Arbitron Releases November Webcast Ratings

Arbitron (http://www.arbitron.com) has released Webcast ratings for November 1999.The ratings service, dubbed InfoStream by Arbitron, includes 255 channels of audio programming offered by six participating streaming media services: ABC Radio Networks, Access 21, BroadcastAmerica.com, LaMusica, Magnitude Network and RealBroadcast Networks.

The top three InfoStream outlets in terms of total listeners for the month of November are www.kpig.com, the adult alternative station, KPIG-FM, Monterey, Calif., with 60,700 cumulative listeners. Number two was www.cd93.com, the modern adult contemporary station, KCDU-FM, Monterey, Calif., with 59,000 listeners; and third was www.khyi.com, the country station, KHYI-FM, Dallas-Ft. Worth, with 58,100 internet listeners.

Most surprising perhaps is the time spent tuning. The number one company, www.smoothjazz1059.com, WJZW-FM from Washington D.C. had an average of seven hours and 30 minutes time spent tuning.

How does Arbitron measure it all? InfoStream uses server-side measurement, which counts all users tuning in to participating streamed media channels by unique players.

Arbitron says that for these five streaming content providers, listeners spent nearly a total of 1.4 million hours tuned to Internet audio during the month of November. 22 of the 255 channels included are Internet-only audio including newcomer Electric Eye Radio, being streamed by Access 21.

The biggest limitation to Arbitron's methodology is that streaming media providers must sign up for the service before being counted. This leaves major gaps in stations (such as those streamed through Yahoo! Broadcast) and doesn't include some of the major Internet-only radio stations.