• by Joe Mandese  @mp_joemandese, July 19, 2012

Media researcher Arbitron received an important stamp of approval for its Portable media Meter ratings service in Los Angeles and four other major markets, including Riverside-San Bernardino, CA. 

Advertising and media industry ratings watchdog - the Media Rating Council - has given accreditation to the radio ratings produced by the portable meters, which measure what media consumers are exposed to both in and out-of-home.

Los Angeles was one of three markets being granted MRC accreditation for the first time. The others are Baltimore and San Antonio. 

Riverside-San Bernardino and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL regained accreditation, which the MRC withdrew in January 2012.

The MRC also voted to continue accreditation for the Arbitron service in nine other major markets:  Atlanta, Cincinnati, Houston, Kansas City, Milwaukee-Racine, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and St. Louis.

While the service is officially used to produce radio audience ratings, the meters are capable of measuring audience exposure to other electronic media too.