eDiary Might Increase Ratings Response Rate

Arbitron, which provides radio ratings for markets around the country, will introduce an electronic version of its paper diary, called the eDiary, beginning with its Winter 2007 survey.

Participants will have the option to record their listening using the Internet-based electronic diary, which could help Arbitron increase its response rates among younger, harder-to-recruit consumers.

In previous tests, Arbitron found that one out of 20 survey participants will choose the electronic diary and that those participants are more likely to be younger, between the age of 25 and 34. Comparably, the largest demographic group of paper diary keepers is between the age of 45 and 54.