TNS to Set Up TV Viewing Panel in South Africa

TNS Research Surveys is to design, recruit and manage a new viewing panel of 3,500 South African households equipped with digital satellite TV.

The panel will be administered on behalf of TV media sales company Oracle Airtime Sales using Return Path Data (RPD) to extract information from digital set-top boxes. TNS is the only organisation worldwide using RPD and this will be the first time the system has been used in South Africa.

Nick Burfitt, Global Director of RPD Services at TNS, commented: 'As the pioneer in using RPD in commercial TV audience measurement, our work with Oracle is another milestone in our audience measurement strategy and consolidates our leadership in this new field.'

Oracle represents more than 40 TV channels on South Africa's Multichoice TV platform, which is the only non-terrestrial TV company in the country. TNS says that its service will initially focus on providing robust viewing data for all satellite channels and offer Oracle's customers greater insight into both programming and advertising.

The service will also measure enhanced TV viewing activity such as Electronic Programme Guide usage and viewing of interactive advertising. TNS will analyse audience data using a bespoke version of InfoSys, the company's TV and radio audience analysis software.

Research Surveys was established in Cape Town in 1979 and became part of the TNS Group in January (www.mrweb.com/drno/news6317.htm ). With additional offices in Johannesburg and Durban, the firm is online at: www.researchsurveys.co.za.

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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