The modalities of the ratings settlement with TAM

TAM Media Research offers three software options. TV channels henceforth will not be able to advertise with TVR% / GRP% data

BestMediaInfo Bureau | Delhi | July 26, 2013

The three industry bodies – Indian Society of Advertisers (ISA), Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) and Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) – while jointly agreeing to a solution yesterday to end the month-long impasse on TAM data, also handed out a welcome “common brief” to TAM for the first time in 10 years that perhaps takes care of every stakeholder's concerns. As a TAM spokesperson said, “TAM is happy to receive a common brief from the three industry stakeholders (IBF, ISA and AAAI) and will work very closely with them to ensure its smooth rollout.”

So the industry is back to weekly TAM data but with some filters, layers and restrictions. According to the details of the solution shared by TAM Media Research, data henceforth will be available through three different software pipelines (layers). One layer will be the official industry software called Media Xpress Platinum, while the other two customised/optional softwares will be called Media Xpress Gold and Media Xpress Silver.

Media Xpress Platinum: The official industry level software will have all the TV channels expressed as an average of 4 weeks data. This data will be released on a weekly basis with the rolled up average of the present week data along with the last three weeks' data. The ratings will be expressed only as TVT 000's (TVRs in thousands). This software will be released to all subscribers who would like to download it. All analyses will be possible only on a Day-Part level. No individual/specific programme level data will be available for reporting in this software.  This software created freshly will be made available by August end/September first week.

Media Xpress Gold: This customised/optional software will have all the TV channels reported on a Weekly basis. This data will have ratings data expressed in TVT 000's as well as TVR%. The data for the software will be released on a weekly basis. This software will have all the analysis possible on a Day-Part as well as individual programme level, including minute-to-minute Programme and Ad data. This will have the facility to import the Ad Spots for Media Agencies/Advertisers to evaluate the ad plans executed. It will be released on a customised basis for those subscribers like agencies/advertisers (and also broadcasters who have not opted out of the reporting of TVR% data).

It will work exactly like the earlier Media Xpress with all functionalities available for the Planner/Buyer. The software will be ready for deployment on August 8, 2013.However, this software should be used by the Client Organisation for internal analysis purpose only and not in media/public domain. This software will be made available to the user post signing of an NDA as agreed upon with ISA-IBF-AAAI jointly.

Media Xpress Silver: This customized/optional software will have all the TV channels reported on Weekly basis. This data will have ratings data expressed only in TVT 000's. The data for the software will be released on a weekly basis. This software will have all the analysis possible at a Day-Part as well as individual Programme level, including ability to drill down to individual Programme's minute data on a specific day. This will have the facility to import the Programme Promos for Broadcasters to evaluate the Programme Promo plans and also the Ad Logs. It will be released on a customised basis for those subscribers (primarily Broadcasters) who have opted out of the reporting of TVR% data.

The software will be ready for deployment on August 8, 2013. This software will be made available to the user post signing of an NDA as agreed upon with ISA-IBF-AAAI jointly.

All subscribers will be given the Media Xpress Platinum Software. To subscribe to Media Xpress Gold and Silver additionally, the subscribers will have to take the following steps:

(a) The subscriber will have to sign a NDA with TAM stating that the usage of Media Xpress Gold (with TVR%) customised software is strictly for internal analysis purpose and not for any public usage of the data.

(b) In case of non-signing of the NDA, TAM will not be in a position to deliver Media Xpress Gold (with TVR%) customised software. TAM will be notifying the same to the concerned association (IBF/AAAI/ISA) to help facilitate a resolution.

(c) For subscribers who sign the NDA and violate the usage norm (displaying TVR% data in public), TAM will be forced to stop the Media Xpress Gold (with TVR%) customised software subscription and will report it to the concerned association (IBF/AAAI/ISA) to help facilitate a resolution.

Timelines & Next Steps:

1. With immediate effect, TAM will provide the original MediaXpress software (reporting TVR%/GRP%, etc.) for use till August 8, 2013.

2. By August 8, if the client wishes to use any one of the two optional versions (Gold/Silver), TAM would require an NDA signed from the client's end covering the terms of use as briefly stated above.

3. By end-August/first-week September, MediaXpress will be replaced by MediaXpress Platinum.

The Media Xpress Gold and Silver data cannot be used for advertising or PR purposes by any broadcaster. In this case, broadcasters will be able to claim their leadership on the basis of TVT in 000's along with the rolled-up average of the present weekly data combined with the last three weeks' data. Also, the broadcasters can claim their leadership only on a Day-Part level and not individual/specific Programme level.

As it turns out, since the full data will be available with advertisers and agencies, they are likely to consider TVR% / GRP% for CPRP buying but broadcasters are likely to prefer selling their inventories on CPT basis. While it will depend on individual deals between advertiser and broadcaster, it will be interesting to see which model will finally take precedence in the coming days and who will benefit with this arrangement.

Also read:

GEC Watch: Star Plus stays on top as Colors cements No. 2 position

Commentary: Much ado on TAM ratings – only to go back to square one!

IBF, AAAI, ISA and TAM reach settlement on data reporting

Info@BestMediaInfo.com

Own BestMediaInfo Android app for fastest updates and breaking news. Click here to download for free.

Info@BestMediaInfo.com