A dilemma for the Bt80-billion TV broadcasting industry is expected to be seen as Nielsen reaffirms that it is continuing to introduce new advanced TV audience measurement for digital content as a part of long-term investment plan, while Kantar Media’s multi-screen audience measurement is to commence next year.

An industry source said some advertising agencies would renew their contracts with Nielsen |even though they have already signed five-year deals with the Media Research Development Association (MRDA) to hire Kantar Media to conduct the |new advanced TV rating measurement.

Pawat Ruangdejworachai, vice president of Media Insight, told The Nation recently that his company would continue to subscribe to data from both research companies next year despite bearing higher costs than this year.

“As a media agency, we are pleased to work with all parties to make sure that their advertising investments via [various] media outlets return the most efficiency and satisfactory results,” he said.

MRDA vice president Wannee Rattanaphon said yesterday that to bring the new system to life, 21 ad-media agencies representing 95 per cent of all advertising buyers and media traders, 14 of the 24 digital terrestrial TV operators, and satellite TV channels had signed contracts with the association.

The MRDA’s members will cover about 70 per cent of the total cost of this project while the remaining 30 per cent will be contributed by Kantar Media. Under these conditions, Kantar will be able to sell data to its clients.

Wannee acknowledged that MRDA members still needed to buy data from the existing system throughout this year while having to pay for the cost of establishing the new multi-screen audience measurement. But this set-up cost would not be as high as the normal data subscription fee, about Bt8 million a year. Nick Burfitt, who recently relocated from London to Singapore as managing director for Kantar Media’s Asia-Pacific operations, said the establishment of the system would run from next month until next April before providing results.

Despite being challenged by the new competitor, Nielsen reaffirmed that it was continuing to invest in TV audience measurement. For example, it is increasing its household panel to 3,000 next year from 2,400 now to cover the expansion of the digital terrestrial TV network, and developing new digital technology to serve its long-term clients.

It is clear that market leaders Channel 7 and RS Channel 8 have no intention of joining the MRDA’s system. Six other digital-TV broadcasters – True4U, TNN24, One31, GMM25, Mono29 and PPTV – are considering the details before making their final decisions.

‘Strong relationships’

“We strongly believe that our long-term relationships with a number of major advertising spenders in the Kingdom remains constructive, strong and bold,” Sinthu Peatrarut, managing director for Nielsen’s media client leadership, told The Nation. “With our commitment to keep developing the digital service, this will encourage them to stay with us.”

Nielsen plans to launch a new TV-audience measurement called “digital content ratings” early next year. Collected from 20 million Facebook accounts and other sources permitted by its partnered broadcasters, the data will be analysed and used as a “common currency” for TV ratings.

The company aims to secure at least two-year deals with its prospective subscribers.