New Conference Proceedings from ESOMAR 25/5/00 If you missed the recent joint ESOMAR/ARF conference on Electronic and Broadcast Audience Research held in the States and want to read up, here is your opportunity. The complete conference proceedings are now available on CD Rom. New methods, technologies and ideas for the valuation of media have made accountability and Return on Investment (ROI) a basic requirement for advertisers, whether local, regional, national or globally focused. In parallel, fragmentation, declining response rates, and enhanced media formats have given rise to a host of problems and opportunities in the buying and selling process. The major topics covered during the conference were: The return on investment of electronic media advertising. Media planning and buying have entered the age of accountability. Return on investment must be demonstrated to clients as proof of efficient and effective media planning/buying. Contributions include papers from Sheila Byfield, Head of Consumer Insight, MindShare Worldwide UK, Dr. Rachel Kennedy and Prof Andrew Ehrenberg from South Bank University and Kraig Schulz and Jon Swallen from Ogilvy & Mather US. Valuing television programmes. From programme creation to sales, the role of research in valuing TV programmes is explored. Contributions include papers from Patrick Standen and Simona Beltrame of Infratest Burke, Italy and Ana Lúcia D'Império Lima, CEO, IBOPE Media Information, Brazil. Innovative ways to measure people. Audience fragmentation and low response rates continue to be obstacles in measuring the viewing population. Contributions include papers from Ronald S. Kolessar and Robert Patchen Director of The Arbitron Company, United States and Andrea Scharrenbroch, Research Manager Panel Methods, GfK AG, Germany Measurement. An update on innovations and progress in the area of electronic media measurement. Information abundance. As the amount of information we have and can have increases, how is it being used? How can the information be used to buy and sell more efficiently? Future of electronic media. Innovations in technology promise to change the way people use television. This section looks at new television schemes with an emphasis on both the impact on the viewer/user and the current business model. Contributions include papers from Michael Svennevig, Research Director, Research Centre for Future Communications, University of Leeds and Robert Towler, Head of Research, Independent Television Commission. For further information, visit the ESOMAR website at www.esomar.nl