Arbitron says it will bring its controversial “people meters” into the San Francisco radio market this fall.

The meter picks up signals from radio broadcasts automatically and is aimed at providing more accurate ratings than the diary method, which relied on listener recall instead of registering what they heard. But in New York, some panelists stopped carrying the meters during the survey, which forced Arbitron to recruit new panelists and increase the amount they’re paid.

Arbitron says: “On Oct. 8, 2008 … the company’s diary-based radio ratings will be withdrawn from those eight markets and radio transactions among Arbitron-subscribing stations and agencies will take place solely using PPM-based radio ratings.”