• by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer @mp_research, December 23, 2004

4.1 Million People A Week Listen To Three Major Online Radio Networks

Arbitron Inc. and comScore Media Metrix, released the first audience ratings from their new online radio ratings service - with an estimate of 4.1 million people a week, age 12 and older, listening to three major online radio networks. The Online Radio Ratings service rated the three charter subscribers - America Online's AOL® Radio Network; Yahoo!®'s LAUNCHcast,; and Microsoft's MSN Radio and WindowsMedia.com - during an average broadcast week in the month of October.

The new ratings report also estimates that 334,800 people age 12 and older listened during an Average Quarter Hour (AQH) to the online radio services of the three charter subscribers, Monday-Friday, 6AM-7PM during an average broadcast week in October.

Arbitron and comScore Media Metrix recently announced their collaboration on a new service that provides online radio with traditional broadcast ratings including Cume and Average Quarter Hour estimates for standard dayparts and demographics. Cume is the total number of different persons who tune to a radio station during the course of a daypart for at least five minutes. Average Quarter Hour is the average number of persons listening to a particular station for at least five minutes during a 15-minute period.

"Ad agencies need credible numbers to justify making online radio part of their media plans," said Eric Ronning, managing partner, Ronning Lipset Radio.

"These results help us validate the size and value of online radio for advertisers on a level playing field with traditional radio," said Andy Lipset, managing partner, Ronning Lipset Radio. "Online radio must use the same metrics used by terrestrial radio to be included in traditional media plans."

Persons 12+ Average Weekly Audience October 2004 United States

	Mon-Fri 6AM-7PM		Mon-Sun 6AM-Midnight
	Cume Pers	Avg QtrHr Pers	Cume Pers	Avg QtrHr Pers
Yahoo!'s LAUNCHcast	1,073,600	194,100	1,928,900	128,900
AOL Radio Network	876,600	107,900	1,783,900	81,700
MSN Radio and WindowsMedia.com	300,900	32,700	424,700	20,400
TOTAL: All Three Networks	2,202,800	334,800	4,067,400	231,000

Source: comScore Arbitron