• by Joe Mandese  @mp_joemandese, June 7, 2004

The Advertising Research Foundation (ARF) has become the latest voice to step into the middle of the New York people meter brouhaha, making an offer this morning to convene and "co-chair" a high-level task force to discuss ways of resolving the increasingly messy standoff between Nielsen and its critics.

The task force, which was originally proposed as an outcome of meetings between Nielsen management and New York Congressman Charles Rangel, has yet to gain momentum, even as opposition to Nielsen's deployment of the meters mounts. In the past week, Viacom's CBS' unit, Tribune Co., and Univision have joined News Corp. in calling on Nielsen to hold off on the New York people meters until the issues surrounding them can be resolved. The ARF today also called on Nielsen to "review the implications" of its current New York approach, which is providing two sets of data - the old meter/diary ratings, and the new people meter ratings.

The ARF moves follow a closed session of the ARF's Video Electronic Media Council and its Multicultural Council that included a presentation by Nielsen Chief Research Officer Paul Donato and an address by Rangel, who urged the ARF to do what it could to move this issue to closure.

Rangel was in Normandy, France Monday where he was participating the 60th Anniversary of the allied invasion, and his office had no immediate comment. Nielsen's Donato was in meetings and unavailable for comment Monday, but a Nielsen spokeswoman said, "We are continuing to work closely with Congressman Rangel and how that we can name the chairs of the task force in the very near future."

However, one observer questioned the neutrality of the ARF in the matter, noting that Donato currently is chairman of the research federation.

Meanwhile, News Corp.-backed anti-local people meter group Don't Count Us Out plans today will continue its battle to block the rollout of the meters in Los Angeles. The group will hold another press briefing and is scheduled to testify before the Los Angeles City Council on the "negative impact" the meters would have on Los Angeles.