By Frank Macek Nielsen started utilizing its controversial Local People Meters (LPMs) in several new markets today including Cleveland. What this means to us is a new way of measuring viewers of our local television programs in a way that Nielsen says will offer a truer representation of actual viewing audiences. Not all stations are convinced though this will be better. In the past, Nielsen recruited viewers by phone & mail to fill out a paper diary for a one week period during sweeps - a four week period during the main months of February, May, July and November. This amounted to about 1400 diaries during the survey month or about 400 households being included in the sample size. With LPMs, viewers tell an electronic meter that they are watching while the meter tracks their viewing habits. The sample size becomes 600 LPMs in a market. Nielsen now goes door to door to recruit participants. And they hope the sample will include a better portion of those who are younger, busier and ...