OzTAM increases number of TV panel homes by 50% as Nielsen’s contract is extended
TV audience metric OzTAM has announced it will increase the number of homes in its television audience measurement panels by 50%.
Currently there are 3,500 homes in its 5 city metro panel and 1,400 in its subscription TV panel but the move to expand the data group the industry metric is based on will see this rise to 5,250 homes and its STV panel to 2,120 by the start of 2017.
The move comes as OzTAM also confirmed it had re-signed with Nielsen in a new three-year agreement that runs through to 2020.
Peiffer pleased to re-signed with Nielsen.
OzTAM CEO, Doug Peiffer, said in a statement: “To reinforce the confidence the industry retains in OzTAM TV ratings we continually invest in the service to reflect changes in the television landscape and audience behaviour.
“Our longstanding and collaborative relationship with Nielsen has underpinned that effort and supported progressive innovation – for example, time-shift viewing, the inclusion of mobile phone-only homes in the panels, and previous increases to the number of panel homes.
“This new agreement builds on our partnership, provides continuity and delivers even greater accountability. And with the additional OzTAM and regional TAM panel homes, Australia will become the world’s largest per capita people-metered market.”
Concurrently, regional TAM, which covers the regional TV markets, has announced the expansion of its own panel by 50% to more than 3,000 homes.
The new agreement also allows OzTAM to expand its ‘iPanel’, which is separate to the actual television ratings panels and used to test how households respond to new technologies.
Nielsen’s head of TV audience measurement, David Ellem, said the entire team at Nielsen is thrilled to be continuing this relationship with the TV industry and is ready for this next chapter of cutting-edge television audience measurement.
“The Nielsen team have worked hard to deliver the TV industry an impeccable record of exceptional standards of service,” said Ellem.
“The relationship with OzTAM is built on quality, expertise and independence. As OzTAM’s service evolves, Nielsen is there for them every step of the way.”
Congratulations. Great move.
This will also be a great test and lesson for the naysayers who believe you must have massive samples or even a census.
So I will make you a bet. That when the expanded panels (+50%) go live in 2017, that you will barely notice any change in the macro level of usage and viewing. The station shares will barely move. News ratings etc will look basically the same. The Top Ten won’t suddenly hold surprises.
The improvements (and the ‘value’) will be felt more among lower rated programmes, some of the more niche STV channels, secondary channels, late night programming, some of daytime, smaller demos etc. These improvements will be around greater stability and less volatility (i.e. better predictability for buying and post-analysis). It will also increase the usability of this data for integration and fusing with other video data and other media measurement.
We’re another step closer to robust cross-media measurement. Well done to all concerned.
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