TNS to Manage Kiwi Set-Top Box Panel

SKY Television has partnered with TNS and pay TV solutions provider NDS to launch a new audience measurement service, based initially on a panel of 6,500 viewing households.

The panel, of households with digital satellite television, will be recruited and managed by TNS and will make use of digital set-top boxes (STB) with NDS's Audience Measurement System™ (AMS) software to collect and analyse viewing data. TNS will also process viewing data using a bespoke version of its InfoSys™ analysis system. NDS is a majority owned subsidiary of News Corporation.

The service will initially focus on providing robust viewing data for all satellite channels, but can also measure and analyse enhanced television viewing activity such as electronic program guide (EPG) usage and interactive advertising viewership.

SKY Television CEO John Fellet says the service will help the broadcaster to 'further understand our subscribers' viewing habits and therefore provide more of what they want' – as well as providing partners and advertisers with input to their planning.

Tony Taylor, Director of TV Audience Measurement at TNS, says the deal 'represents a key milestone in our audience measurement strategy which is leading the way in new digital measurement services, and our involvement in the region.'

SKY is New Zealand's pre-eminent Pay TV operator, offering a wide range of sports, movies, music, on-demand and general content across more than 80 channels. As of this week, the company had 690,994 subscribers in the country. It is online at www.skytv.co.nz , with the other partners at www.nds.com and www.tns-global.com .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.

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