A telephone survey is performed every fall and purchased year after year by one local radio group; however, due to the methodology or other reasons, the survey is not accredited by the Media Ratings Council2 and the results are not valid according to their standards.
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1 All of the counties in the entire U.S. are surveyed in the spring of each year by Nielsen Audio; however, those results are not published until the following year in Nielsen Radio County Coverage reports, which provide limited listening estimates only on Persons 12+.
2 What is the Media Ratings Council? The MRC was established at the behest of the United States Congress:
· To secure for the media industry and related users audience measurement services that are valid, reliable and effective.
· To evolve and determine minimum disclosure and ethical criteria for media audience measurement services.
· To provide and administer an audit system designed to inform users as to whether such audience measurements are conducted in conformance with the criteria and procedures developed.
Examples of MRC accredited research:
Nielsen Stations Index (TV)
Nielsen Television Index (TV)
Nielsen Audio, formerly Arbitron (Radio)
Nielsen Audio PPM (Personal Portable Meter Radio)
26 Internet Services (including Triton Digital)
http://mediaratingcouncil.org/Accredited%20Services.htm