Congressman Edolphus Towns, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, announced yesterday that he has launched an investigation into Arbitron's PPM methodology. Towns' investigation will look into the much-debated PPM panel issues of potentially underrepresenting minority listenership.

"I remain deeply concerned that without deliberate and timely investigations into this matter the increased use of PPM will further threaten the financial viability of minority targeted radio stations," said Towns in a letter to the FCC, according to Reuters.

Towns added in his letter that he is concerned about incorrect representation of minority groups in PPM ratings, which hurts minority broadcasters. "To date, many of these stations continue to suffer from significant downgrades in ratings, threatening the extent of their programing or even ultimate closure," Towns said in the letter.

Arbitron responded to the news with a statement from President/CEO Michael Skarzynski, saying, "Arbitron welcomes any opportunity to discuss the importance of electronic measurement, the effectiveness of the PPM technology, the value of the data it produces and our disciplined approach to the deployment of the service across the United States. Arbitron looks forward to sharing with the Committee our expertise and insights based on our long history and extensive experience in gathering, distributing and supporting the currency that is used throughout the radio industry by broadcasters, advertisers, and agencies."

He added, "We maintain an ongoing dialogue with broadcasters, industry groups, advertising agencies, the Federal Communications Commission, and Congress as part of our commitment to continuous improvement program for the PPM service and technologies,"