Infinity Replaces Ratings Provider

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Byline: Chris Baker, THE WASHINGTON TIMES

The merry sandbox that is the radio-ratings business is no longer big enough for two heavyweight players, Infinity Broadcasting Corp. and Arbitron Inc.

Infinity - which owns about 185 stations, including WPGC-FM (95.5) and WJFK-FM (106.7) in the Washington area - announced last week that it won't renew its contract with Arbitron, the nation's largest radio-ratings service.

Instead, Infinity has signed on with Media Audit, a Houston outfit, to provide audience research for its advertisers.

Arbitron will still include Infinity in the ratings it releases every quarter, but come mid-July, Infinity won't have …