Audience Measurement in Asia

At the Cable and Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA) convention this week in Singapore when delegates discuss measurement improvements of cable and satellite audiences Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS) is to highlight the Arbitron encoding technology now being used successfully in TNS's Singapore PeopleMeter system.

Phillip Jones, director for media in Southeast Asia for Taylor Nelson Sofres, will participate in a panel discussion of improved cable and satellite measurement results. Taylor Nelson Sofres has been operating its TARiS 5000 people meters in Singapore since January 2001. Each meter uses decoders jointly developed by TNS and Arbitron to capture inaudible codes embedded in the audio broadcast of stations being measured. This same technology is being used in Arbitron's Portable People Meter (PPM) to measure listening of radio, television and cable audiences.

'CASBAA recognises that there is now more credible, coherent and consistent television research measuring cable and satellite television than ever before,' said Mr. Jones. 'We will discuss how our Singapore service captures data on satellite and cable audiences to better position these broadcasters to capture their share of advertising dollars. We are particularly pleased with the performance of the encoding technology that is also part of Arbitron's Portable People Meter service. Our experience with the technology in Singapore is further proof that electronic measurement systems are accurate, reliable, and produce more targeted ratings that benefit broadcasters and advertisers.'

'The success of the PPM encoding technology in Singapore underscores how successful the PPM has been in tests conducted around the world, including in Australia,' added David Rogerson, managing director of Strategic Media Solutions and a consultant to Arbitron in Australia. 'The conference will assist Asian broadcasters who are now looking at how the PPM can be positively integrated into their media measurement processes. As part of this assessment, the Australian radio community can feel confident that PPM will work, and will contribute to increased success for radio stations in our country.'

Arbitron and Taylor Nelson Sofres Australia are proposing that Australian advertisers, agencies and radio stations use the Portable People Meter (PPM) to establish an advanced radio ratings service. The PPM is a unique electronic measurement system that automatically tracks the exposure of a representative panel of listeners to encoded radio signals. A Portable People Meter panel can provide new and improved measures of audiences that are not available from diary-based measurement services, such as additional trending information, more reliable audience estimates and real multiweek reach and frequency data. The bid has been submitted to Commercial RadioAustralia, the representative organization for Australia's commercial radio stations, with a decision by a committee scheduled to be made in January 2003 for implementation in 2004.

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

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