an ad that airs on KYW, does it come out of this pool or is that a separate pool? If it's this pool, I'd think McDonalds would care whether KYW has listeners in in large numbers Montana or not.