NetRadio.com Joins Arbitron Ratings Service

Arbitron said that NetRadio.com (http://www.netradio.com) will join its InfoStream ratings service. This is a big win for Arbitron which has been feeling the heat for late results and an incomplete picture of streaming media. Still, some major companies like Yahoo! Broadcast, BroadcastAmerica.com and WebRadio.com are still absent from Arbitron's list.

Arbitron's InfoStream service provides broadcast metrics that allow advertisers to better compare traditional radio audiences with those reached by streaming providers like NetRadio.com.

"When considering traditional radio and Webcasted radio, advertisers and other interested parties need reliable audience measures to make better, `apples to apples' comparisons of the value they'll receive for their buys," said Edward A. Tomechko, president and chief executive officer, NetRadio.com. "In recent months, NetRadio.com's audience has grown its unique monthly listeners exponentially. Now, with the highly credible, third-party research capabilities of Arbitron, we are better able to prove the impressive growth and reach of NetRadio.com to our current and future advertisers."

InfoStream has started measuring five NetRadio.com channels -- Hits, 80s Hits, The X, Vintage Rock, and Smooth Jazz. Arbitron says that preliminary figures indicate that four of the five channels may lead the InfoStream rankings in future reports:

NetRadio.com Channel Monthly Audience (unique listeners)==================== ==================================Hits 261,000Vintage Rock 220,300The X 228,000Smooth Jazz 176,40080s Hits 219,000

Later this year, NetRadio plans to include all of its more than 100 NetRadio.com channels in the monthly InfoStream service.