Accoring to Sandrarose.com

"Atlanta's radio listeners will suffer a setback this Fall when the new Arbitron ratings system takes effect according to a radio industry insider. The "next generation of electronic ratings" is based on a new system called the Portable People Meter (PPM) which already has radio programmers pulling their hair out.

Urban radio programmers say the system is unfair to urban formats because it uses volunteers to wear portable meters which pick up signals from radios in the area. The problem, say the programmers, is that there won't be enough volunteers wearing portable meters in urban areas.

The PPM system is already in place in major markets such as LA, Houston, Philadelphia and New York. Stations that were once riding high on the Arbitron charts saw their ratings plunge. WBLS shock jock Wendy Williams's show plummeted from the #1 spot out of the top ten when the system took effect in NY last year. Her contract is not expected to be renewed.

Several stations in Atlanta will be forced to change formats come August when the system is launched here. But one Atlanta urban radio station is set to close it's doors for good according to my source."

The Wikipedia definition of the PPM is a wearable portable device much like a pager or cell phone, that electronically records the listening behavior and history of a single panelist throughout the day for several months.

This doesn't look good for urban radio. I don't know if the system is fair or not because I don't know how the PPM's are distributed but either the shows really weren't receiving the ratings they once thought they were or something fishy is going on.

"I'm just sayin"



Aaron Fields is the Sales Marketing Coordinator for KSTW-TV in Seattle. All opinions expressed in this column are strictly his.