In his inimitable style, former Sun editor MacKenzie has railed against Rajar's findings, saying it was a "disgraceful decision, made by vested interests behind closed doors".
MacKenzie has been testing the new system in a three-year deal with radio measurement firm GfK and plans to create a rival to Rajar, which effectively has a monopoly on radio ratings at present.
The GfK system calls for audience panellists to wear a wristwatch that can pick up whichever station they are listening to, and aims to improve on Rajar's current diary system, where listeners record their listening habits by pen and paper.
Yesterday, Rajar said that it had rejected a switch to either the wristwatch system or another electronic system in the immediate future, because trials it had carried out proved that both were inaccurate, although it was not ruling out electronic measurement in the near future.
The problem specifically with the wristwatch system, according to Rajar, is that it can not differentiate between digital television and DAB broadcasts, or between AM and FM if a programme is simulcast.
MacKenzie hit back at Rajar's statement, saying: "What are their facts? GfK Media has published the results of the surveys that they have conducted -- the two three-month tests and the national survey. All three are consistent and stand up to scrutiny. Rajar refuses to publish the results of their tests -- but is perfectly willing to make ... statements without backing them up with facts."
He said that with electronic measurement, the Wireless Group-owned station TalkSPORT had an audience of 8m, compared with the 2.2m using Rajar's diary system.
"These charlatans are costing my business a fortune. I now have no alternative but to consider looking to the courts to get justice for my company, justice that my competitors have denied me," he said.
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