On the Correct Wearing of Watches, by GfK

Following RAJAR's announcement this week that the GfK Telecontrol MediaWatch had been dropped from its next wave of audiometer trials, the Group has issued a statement saying it is 'highly astonished' and questioning the scientific basis of the tests.

Matthias Steinmann, CEO of the Telecontrol Group, said in a statement 'We cannot agree with the results of tests which have been presented in such a way that a casual observer will conclude that the watch registers less than one-third of all listening. Such claims are not credible, and in stark contrast to tests conducted by one of Germany's most prestigious engineering institutes, and in contrast to our own experience over the past four years'.

Citing evidence from Telecontrol's own audio engineer, present at the tests, the statement says the RAJAR tests 'placed undue emphasis on exposure to radio signals on the borders of inaudibility and beyond, which we would consider to be correctly described as 'non-listening'. Yet RAJAR is drawn to the conclusion that devices that register a greater number of these 'non-listening' events are superior technologies. This we cannot accept'.

It also points out not unreasonably that 'The MediaWatch is designed to register listening while being worn on the wrist' and not while being carried in a bag, and complains that 'the other two devices were carried in a much more exposed fashion (round the neck in the case of PPM) that is hard to imagine would be the norm for respondents in a live survey'.

Telecontrol will conduct its own 'repeatable, valid scientific tests of the new technology in the UK, with an independent, scientific engineering institute'. GfK Media's web site is at www.gfkmedia.com

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.

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