-By Katy Bachman

More fireworks could be in store for Arbitron’s portable people meter service. This Thursday (Oct. 15) is the deadline for Arbitron to get Media Rating Council accreditation for its service in New York or face the possibility of renewed action by the New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo.

So far, MRC accreditation has been elusive for Arbitron, which has only received MRC accreditation for two markets, Houston and Riverside-San Bernardino, Calif.

Arbitron has continued with its rollout of the PPM service despite criticism from some minority broadcasters claiming the PPM service undercounts minority listeners. Their complaints have led to the intervention in the PPM rollout from regulators, including four state AGs, the Federal Communications Commission and two Congressional committees.

Arbitron’s portable people meter radio ratings service is now in 25 of the top 50 markets. The research firm hit the milestone late last week with the commercialization of the service in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Fla.; St. Louis; Denver-Boulder; Baltimore; and Pittsburgh. The 25 markets account for more than 50 percent of the estimated station revenue in all Arbitron-rated radio markets.

Another eight markets are scheduled to commercialize the PPM by Dec. 31, 2009, including Portland, Ore.; Sacramento, Calif.; Cincinnati; Cleveland; Salt Lake City-Ogden and Provo, Utah; San Antonio, Texas; Kansas City, Mo.; and Las Vegas. Plans call for the research firm to complete the PPM roll out to the top 50 by the end of next year.