Arbitron has filed a lawsuit against WKYC-TV/Cleveland, saying the TV station improperly claimed use of its ratings data in its media kit. Arbitron is claiming copyright infringement in the suit, saying that the station has stated that data involving Pandora audience listening estimates came from Arbitron, when it actually did not.

In its suit, Arbitron claims that "WKYC-TV has willfully and intentionally infringed Arbitron’s copyrights by copying and distributing copyrighted audience estimates obtained from the Arbitron Reports and Databases without authorization from Arbitron. Moreover, WKYC-TV has infringed Arbitron’s trademarks by willfully and intentionally using the Arbitron Marks in its promotional activities."

Arbitron adds that the TV station's media kit, which is used for WKYC's sales presentations, "is part of an effort by WKYC-TV to sell advertising time on its station together with time on Pandora." The suit adds that "WKYC has falsely represented that certain audience estimates were produced by Arbitron when, in fact, those audience estimates were not produced by Arbitron, causing confusion in the minds of the public."