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Rajar has unveiled the plans along with a timeline to upgrading its current radio audience measurement system in its "Roadmap to enhanced radio measurement".

The first stage of the plan calls for an industry-wide consultation, which began in May this year and its findings are due to be reported at the end of October or early November.

From October to March 2005, Rajar will conduct meter tests for validation and compliance. This will include tests of the Arbitron Portable People Meter, the Gfk RadioControl watch and also a new meter, the Eurisko Electronic Media Monitor.

Rajar said that until it has completed an industry-wide consultation and is satisfied with the results of the new meter tests, it unclear what degree of electronic methodology will be required for the new contract. The tender process for this is expected to be concluded by September next year.

This will then be followed by the two systems, old and new, running side by side by April 2006 with a view to going live in January 2007.

The plans have not been welcomed by The Wireless Group, a long-running critic of Rajar's diary-based measurement method. MacKenzie, The Wireless Group chairman, said: "More tests. More twaddle. To say that we need to wait another four years for a possible introduction to electronic measurement is unacceptable."

The Wireless Group has been using electronic measurement for the past 18 months, favouring the Gfk RadioControl watch system.

Sally de la Bedoyere, Rajar managing director, said: "This is the final stage of a journey Rajar began in 2001 and it leads to a seismic change in radio audience measurement, namely the possible move to electronic measurement."

She said she was optimistic that 2007 will herald the introduction of an audio-meter based methodology, which measures analogue, digital, digital TV and internet listening.

"We shall continue to work vigorously in pursuit of this goal," de la Bedoyere said.

Rajar recently announced that it was to revise its quarterly data arrangements following concerns about the potential for insider trading.

The roadmap has been agreed by the Rajar board, which represents BBC Radio, commercial radio, the IPA and ISBA.

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