New York - Apr 27, 2007 - Arbitron released the first so-called currency radio ratings from the Philadelphia Portable People Meter (PPM) radio ratings service. The March PPM survey ratings covers March 8 through April 4.

Philadelphia is the first radio market in the United States to be measured by the Arbitron PPM system, an electronic audience measurement technology that has been in U.S. market trials since 2001. Over the next three years, the PPM is scheduled to be deployed in the top 50 markets in place of the paper-and-pencil diary method that the company has used to collect radio audience estimates since 1965.

One new finding indicated by the PPM ratings in Philadelphia is an increase in the composition of the radio audience (people 18+) who are employed full time compared to what was reported by the radio diary.