Any Arbitron raters here?

[Petrocelli]

I was contacted by arbitron reserahc to be a rating family.

I understand that part of the deal is that you wear some small device that tracks your ratings. Has anyone worn one of these? Are they a pain?

[Random Poster]

I did it a while back for 3 months (3 months is when the easy money runs out). Made around $300 or do as I recall. The rating tracker device you wear (although you don't have to wear it) is like a square beeper. It isn't a pain to keep up with, so long as you move it around every so often you are considered as being active. All in all, it was pretty easy money. They do know when you aren't bring active, however.

[Rob5TCP]

Never wore it - is interesting
here is what it looks like

http://radio.about.com/od/forprofession ... t-Work.htm

[Petrocelli]

It sounds like easy money, but Mrs. Petrocelli is not thrilled with the idea of wearing a little box. It clashes with her Rolex.

[mtwoy]

My wife and I did it for close to 2 years. It's about the size of a pager and fits easily in your pocket. It was a little difficult to get used to carrying it at first but after about a month or so it became 2nd nature. I saw it as a relatively easy way to earn a free dinner out each month.

[Nicolas]

We did it for three months or so. We earned about $215. As someone else said, you get used to it after awhile. I'd still be doing it but my wife didn't like it so I had to give it up. They won't allow you to continue solo.

[gkaplan]

We did it for three months or so. We earned about $215. As someone else said, you get used to it after awhile. I'd still be doing it but my wife didn't like it so I had to give it up. They won't allow you to continue solo.

If you're single, they don't want you?

[Nicolas]

We did it for three months or so. We earned about $215. As someone else said, you get used to it after awhile. I'd still be doing it but my wife didn't like it so I had to give it up. They won't allow you to continue solo.

If you're single, they don't want you?

I'm not sure about that. We were added as a couple originally, and then later, when I explained that it was only my wife who wanted out, and could I please stay on, I was told no, I could not. Maybe their demographic formula would be somehow skewed, I don't know. They may take singles on, I wouldn't know. They were very nice about it. I had a good experience with Arbitron.

[Harold]

I was an arbitron "family" as a single person in the 90s.

I didn't have a device though. I had a booklet to record what I watched. Given that according to what they provided me I represented something like tens of thousands of local viewers, I felt a sense of power. I resisted the temptation to claim I watched Gilligan's Island all day every day however.

[Johm221122]

I did it for two years, it's the size of a beeper.I put it on fan when home, it is a pain when your not wearing clothes with pockets
John

[TSR]

I had a friend who did this and she was not particularly bothered while doing it, but after she stopped she was frustrated that it was seemingly impossible to get off of their call list. They would literally call her every other week. My guess (and her guess) was that there was just something wrong with their record-keeping (she had asked to be removed several times and always heard from different people/branches), but you do run the risk of really signing on to an organization that is not going to forget you.

[hsv_climber]

I understand that part of the deal is that you wear some small device that tracks your ratings.

Over the watch?

[Petrocelli]

I was an arbitron "family" as a single person in the 90s.

I didn't have a device though. I had a booklet to record what I watched. Given that according to what they provided me I represented something like tens of thousands of local viewers, I felt a sense of power. I resisted the temptation to claim I watched Gilligan's Island all day every day however.

I actually have thought it would be amusing to leave the device in a room for several hours, and alternate between Barney, the Playboy Channel, Fox News, Wrestling, and Spanish language soaps.