GfK to Enter South American TV Audience Market

GfK has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with four Brazilian television broadcasters: Band TV, Record, RedeTV! and SBT, to bring its audience measurement services to the country. The planned initial contract will have a five-year timespan and a value of more than $100m.

The deal also allows the global agency the potential to sell data to additional TV stations, media agencies and buyers.

GfK says its offer will include 'broader sampling' including viewers of terrestrial, cable and satellite television, and measurement will be through a system installed in approximately 6,000 panel households. The service will take into account both live and time-shifted content, and include real-time ratings and overnight consolidated ratings, along with spot and advertisement monitoring.

Gerhard Hausruckinger (pictured), who is responsible for GfK's Consumer Choices division, comments: 'The partnership we are announcing in Brazil is a major strategic step for GfK that allows our TV audience measurement business to enter South America. We expect the final agreement to be signed in the coming weeks.'

The new service is expected to go live in 2015, covering the fifteen largest cities in Brazil.

Web site: www.gfk.com .