TAM updates digital universe post DAS Phase 2

Digital now accounts for more than half the TV owning households (56%) within the TAM surveyed markets

BestMediaInfo Bureau | Delhi | May 16, 2013

April 1, 2013 was the deadline for the second phase of DAS implementation (DAS Phase 2). By this date, ideally all homes desirous of viewing C&S channels on their TV sets would need a set-top box with a valid subscription – provided either by a cable operator or a DTH operator. The government gave a 15- day grace period to encourage those consumers who had not transited to digital at the end of the deadline. Also, there were High Court stay orders on DAS Phase 2 that lasted for some time in certain states.

This meant a relatively slow growth in digital penetration in the initial few weeks. In such a scenario, it was decided to watch the ground situation before taking a decision to update the universe.

This wait-and-watch approach has paid off. After the initial few weeks, the transition from analog to digital reception of C&S signals in DAS Phase 2 markets has rocketed. In the light of this dramatic change in the base, it is prudent that a major universe update be implemented. The universe has been updated in Week 19 of TAM 2013 (week beginning May 5, 2013).

TAM is also using this opportunity to update not only those markets that are under the purview of DAS Phase 2 but also non-DAS markets that may have registered a significant increase in digital penetration – for example, Kerala (0.1-1 mn) which has seen a 4 per cent increase in digital penetration from Week 1, 2013 (from 28 per cent to 32 per cent).

With this update, TAM has added a significant 11 million digital households within the surveyed markets (a base of 60 million TV owning households). This update now tips the C&S universe profile towards digital which now accounts for more than half the TV owning households (56 per cent) within the TAM surveyed markets.

The advent of DAS has also encouraged consumers to leap into digital C&S from a non-C&S status. For instance, the C&S penetration in Uttar Pradesh (0.1-1 mn) has increased by 3 per cent and that in Rajasthan (1 mn+) by 4 per cent. TAM has therefore updated the C&S penetration across markets wherever required.

As always with a universe update, a lock in the software will prevent users from analysing data across the universe update week. Analyses that span the update date (May 5, 2013) will have to be broken up into two separate runs: “start analysis date – May 4, 2013” and “May 5 2013 – analysis end date”. This is being done since the composition of the universe will undergo an update and therefore the bases before May 5, 2013 and those starting May 5, 2013 will not be comparable.

Info@BestMediaInfo.com

Info@BestMediaInfo.com