Media agencies, industry players want single TV audience measurement system
THE call is growing louder by the day from media agencies and industry players to have a single TV audience measurement system instead of the current two systems.
They say the move to have a single methodology will eliminate time wastage, confusion and promote innovative media solutions.
The present system using two methodologies from two research companies – Nielsen and UK-based Kantar Media – in evaluating TV audience has caused confusion and dissatisfaction among media and communication agencies as many of them are opting for a single system or currency.
Previously, ratings for free-to-air (FTA) TV and Astro were both measured by Nielsen via Peoplemeter, giving only a single reporting currency. Now with Astro exclusively reporting via research firm Kantar Media using a new methodology, and FTA reporting via Nielsen, there are two systems for measuring TV audience. This move has caused several issues and feeling of discontent among agencies and advertisers who need to evaluate the combined effect of buying Astro and FTA.
Expressing his concern on the matter, Vizeum Media Services Malaysia CEO Wong Siew Wai tells StarBizWeek: “When you have two or more types of surveys, there will always be differences. This creates confusion and in the end leads to unproductive time for our planners who should be spending more time developing innovative media solutions to help solve our clients’ business challenges. Hence, one methodology is always better and it should be the best of all the available options out there to ensure our clients’ TV investments are well spent. “
He says technology is changing the way consumers consume audio-visual content from traditional TV sets to computers, tablets and smartphones, adding that TV measurements must move with the times.
This is the challenge for research companies to provide an integrated measurement system that is reliable but at the same time does not break the bank for media agencies’ research budgets, he notes.
According to Wong, most countries have a single methodology to measure TV audience. “In this region, the Philippines for example have two. And Singapore is moving towards providing an integrated audio-visual measurement tracking of the said multi-platforms. Research company GfK has been commissioned for this task and is supposed to start on July 1 this year. As an industry, we are looking forward to getting feedback from our peers of this new system,’’ he says.
Malaysian Advertisers Association (MAA) council member Javed Jafri says MAA together with Media Specialists Association (MSA), Astro and Media Prima are currently working closely with Neilson and Kantar to ensure the industry arrive on a single currency methodology.
At the same time, he says MAA is also working with Malaysian Digital Association (MDA) to roll out digital adex in the market as MAA is eager to drive the single currency and digital effectiveness agenda in 2016.
Javed, who is also head of media for Unilever Malaysia, Singapore, Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos, says multiple currencies (as opposed to a single TV audience measurement currency) creates imbalance and chaos with each broadcaster quoting the currency that gives them higher ratings and buyers quoting the one that gives lower ratings. It creates confusion and conflict in an already complex environment, he notes.
“However, the single currency must incorporate latest technological advances like big data and real time return path data (RPD) so that it remains as representative and reflective of the market as possible. If the single currency keeps avoiding new realities like RPD, then there is an increasing chance of multiple currencies becoming active,’’ he says.
Industry veteran and former chairman of ad agency Lowe Malaysia, Khairudin Rahim supports having a single TV audience measurement currency. It obviously reduces complexity, confusion and precious man hours for media specialist agencies to develop efficient media planning proposals and do post campaign analysis, he says.
“The current dual currency situation could trigger a revisit of the 1990s industry’s plan to form a Buyers Group in Malaysia. It was shelved then due to lack of commitment from certain TV stations. This group is commonly referred to in the UK as JICTAR (Joint Industry Committee for Television Audience Research) formed by TV stations and media agencies with full support by the Advertisers Association.
“There is merit in re-evaluating the plan. Best practice of this body (JICTAR) includes developing and issuing by themselves a ‘tender’ specification tailored for each type of user need. What TV stations regard as priority data may not be the same from a media planner’s perspective,’’ Khairudin adds.
*Source from The Star – 28th May 2016
