Satellite Radio Channels Account For 3.4 Percent of All Radio Listening In Fall 2006 Arbitron Survey
Satellite listeners are heavy users of radio overall and spend more time with AM/FM radio than with satellite;
Improved diary instructions used with sample of nearly half a million Fall diary keepers provides first comprehensive look at satellite radio
NEW YORK; February 27, 2007 – The sum of all listening to satellite channels mentioned by the half million diary keepers in the Arbitron Fall 2006 survey totaled 3.4 percent of credited quarter hours (rough equivalent of share) according to Arbitron, Inc.
The Fall 2006 survey was the first in which new instructions were provided in the diary asking respondents to indicate their listening to satellite and Internet radio in addition to AM/FM radio. Respondents mentioned 297 separate satellite radio channels during the Fall 2006 survey. Arbitron's recent analysis revealed that the highest share of quarter hours for an individual satellite radio channel was 0.2 percent. The average satellite radio channel had a .009 percent share of quarter hours, which would not be high enough to meet Arbitron’s minimum reporting standards.
Approximately 5.6 percent (rough equivalent of reach) of the 468,786 diary keepers who participated in the Fall 2006 Arbitron survey listed a satellite radio channel in their diary.
The analysis also showed that satellite listeners are heavy listeners to radio in general including AM/FM radio. Satellite listeners spent an average of 33 hours a week with radio compared with the typical listener who listened approximately 19 hours a week to radio. Also, people who listened to satellite spent more time with AM/FM radio (14 hours) than they did with satellite radio (10 hours 45 minutes) or Internet (8 hours 15 minutes).
Estimates of listening for specific satellite radio channels are not yet available while Arbitron refines its processes to credit and report listening for satellite channels.
Editor note: A fact sheet on the new diary instructions is available on request.
About Arbitron
Arbitron Inc. (NYSE: ARB) is an international media and marketing research firm serving radio broadcasters, cable companies, advertisers, advertising agencies and outdoor advertising companies in the United States and Europe. Arbitron’s core businesses are measuring network and local market radio audiences across the United States; surveying the retail, media and product patterns of local market consumers; and providing application software used for analyzing media audience and marketing information data. The Company has also developed the Portable People MeterTM system, a new technology for media and marketing research.
Arbitron’s marketing and business units are supported by its research and technology organization, located in Columbia, Maryland. Arbitron has approximately 1,800 employees; its executive offices are located in New York City.
Through its Scarborough Research joint venture with VNU, Inc., Arbitron also provides media and marketing research services to the broadcast television, newspaper and online industries.
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