Audiences Matter

Radio in Russia: big country, big competition

The Russian radio market is changing. There’s growing competition and increasing audience fragmentation. We look at who’s winning, who’s losing and who’s listening.

The changing face of Danish Television

No country in the Nordic region consumes more television than Denmark. In 2009 the Danes went completely digital. Now they’re facing another round of changes.

Data: how much is too much?

We’ve got more data than ever before. But Richard Marks argues that, without proper context, you can have too much of a good thing.

New insights into Chinese two-screen measurement

In preparation of CSM's Triple Play (TV, Internet & Mobile), two-screen measurement was taken to four of China's colossal cities. The results give the country's platform owners, media and advertising sectors the best insight yet into Chinese urban media usage.

Two screen measurement in China: CSM's Triple Play Preparation

CSM's single source, two screen measurement (TV & Internet) took place in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Wuhan. The results are driving new insights into household media usage patterns in China.

This is China's first multi-market single source two-screen initiative. So it marks the first time data from both media can be compared side-by-side. Both China's TV and internet markets are measured from the single source. The data sets therefore provide invaluable information to both our traditional and new media partners. Helping them focus on taking advantage of opportunities across both media platforms.

The two data sets showed that the average monthly reach for TV across the four markets was 99.8% of all households. Internet usage in the single source households reached 89.1%. Average daily reach for TV was 94% while the internet reached 30.7% of households in the four cities. These reach perspectives are critical for gauging how to best take advantage of both platforms. They provide us with a much clearer understanding of the unique value of both media platforms.

TV holds off its challengers

The behavioural data sets also show us that households spend significantly more time watching TV than browsing the web. On average, TV viewing clocks in at over 410 minutes per household per day. Internet usage only musters 70 minutes per day. While internet usage outside the house is undoubtedly higher, in the home, the TV remains the dominant household medium.

Our analysis is also looking closely at light, medium and heavy usage internet households to see what effect internet usage may have in different types of home. We observed that instead of exhibiting lower TV viewing levels as you might expect, heavy internet using households are also heavy TV viewing households. It seems some homes just love technology. We will continue to dig deeper into these results and hope over time to identify total media usage household types.

A common interest

There is strong support for this initiative among the country's TV media owners, internet media owners, advertisers and media agencies. They are all interested in seeing the usage patterns our studies uncover. The data is helping them make more informed and effective programming and content decisions in China's rapidly emerging triple play world. The results are already a critical asset for players stepping into unfamiliar territory.

From an advertising perspective, the linked data sets provide tremendous depth for cross media planning. This isn't only for advertisers and media agencies. It's also for media owners as they look to break into new and potential growth areas. We're helping them identify ways to get as much value as possible from their content.

Matt Brosenne is Business Development Director, CSM Media Research. He is based in Beijing. CSM is part of the Kantar Media Network.

The Audiences Matter Interview

The way the world consumes media is unrecognisable from just five years ago. Advertisers' behaviour is changing too. They want greater control of data and more immediate and far-reaching results. This has led to a surge in demand for audience measurement services.

Kantar Media Audiences recently announced new Senior Management appointments to reflect this enhanced demand and ensure all our markets are fully supported. We caught up with the two men at the heart of the changes: Allister Nixon, the recently appointed Chief Operating Officer, and John Gill, the new Global Head of Products and Services.

John, Allister, why are these Senior Management changes necessary?

JG: We weren't a particularly global business back in 2004. Now we have a truly worldwide footprint.

AN: Yes, we've over doubled in size in the last seven years. The management structure needed to change to reflect the company Kantar Media has become.

How are clients going to benefit from these changes?

AN: We're providing new services all over the world. My new role helps us ensure everyone is working to the same high standards we're known for. We do this by sharing best practice. Of course, each territory has its own unique challenges. These could be differences in culture or simply down to how the business was set up. So there are plenty of opportunities for enhancing what we do.

So the new changes will help unify the new operations?'

AN: Exactly. They will make sure all our operations have optimum management and operational support from the centre. Together these roles will facilitate the roll-out and integration of new technologies across the business. This means clients can be sure they have our latest offering. Finally, I'll act as an extra pair of ears for clients.

John, what's your role in the new structure?

JG: My role is to understand the research processes and all of the products and services we provide. I need to be able to offer detailed advice and support on all of them. There's obviously experience I can draw on. I have the advantage of being able to share experiences from our markets across the world. Being detached from the day-to-day relationships lets me get to the nub of the issue quicker. It also allows us to bring our international expertise to local challenges and opportunities more efficiently than before.

Talking of experience, how did you both start in the industry?

JG: I've worked in television audience research almost my entire working life.

AN: I haven't been in the field anywhere near as John. I joined in 2004. But in that fairly short timeframe, I've seen a lot changes.

Well that was my next question. What are the biggest industry changes you've witnessed?

AN: The pace at which consumers are adopting new technologies and accessing content is so much faster than five, six years ago. This means that data management is becoming a bigger part of our business than ever.

JG: I agree. Consumers also have much, much greater choice than they used to. There are also new platforms to contend with. The challenges of being a measurement service have increased enormously.

How are clients responding to these changes?

JG: They now have two major needs: ongoing measurement of the main broadcasting in their country to be handled reliably irrespective of all the change. And, a research supplier who is capable of adapting to these new challenges.

Such as Kantar Media?

AN: Absolutely. We have a history of anticipating where the industry is going. This is backed up by the depth of experience in our people. It's a real asset. We've always been committed to investing in the future but delivering in the present. This won't change. Infact, it's now more important than ever.

JG: Yes, we allocate a substantial amount of time and effort on research and development - and always have.

So what future challenges are you anticipating?

JG: Converging mediums, particularly the internet. We're focused on making sure we handle this transition without any interruptions to our service. Virtual Meter illustrates this well.

AN: I'm anticipating challenges in less developed territories. There are still large areas of the world that exist without audience measurement services - this is a massive opportunity for growth.

How advertisers can minimise Ad Avoidance

Companies spend a lot of money on television adverts. When someone flicks over as soon as they come on, this money goes to waste. In the United States, Kantar Media and Millward Brown are using cutting-edge technology to find out why this happens and how it can be avoided.