Israel Awards Kantar Seven-Year TV Measurement Contract

Non-profit organization the Israeli Audience Research Board (IARB) has awarded WPP's insight arm Kantar a seven-year contract to continue operating the country's TV trading currency, with the option of an extension until 2030.

Since 1998, Kantar and its predecessors have been delivering the official TV ratings service to IARB and its members, who include broadcasters: Keshet, Reshet, Channel 9, Channel 24, the Advertising Agencies Association and the Marketing Association (as an observer). The existing TV audience measurement service will also be expanded to provide extended TV audience measurement from next year.

IARB's new service is based on a representative panel of 700 households fitted with Kantar's metering technology - the Focal Meter - which, in addition to the current Peoplemeter, will capture viewing of TV / video content that is streamed or accessed over the Internet via tablets, smartphones, PC's and other connected devices. Using Kantar's data science capabilities, the agency says the extended TV service will provide the Israeli media industry with a de-duplicated picture of the consumption of TV and video content across all platforms and devices.

Panel data will be presented in Kantar's media ratings analytics and reporting tool Instar and will provide a picture of the JIC members' accumulated TV and online viewing. Rony Aran, CEO IARB, comments: 'We are delighted to continue to work with Kantar as part of our ongoing mission to provide our stakeholders with a high-quality currency that responds to changing viewing habits and the evolving needs of the market.'

Web site: www.kantar.com .