Taylor Nelson Sofres to Include Portable People Meter Results at Conference of Cable and Satellite Operators in Asia

Business Wire, Dec 2, 2002

Business Editors

SYDNEY, Australia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 2, 2002

When the Cable and Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA) discusses measurement improvements of cable and satellite audiences at its annual convention in Singapore, Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS) will highlight the Arbitron encoding technology now being used successfully in TNS's Singapore PeopleMeter system.

Phillip Jones, director for media in Southeast Asia for Taylor Nelson Sofres, will participate in a panel discussion of improved cable and satellite measurement results. Taylor Nelson Sofres has been operating its TARiS 5000 people meters in Singapore since January 2001. Each meter uses decoders jointly developed by TNS and Arbitron to capture inaudible codes embedded in the audio broadcast of stations being measured. This same technology is being used in Arbitron's Portable People Meter (PPM) to measure listening of radio, television and cable audiences.

"CASBAA recognises that there is now more credible, coherent and consistent television research measuring cable and satellite television than ever before," said Mr. Jones. "We will discuss how our Singapore service captures data on satellite and cable audiences to better position these broadcasters to capture their share of advertising dollars.

"We are particularly pleased with the performance of the encoding technology that is also part of Arbitron's Portable People Meter service," said Jones. "Our experience with the technology in Singapore is further proof that electronic measurement systems are accurate, reliable, and produce more targeted ratings that benefit broadcasters and advertisers."

"The success of the PPM encoding technology in Singapore underscores how successful the PPM has been in tests conducted around the world, including in Australia," said David Rogerson, managing director of Strategic Media Solutions and a consultant to Arbitron Inc. (NYSE: ARB) in Australia. "The upcoming conference will assist Asian broadcasters who are now looking at how the PPM can be positively integrated into their media measurement processes. As part of this assessment, the Australian radio community can feel confident that PPM will work, and will contribute to increased success for radio stations in our country."

The convention will take place 4-6 December 2002, in Singapore.

About the Portable People Meter in Australia

Arbitron Inc. (NYSE: ARB) and Taylor Nelson Sofres Australia are proposing that Australian advertisers, agencies and radio stations use the Portable People Meter (PPM) to establish an advanced radio ratings service.

The PPM is a unique electronic measurement system that automatically tracks the exposure of a representative panel of listeners to encoded radio signals. A Portable People Meter panel can provide new and improved measures of audiences that are not available from diary-based measurement services, such as additional trending information, more reliable audience estimates and real multiweek reach and frequency data. The PPM technology has been proven and documented in a half dozen countries. The technology has undergone independent laboratory and studio tests as well as "real world" operation of encoders around the globe.

The bid has been submitted to Commercial RadioAustralia, the representative organization for Australia's commercial radio stations, with a decision by a committee scheduled to be made in January 2003 for implementation in 2004.

ABOUT TAYLOR NELSON SOFRES

Taylor Nelson Sofres Australia is part of the Taylor Nelson Sofres group. Through its international network of 230 offices in more than 50 countries, Taylor Nelson Sofres provides market information services in over 100 countries to national and multi-national organisations. It is ranked as the fourth largest market information group in the world. Further information on Taylor Nelson Sofres Australia is available from its website: www.tnsofres.com.au

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, Mexico 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. Arbitron Webcast Services measures the audiences of audio and video content on the Internet, commonly known as webcasts. The Company is developing the Portable People Meter, a new technology for radio, TV and cable ratings.

Arbitron's marketing and business units are supported by a world-renowned research and technology organization located in Columbia, Maryland. Arbitron has approximately 800 full-time employees; its executive offices are located in New York City.

Through its Scarborough Research joint venture with VNU Media Measurement & Information, Arbitron also provides media and marketing research services to the broadcast television, magazine, newspaper, outdoor and online industries.