Integrated Media Association Launches Public Media Metrics - a Standardized Web Metrics System for NPR & PBS Public Broadcasting Stations

Rhinebeck, NY, December 10, 2007 --(PR.com)-- The Integrated Media Association announces the launch of PMM, Public Media Metrics, a standardized web metrics system for non-commercial media including public broadcasting. PMM will provide public radio, television and other non-commercial media organizations the web measurement tools necessary to accurately analyze the impact of their web strategies. “PMM’s goal is to create a level playing field for measurement among a group of organizations who previously had to rely on their own internal metrics systems with no way to compare performance with similar online properties. We want to get everyone speaking the same language where metrics are concerned. In this way, non-commercial media companies can learn and share techniques, establish best practice standards, and help each other, all from an intelligent, unified point of view.” says Bill Haenel, PMM’s Technical Director.

A void for a unified metrics system apparently existed, as more than 35 public radio and TV stations joined the project before it officially launched. Both IMA and non-IMA members have embraced the concept with such broadcasters as WNYC, WGBH, WBUR, WXPN, WDAV, KQED, WKSU, KPBS, and KEXP coming on board early as well as major state networks in Minnesota, Iowa, Vermont and Kentucky. The project is funded in part by a $290,000 investment from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Powered by Google Analytics, the service allows each participant to access detailed statistics about the visitors to their website: how many people come, how long they stay, where they go, bounce rate, etc. This information provides a vital tool for understanding audience trends and maximizing marketing effectiveness.

But, equally as important as individual station data, PMM provides comparative reports based upon type of station or participant, market size, format and other targeted comparisons. This is crucial to understanding a station’s efficacy within its own marketplace as well as under the umbrella of public media as a whole. Public broadcasters do not operate in a vacuum and their metrics system shouldn’t either.

“The Google folks have been very supportive of the project, but we’ve had to automate the process of collecting data from a system that was intended for interactive use. We’re aggregating statistics for many organizations in our own database, creating a resource that’s quite unique.” commented David Hoffman, the project’s Software Architect.

To take the data to the next level, Public Media Metrics provides in-depth quarterly reports by analytic academic experts hired to examine and provide perspective on patterns and trends in the marketplace. In addition, the analysts will examine the effect of specific issues influencing public broadcasting and their resulting impact on website success.

To help participants get the most out of the service, web conferences will be held every other month. These will help those taking advantage of PMM to improve their overall performance by better understanding the data presented as well as providing new and innovative applications to better navigate the online marketplace.

IMA director, Mark Fuerst says, “I have been monitoring the development of public broadcasting new media service for ten years. All that time, we’ve needed something like Public Media Metrics. How else would we know what was actually working? Now that it's here, I'm convinced that PMM will have a profound influence on the field. It will change the way we think."

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