Barb Picks RSMB for Latest API Upgrade

Barb has appointed RSMB to deliver the third phase of its API, developed in response to clients' demand for more choice in how viewing data is imported into their internal systems.

Previously known as the Broadcasters' Audience Research Board, Barb changed its name in 2023 to Barb Audiences, reflecting the continued extension of its measurement beyond broadcasting, to include VOD streamers and video-sharing platforms. Its hybrid approach combines people-based panel data with census-level online viewing data, for a picture of total viewing across all broadcast, VOD and video-sharing platforms.

The organisation launched the initial API - free to its full licensees - in January 2023, allowing them more flexibility in how they accessed viewing data, with integration into their own tools and systems - and updated it in September that year. Barb says it needs API 3.0 to be 'quicker and more capable' , with RSMB tasked with designing and implementing three core enhancements:

• all data is now to be pulled from the Barb Data Hub, to ensure consistency of output.
• more pre-calculated metrics and endpoints, including reach, frequency and TVRs - also with the aim of ensuring consistency of output, and
• provision of a 'faster, more robust and more user-friendly' service.

All existing functionality will also be retained.

The contract starts this month, with API 3.0 expected to launch in the second half of the year. COO Caroline Baxter says Barb has 'listened to companies across the industry talking about how they want more choice in how to ingest [its] industry's standard data for what people watch into their own systems.' She adds: 'RSMB's deep understanding of Barb data and our reach methodology, combined with its growing engineering capability, means we have confidence in its ability to develop an upgraded and future-ready API.'

RSMB was one of three firms selected a week ago to work on Barb's Establishment Survey for 2027-29. Its Chief Exec Chris Mundy (pictured) says the new API iteration is 'an exciting opportunity to widen access to Barb data and support a growing range of use cases across the industry,' adding: 'we're excited to play our part in making that happen.'

Web site: www.barb.co.uk .

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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