Arbitron says, "Find out what your neighbors are listening to."
Responding to critics of PPM's small sample sizes in many markets, Arbitron is encouraging survey participants to eavesdrop on their neighbors."In some markets we're giving each PPM household an extra meter, along with listening equipment like parabolic reflectors and shotgun microphones. Respondents are to spend part of their listening time aiming the gear at non-metered neighbors to find out what they're listening to and thus boost sample size." That's the word from Arbitron's VP of Insignificant Concessions Virgil Tigh.
Demographic information on these new unknowing participants is limited to what PPM panelists can jot down about them, like their approximate age, race, and sex. Arbitron says that the spying devices it provides enable a Portable People Meter to hear radio signals at varying distances, whether in the next room or way down a busy street. Listeners can remain unaware that their behavior is being captured as long as the large dish-like objects being aimed in their direction are not visible.
To make this radio reconnaissance attractive, Arbitron has invented sweepstakes in which points earned while spying on unsuspecting neighbors can be turned into valuable prizes like toaster ovens and lawn furniture. Children especially love to sneak a listen to what the folks next door are up to, and compete vigorously to earn items like cable TV parental control disablers and previously taboo adult novelties, all offered as premiums by the ratings giant.
Only one PPM household in Tampa has dropped out citing this new policy. "They didn't feel comfortable playing CIA on the people on the other side of the duplex wall," Tigh said.
