Arbitron have been trying to get its Portable People Meter (PPM) concept going in the US but have met resistance from the recalcitrant media industry. But in Iceland it has been taken on board with open arms. The tiny country boasts a disproportionately large number of tv and radio stations and presents an ideal test market for the technology. Iceland will be the first country in the world to have electronic audience measurement for both TV and radio.

The PPM machine is like a mobile phone. The respondent carries it around and has a microphone to record any audio transmissions. These are then matched with tv and radio schedules.

Iceland’s major TV and radio stations have given a six year contract to research company Capacent. TNS is backing up the contract and already has experience of the PPM system for radio measurement in Norway.