Radio Listening Explodes During Superstorm Sandy In The New York Metro Area; Arbitron Data Releases To Be Affected

Radio Listening Levels During The Storm

ARBITRON has released data showing radio listening increased in the NEW YORK radio market as the SuperStorm SANDY made landfall during the evening of MONDAY, OCTOBER 29th. In fact, there was a 70% increase in radio listening as the storm hit the coast.

Compared to the week prior, the average number of people using radio in any quarter hour from 7p-Midnight on the storm night (10/29) increased 70%, found ARBITRON.

Market      10/29              10/29 Average   10/22 Average  Percent increase 
                   Peak Hour     7p-Mid                7p-Mid                 10/29 vs 10/22 

New York  1,159,400      1,010,400          592,500               70%

In the coastal areas within the NEW YORK market, ARBITRON noted radio listening increased by even higher percentages. 

Market                      10/29              10/29 Average    10/22 Average  Percent increase 
                                   Peak Hour     7p-Mid                  7p-Mid                10/29-10/22                                                   

Nassau-Suffolk        357,600          285,700               82,800                245%
Middlesex-
Somerset Union      205,500          146,600              49,800                 195%
Stamford/Norwalk    68,500             43,400                9,300                   367%
Staten Island             68,100             29,700               20,900                  42%
Monmouth NJ            63,800             44,100               12,700                 247%

"When the lights went out, when TV and desktop PCs were no longer available, many NEW YORK area residents turned on their battery-powered radios," wrote ARBITRON in a release. "Many radio stations along the path of the storm, regardless of their regular format, revamped their programming to provide their listeners with weather updates, news and emergency information."

In the wake of the storm, radio remained an information lifeline to the residents of NEW YORK, particularly in the coastal areas of the market. Average radio listening on TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30th in NEW YORK was 1,525,500 persons in any given quarter hour between 6a-midnight, up 8% from 1,406,700 persons 6+ the week before.

The average audience in the N.Y. coastal communities (MONMOUTH, FAIRFIELD SN, NASSAU-SUFFOLK, STATEN ISLAND and MIDDLESEX) totaled 670,200 on the TUESDAY (6a-mid) following landfall (10/30) which is 38% higher than the average of all TUESDAYS year to date.

The Average in the NY coastal communities (MONMOUTH, FAIRFIELD SN, NASSAU-SUFFOLK, STATEN ISLAND and MIDDLESEX) totaled 651,200 on the WEDNESDAY (6a-Mid) following landfall (10/31) which is 35% higher than the average of all WEDNESDAYS year to date.

Arbitron Adjusts Upcomiing Data Releases To Account For Hurricane Sandy Downtimes

On OCTOBER 29th, during the NOVEMBER 2012 report period (OCTOBER 11-NOVEMBER 7), Hurricane Sandy moved through the eastern seaboard, causing widespread damage and extended power outages. During the last two days of Week 3 (OCTOBER 25-OCTOBER 31) and throughout Week 4 (NOVEMBER 1-NOVEMBER 7), a substantial number of homes remained without power. ARBITRON has carefully monitored Average Daily In-Tab and other PPM performance metrics for each market throughout this period.

New York, Nassau-Suffolk And Middlesex-Somerset-Union

The NEW YORK METRO includes the embedded Metros of NASSAU-SUFFOLK and MIDDLESEX-SOMERSET-UNION. As a result of the storm, approximately one-third of the targeted in-tab sample in NASSAU-SUFFOLK and MIDDLESEX-SOMERSET-UNION was unavailable during Week 4. In addition, average daily in-tab rates were substantially lower for Week 4 in these embedded metros than during unaffected weeks in recent currency reports.

These factors, combined with other performance metrics, resulted in a decision to not produce PPM estimates for Week 4 for NASSAU-SUFFOLK and MIDDLESEX-SOMERSET-UNION. Since the NEW YORK METRO includes the NASSAU-SUFFOLK and MIDDLESEX-SOMERSET-UNION METROS, the unavailability of these metros impacts the sample performance of the NEW YORK METRO. As a result, Week 4 PPM estimates for New York will not be produced.

November 2012 PPM Reports

The NOVEMBER 2012 reports for NEW YORK, NASSAU-SUFFOLK and MIDDLESEX-SOMERSET-UNION will be based exclusively on NOVEMBER Weeks 1, 2 and 3 (OCTOBER 11th-OCTOBER 31st). ARBITRON plans to release these reports on MONDAY, NOVEMBER 27th, as originally scheduled.

The NOVEMBER 2012 report for all PPM markets other than NEW YORK, NASSAU-SUFFOLK and MIDDLESEX-SOMERSET-UNION will be based on the standard four-week NOVEMBER report period. ARBITRON plans to release these reports as originally scheduled.

All NOVEMBER 2012 monthly PPM reports -- including the reports for NEW YORK, NASSAU-SUFFOLK and MIDDLESEX-SOMERSET-UNION -- will be currency reports available for transactional use.

November Week 4 Weeklies

ARBITRON will not be releasing NOVEMBER Week 4 Weeklies estimates for NEW YORK, NASSAU-SUFFOLK and MIDDLESEX-SOMERSET-UNION. Week 4 Metro audience estimates will not be available for those markets in any ARBITRON service.

NOVEMBER Week 4 Weeklies estimates for all PPM markets other than NEW YORK, NASSAU-SUFFOLK and MIDDLESEX-SOMERSET-UNION are scheduled to release at the same time as NOVEMBER monthly estimates.

December Week 1 Weeklies

ARBITRON will continue reaching out to panelists in affected markets throughout the DECEMBER report period and to closely monitor performance metrics. We expect to be able to notify clients the week of NOVEMBER 26th regarding the status of DECEMBER Week 1 Weeklies estimates for NEW YORK, NASSAU-SUFFOLK and MIDDLESEX-SOMERSET-UNION.

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