(H/T – Charlie Sykes, who stands to lose if the ObamiNation wins)
The Radio Equalizer reports that the same groups heavily invested in vote fraud and census fraud are attempting to get rid of an accurate measure of radio listening, Arbitron’s Portable People Meter, because it “…undercounts and misrepresents the number and loyalty of minority radio listeners.” The FCC, operating in the wishes of the group, which includes President Obama, has opened an inquiry into the use of the PPM.
The PPM system uses signals encoded into a radio signal and played back through a radio’s speakers to record to what stations a particular panelist is exposed on a portable device, which then transmits via landline the results. It currently complements the traditional diary system in select markets, including New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, with implementation in Milwaukee/Racine scheduled for spring 2010. Its main advantage over the diary system is that it is harder to lie about how long one actually listens to a program. Its main disadvantage is that it must be carried around, though its cell-phone size makes it easier.
In early results, talk radio, particularily conservative talk radio, has “gained” a lot of listenership compared to the diary system, while urban radio has “lost” a lot. This just won’t do for the usual suspects.
