BARC picks Mediametrie as technology partner

BARC is all set to begin delivering television ratings data from the first week of October 2014. Along with providing technological knowhow and licences, Mediametrie will also help BARC procure its own metering hardware

BestMediaInfo Bureau | Mumbai | January 21, 2014

(L-R) Partho Dasgupta, CEO BARC, M. Benoit Cassaigne, SVP, Mediametrie, Punit Goenka, Chairman BARC, Shashi Sinha, Technical Committee and M. Gwilherm Nicolas, Director, Mediametrie

BARC has announced the formal tie-up with Mediametrie of France for some key technology services and licensing for the proposed Television Audience Measurement system.

Mediametrie is the joint industry body in France operating TV, Internet and Radio currency ratings systems. It has been engaged in multimedia audience research for the last 25 years. It has been designing and developing its own TV metering systems for 15 years.

Mediametrie is a pioneer in development and usage of watermarking technology in audience research and has used this successfully for the last seven years. This technology is used in three currency markets: France, Morocco and the Netherlands. Under the arrangement, Mediametrie will provide technological knowhow and licences to BARC to use their TV metering system and also help BARC procure its own metering hardware.

BARC is all set to begin delivering TV ratings data from the first week of October 2014.

Punit Goenka, Chairman, BARC, said, “I am delighted at this association with Mediametrie. Our Technical Committee and the management had scouted the global marketplace for suitable technology and we are happy with our choice. We will take a quantum jump in technology for audience measurement in the country with this.”

Benoit Cassaigne, Senior Vice-President, Mediametrie, said, “We are very happy and proud of BARC's confidence in our solutions and expertise. We are thrilled to bring our knowhow in such a TV market and share it with BARC, a company very similar to us in its DNA. We are sharing a lot already in terms of philosophy and vision and I am sure we will go far together.”

At various stages there were multiple competitors, according to Shashi Sinha, Chairman of the Technical Committee, BARC. “At the ROP stage itself, there were 25 competitors which were then shortlisted to five. The decision to go with Mediametrie was not because of the cost factor but mainly for quality reasons. Though the cost of each meter has still not been disclosed, BARC has ensured that there will be a scale-off,” said Sinha.

"While we are looking at 20,000 meters, our eye is on 50,000. We were aware of the guidelines from the initial stages. And one of the reasons we have been cautious and taken time is because we know we have to get there," added Sinha.

In another couple of weeks BARC hopes to announce the partner for manufacturing along with the breakup of costs. October 1, 2014 is when they are looking to come out with a commercially viable ratings system and so far everything is on track.

But this also means that there can be an interregnum when TAM ratings will not exist and BARC would not have started their ratings.

"The possible blackout may be unfortunate. No ratings for six to eight months will put a lot of pressure on all the stakeholders. But I hope they can continue with the guidelines at least till the time we come out," said Goenka.

"We had been quite aware of what is being planned because the consultation papers were there. We have factored these things in our planning, so for us it is not a surprise at all. Honestly, this has been under discussion for almost three years," pointed out Partho Dasgupta, CEO, BARC.

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