African TV and Radio Ratings Launched

This week sees the launch of the 'first ever' overnight television ratings service in a number of African markets. Mobile survey platform GeoPoll will bring the data to countries including Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda in time for the viewing and advertising bonanza of the World Cup.

GeoPoll, which says the service covers areas representing more than 300 million Africans, will expand to further countries in the coming months, including DR Congo, Tunisia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Cameroon.

James Eberhard, founder of GeoPoll and its parent Mobile Accord, said in a statement the firm was 'establishing a standard for delivering data insights in emerging economies' with the new Audience Measurement Service providing ratings for 'almost a third of the African population'. He adds: 'Advertisers, brands and broadcasters have been relying upon limited data, which can't keep up with shifting target audiences and programming. Our overnight insights will give these groups a more accurate picture of consumer behaviors and preferences as they spend hundreds of millions of dollars to engage rapidly growing audiences.'

The service uses text message surveys and voice-based communications to reach respondents even in areas without Internet availability, and measures television viewership in half-hour time blocks, with data available by channel, analyzable by location, demographics and psychographics, and accessible through a dashboard updated overnight. A similar service for radio listening uses two-hour time blocks.

Steve Gutterman, CEO of the Denver-based company, told www.afkinsider.com that outside South Africa, ratings data for the continent is almost nonexistent. Gutterman said subsequent phases would add data on 'where people are watching, what they are eating and drinking while watching, what brands they have an affinity for and what they're thinking about buying in the next 30 days'.

With data starting on 12th June, respondents - several thousand per country - will be paid for their time and will answer questions 'several times a day'.

The firm also has offices in Washington,DC, and in Nairobi, and is online at www.geopoll.com .