Nielsen Wins MRUC's Indian Research Survey

In India, the Media Research Users' Council (MRUC) has awarded the contract for its continuous readership study, the IRS (Indian Research Survey) to Nielsen, after a nine-month selection process.

The new IRS merges the country's two key print readership studies: the National Readership Survey (NRS) conducted by the National Readership Studies Council, and the original Indian Readership Survey (IRS) conducted by the MRUC.

Selection for a research supplier began last November with the formation of the Readership Studies Council of India (RSCI), which has been mandated by the industry to oversee the conduct of the IRS.

Around twenty senior execs from advertisers, agencies and publishers who serve on the RSCI Managing Committee were involved in the selection process, and a further 24 industry professionals contributed to the technical requirements under the chairmanship of Paritosh Joshi (pictured), who led the Technical Committee.

Joshi said that proposals had been received from the 'most hallowed' names in the media measurement sector and described the quality of the submissions as 'uniformly high'.

'The Nielsen Company proposal was exceptional in its methodological rigour, comprehensiveness and future readiness' Joshi stated. 'The design recommendation and resources committed to the project should enable the Indian Readership Survey to reassert its position of preeminence in Indian media measurement.'

Prashant Singh, MD of Media, Nielsen India, said his company was 'honoured' to have been chosen as the MRUC's partner in the study, which he claimed would shape all future research across India.

Web site: www.mruc.net .