How to Use Your Personal Meter A Complete Guide to Participating in the Arbitron Ratings Your Representative:
Contents Page 1 Page 10 Welcome! What about traveling? Page 2 Page 10 How does it work? Need to reach us? • Your Personal Meter • Your Recharger • The Household Collector Page 11 Quick troubleshooting guide Page 4 Page 12 How to keep your Meter with you Common questions and answers Page 6 Page 14 When do you recharge your Personal Meter? An important message to parents of school-age children Page 7 Inside back cover What do the messages mean? Important safety instructions Page 8 Back
Welcome! Welcome to the Arbitron TV and Radio Ratings! Your part in these ratings is very important! We are counting on you and everyone in your household age 6 and older to tell us what you watch on television and what you listen to on the radio. With your information, TV and radio stations and others in the TV and radio industries can learn more about the programs that are watched or listened to. All you have to do is wear your Personal Meter every day from the time you rise until you retire for the day.
How does it work? Your Personal Meter Your Personal Meter is just for you. Your name will appear when you put your Personal Meter into its Recharger. Please make sure you are the only one using your Personal Meter. Your Personal Meter picks up what you watch on TV and listen to on the radio. It automatically identifies the radio station or TV program by picking up special “encoded” signals sent by TV and radio stations.
Your Recharger Your Recharger collects your TV viewing and radio listening information as well as recharges the Personal Meter battery. At the end of each day, you place the Personal Meter into the Recharger so all your TV viewing and radio listening for that day will be included. To make it easy, we ask you to place the Recharger in your bedroom where you can easily see it when you first wake up. The Recharger also displays special messages to you whenever you place the Personal Meter back into the unit.
How to keep your Meter with you Three simple rules 1. Remove your Personal Meter from its Recharger as soon as you wake up. 2. Wear your Personal Meter wherever you go and make sure its green light stays on. 3. At the end of the day, just before you go to sleep, place your Personal Meter into its Recharger to recharge while you are sleeping. Wear it wherever you go Please remember to wear your Personal Meter everywhere you go so all your TV viewing and radio listening will be included.
Ways to wear your Personal Meter You can wear your Personal Meter just about any way you like. We suggest: • clipping it to your belt or another piece of clothing; • carrying it in your shirt, pants or skirt pocket (please keep the green-light end near your pocket opening); • clipping it to your purse while you are carrying it (remember to take your Meter off your purse when it’s not with you); or • using one of the accessories provided to help make it easier to wear your Meter.
When do you recharge your Personal Meter? Your Personal Meter must be recharged at the end of your day. To recharge, return your Personal Meter to its Recharger each day right before you retire and go to sleep. If you forget, please place your Personal Meter in its Recharger at the next opportunity for at least four hours. When you insert your Personal Meter, the Recharger will beep and display a series of messages.
What do the messages mean? Your Recharger has been equipped with a message readout to inform you about your bonus points and to provide you with information about the status of the equipment. Below is a list of the basic messages and what these messages mean. When the message says: It means: RECHARGER FOR (YOUR NAME) There are no other messages for you. HELLO (YOUR NAME) The Recharger recognizes that the Personal Meter placed in the Recharger belongs to you.
How to earn points toward cash gifts and bonuses We hope you’ll wear your Personal Meter at all times you are awake so we can include all of your viewing and listening. To thank you for wearing your Personal Meter wherever you go, we set up a special bonus system. You automatically get a $5 cash gift each month just for participating in the TV and radio ratings.
Anniversary gifts! Every person in your household who is in the Ratings will get a $100 cash gift each year on the anniversary of your household’s joining the Ratings. Weekly Sweepstakes drawings Keeping your Meter with you will also qualify you for our Weekly Sweepstakes. Specific rules for the current sweepstakes are included as an insert to this guide. Your Arbitron Ratings representative will review the rules, eligibility and prizes with you.
What about traveling? During the time you are in the Ratings, you may find that you have to be away from home for several days. Here are two simple rules: 1. If you are going to be away from home no more than two nights, take your Personal Meter with you. When you return home, place your Personal Meter in its Recharger for at least four hours when you go to sleep. 2. If away for three or more nights at a time, please leave your Personal Meter in its Recharger while you are away.
Quick troubleshooting guide Just in case, here are some quick tips: If this happens: Try this: Green light goes out on your Personal Meter 1. Pick up the Meter and move it. 2. If picking up the Meter and moving it does not work, the battery probably needs to be recharged. Charge it by putting it in its Recharger. No messages appear on the Recharger 1. Make sure the Recharger is plugged in. 2.
Common questions and answers Q. What happens if I wear someone else’s Personal Meter? A. That person gets credit for the time you wore the Meter and the TV and Radio Ratings won’t be as accurate. Please exchange Meters as soon as you discover the error and notify your Arbitron Ratings representative so that they can correctly credit your viewing and listening. Q. Will this equipment interfere with my TV or radio reception? A. No, you will receive all stations available to you now without any changes. Q.
Q. What if I have to go away from home for a day or two? A. If only for a day or two, take your Personal Meter with you. For three or more nights, leave it in the Recharger at home. If you have travel questions, please call your Arbitron Ratings representative. Q. If my entire family is in our car for a day’s outing, can we take only one of the Personal Meters with us? A. Each participating person should take his/her own Personal Meter to pick up individual viewing and listening.
An important message to parents of school-age children As you may know, wearing devices that are, or look like, pagers is not permitted in some school systems. If you want your child to wear their Personal Meter to school, we recommend that you first check with the school administration. We would be happy to provide you and your child with a special letter regarding the daily use of the Personal Meter in the TV and Radio Ratings.
Important safety instructions Save These Instructions WARNING: To avoid the risk of electric shock, do not expose any of this equipment to moisture. Arbitron tests all equipment for safety. As with all electrical equipment, you need to take a few simple precautions. Please read and follow these instructions. 1. Please heed all warning and caution labels. 2. For cleaning, use only a damp cloth—do not use liquid or aerosol cleaners. 3. Never push objects of any kind into an opening. 4.
FCC notice This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. User or nearby persons should maintain at least 20 cm from the antenna in normal use.
