Arbitron Ethnic Measurement And Reporting Enhancements In Effect

Arbitron

ARBITRON has made changes that will substantially re-weight the ethnic makeup of 179 markets and altering the proportions of Hispanics measured by primary language in 21 markets. The sample effect in LOS ANGELES and MIAMI reduced the percentage of Hispanics and Blacks.

An overview of the two ethnic measurement and reporting enhancements is being implemented during WINTER 2006 survey for Personal Race/Ethnicity and Language Weighting, as was first reported on NET NEWS (12/9/05).  ARBITRON's ETHNIC MEASUREMENT AND REPORTING ENHANCEMENTS is part of the company’s ongoing Better Measurement initiatives.

Personal Race/Ethnicity is being classified on an individual level based on responses to questions asked in the diary as opposed to everyone the household who fills out a diary. Language Weighting is providing sample-balancing controls to ensure that the proportion of Spanish-Primary and English-Primary Hispanics matches the characteristics of the market’s population.

Data was used during SUMMER '05 Books for LOS ANGELES and MIAMI to demonstrate the potential impact of these new enhancements. The sample composition shifted slightly. In the LA, the percentcentage of Hispanics dropped 4% to 41%; Blacks dropped 1% to 9%; and Others increased 5% to 50%. 

ARBITRON indicates the impact of Personal Race/Ethnicity will be more pronounced in markets with more mixed-race households.

A complete list of Personal Race/Ethnicity markets can be found here.

The 21 Language Weighting Markets are found here.

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