The Hindu Business Line : Arbitron opens technology centre at Info Park

Kochi, Jan. 5 Arbitron Inc, the international media and marketing research firm, has inaugurated its fully-owned subsidiary at Info Park here on Monday, which would provide employment opportunity to nearly 800 software professionals in the next 3-4 years.

Arbitron India will play a key role for the development of technology and provide operational support for the implementation of Arbitron’s flagship service, the Portable People Meter (PPM) and other products which are being installed throughout the US and other countries, Mr Steve Morris, Chairman and CEO, Arbitron Inc, told reporters after inaugurating the new facility.

The company is not looking at volume recruitment but would employ the best software talent sourced from different parts of the world. He said he would also be interested to provide the company’s service in the Indian media and advertising industry.

However, he said, the radio industry is still in its development stage. Moreover, the company has to find a suitable partner to enter the Indian market, he added.

Why India?

Arbitron has chosen India to enable implementation of its strategic worldwide initiatives and Kochi is also emerging as an important IT destination, attracting a talent pool from across India and abroad, he said.

According to Mr Morris, the ongoing recession has affected the media industry in the US, especially print and TV. In the long run, accountability of the media will be a differentiating factor, he said.

Mr Shilen Sagunan, Managing Director, Arbitron India, said that the development centre at Kochi is one of the best in India in terms of technical infrastructure. The facility is fully wireless and has an outdoor garden workspace, where the team can extend their work from an office to a natural setting.

Range of work

Arbitron Inc is an international media and marketing research firm serving the media — radio, television, cable, online radio and out-of-home communication as well as advertisers and advertising agencies — in the US and Europe.

Arbitron’s core business is measuring network and local market radio audience across the US; surveying the retail, media and product patterns of local market consumers; and providing application software used for analysing media audience and marketing information data.

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