The Federal Communications Commission poked, prodded and picked through every complaint leveled at Arbitron's Portable People Meter methodology but couldn't find anything worthy of declaring it questionable or unusable. Arbitron replaced their old diary system which relied on respondents memories of what they listened to with the wearable PPM which actually picks up radio signals. A group of minority media advocates, calling themselves the PPM Coalition had complained about PPM sampling which they claimed included too few minority listeners and Arbitron started to amend its sampling levels but that didn't satisfy the coalition which brought the FCC into the picture...
Arbitron has been cleared to continue to offer and expand its PPM methodology according to Radio Survivor. After the FCC's report was issued, the PPM Coalition withdrew its complaint. With input from the Coalition, Arbitron has "agreed on a plan that represents a framework to address the Coalition's concerns." ...
The FCC investigation of PPM has resulted in the methodology only being used in 14 markets, with Philadelphia being the largest. Arbitron has faced enough scrutiny. Now it's time for the measurement company to move ahead without any questions being asked about their credibility...
Timeline Memories:
1862] Cinco de Mayo: The Mexican militia defeats the French Army in the Battle of Puebla (Mexico). Sound like a good reason to me to celebrate Cinco de Mayo...
1891] Practice man, practice: The Music Hall opens in Manhattan. It will later be renamed Carnegie Hall...
1900] Bullets to follow: "The Billboard" which will later be changed to Billboard Magazine, starts publishing weekly after debuting as a monthly in 1894...
1925] What's the scope? Dayton, Tennessee biology teacher John T. Scopes is arrested for teaching Darwin's theory of evolution. Eighty-six years later it's still being debated...
1961] Reporting from the back window: Alan Shepard makes a 15-minute sub-orbital flight from Cape Canaveral, which I reported on when I worked at WKKO, Cocoa, FL. I did the report looking out the back window, a few miles from the launch for News Associates in Washington, D.C., which I probably helped put out of business with my report...
1962] Number one on this date: "Soldier Boy" - Shirelles...1970] "American Woman" - Guess Who...1982] "Chariots Of Fire" - Vangelis...
1968] Released on this date: "Bad Moon Rising" - Creedence Clearwater Revival...
1973] The greatest horse of our generation: The great Secretariat wins The Kentucky Derby in record time (1:59:02). The record still stands. Big Red will go on to win the Triple Crown in '73...
1986] R&R HOF approved: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is approved for Cleveland. Although he doesn't get the credit he deserves, the world of music can thank Norm N. Nite for that approval. No one worked harder to get the Hall built in Cleveland...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Brian Williams (52), Michael Palin (68), Ace Cannon (77), Pat Carroll (84) & Ann B. Davis (85)...
Timeline Countdown: 2 days until Kentucky Derby, 3 days until Mother's Day & 25 days until Memorial Day...
