Businessweek

martPlus and Media Professional services provide media buying software systems to local and regional advertising agencies for broadcast and print media. The Media Professional and SmartPlus services are designed to help advertising agencies and advertisers plan and buy radio advertising time. These services integrate radio planning and buying into one comprehensive research and media-buying tool. They allow advertising agencies and advertisers to uncover key areas critical to the buying process, including determining the most effective media target, understanding market trends and identifying potential new business. The company offers third-party software providers and customers licenses to use proprietary software that would enable enhanced access to its respondent-level data. International Operations Finland: The company operates a wholly-owned subsidiary, Arbitron Mobile, located in and organized under the laws of Finland. India; The company operates a wholly-owned subsidiary, Arbitron Technology Services India Private Limited, located in and organized under the laws of India, which provides software development and testing services for the company. Customers, Sales, and Marketing The company’s customers are primarily radio, cable and television broadcasters, advertising agencies, advertisers, buying services, retailers, out-of-home media, online media, mobile media, and print media. It markets its services in the United States through 104 sales account managers, customer trainers and client services representatives, as of December 31, 2012. The company has various agreements with third parties to assist in marketing and selling its services in the United States. Marketron International, Inc. distributes, on an exclusive basis, the company’s QUALITAP software to television and cable outlets in the United States and Media Monitors uses minute-level radio data from its PPM ratings service for its Audience Reaction and Mscore services. Competition During 2012, the company competed in the radio audience ratings business in some small United States markets with Eastlan Resources. The company is aware of various companies, including Anite plc; Ascom; CarrierIQ, Inc.; comScore, Inc.; Experian Simmons; Lumi Mobile; M:Metrics, Inc; Mediametrie; Nokia Siemens Networks; Nurago GmbH (GfK AG is the majority owner); Spirent Communications; and Telephia (a subsidiary of Nielsen) that compete with the company’s Mobile’s mobile audience services. Additionally, the company competes with a large number of other providers of applications software, qualitative data, and proprietary qualitative studies used by broadcasters, cable companies, advertising agencies, advertisers, and out-of-home media companies. These competitors include Edison Research, Marketron Inc. and STRATA Marketing Inc., in the area of proprietary research; Donovan Data Systems, Interactive Media Systems, and Telmar Information Services Corp., in the area of applications software; and The Media Audit (a division of International Demographics, Inc.), GfK Mediamark Research and Intelligence LLC (a subsidiary of GfK AG) and Simmons Market Research Bureau (a subsidiary of Experian Marketing Solutions) in the area of qualitative data. Intellectual Property As of December 31, 2012, 49 United States patents were issued and active and 79 United States patent applications were pending on the company’s behalf. Internationally, 193 foreign patents were issued and active and 241 foreign patent applications were pending on its behalf. The company markets various services under United States federally registered trademarks that are helpful in creating brand recognition in the marketplace. Some of its registered trademarks and service marks and marks for which registration is pending include: the Arbitron name and logo, Maximi$er, RetailDirect, RADAR, and PPM 360. The Arbitron name and logo is of material importance to the company’s business. Arbitron PPM is registered in class 35 (conducting audience measurement services). The company also has various common-law trademarks, including Media Professional, and QUALITAP. The company has registered it