Arbitron continues to push federal and state regulators for permi...
Arbitron continues to push federal and state regulators for permission to randomly dial cellphone numbers so it can recruit people who don’t use a land line to participate in its radio ratings panels, CEO Michael Skarzynski said during its…
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Q2 earnings teleconference. “We have taken up that topic at the state and federal level with a variety of office holders and we continue to work that issue.” Asked whether allowing such calls would also help politicians with polling, Skarzynski said: “That comment is part of our argument.” Q2 revenue at Arbitron gained 10 percent from a year earlier to $86.8 million. Net income increased 482 percent to $3.5 million. But the company reduced its guidance for the rest of the year, sending shares down 8.2 percent at Tuesday’s close. Univision’s recent announcement that it would not buy Portable People Meter ratings data in certain markets nor encode its radio signals for the service is one factor that may limit sales for the rest of the year, said Arbitron Chief Financial Officer Sean Creamer. The persistent macro- economic troubles also played a role in the guidance reduction, the company said. Meanwhile, the company is working on a software solution for its PPM product so panelists can download the system onto a smartphone they already carry, rather than having to always tote the pager- like PPM device, Skarzynski said. That won’t be available until 2011 under Arbitron’s plans, he said. For now, smartphone penetration is too low for Arbitron to push PPM software on cellphones, said Creamer. “At this particular point in time a cellphone is an option, we don’t believe it is an ideal research tool, because it is first and foremost a cellphone.” Any new device would also require accreditation from the Media Ratings Council, Skarzynski said.