This Monday (3 March 2014) the TAMS (Television Audience Measurement Survey) will undergo a notable universe update.
As you may know, the TAMS are the only national television audience ratings currently available to measure audiences in South Africa. TVSA publishes a weekly analysis of the TAMS here:
Primetime Viewing Figures.
The imminent update is the result of the TAMS fiasco that hit the South African television industry in July last year when the SABC and e.tv announced that the broadcasters were resigning from the South African Audience Research Foundation (SAARF) - the custodians of the TAMS.
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This announcement followed an audit that revealed that the TAMS weren't accurately reflecting the South African television viewing population. To quote from the statement by e.tv, the SABC and the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB):
The SABC and e.tv had experienced an inexplicable fall in ratings in certain LSM (living standard measures) groups, particularly LSM 4 to LSM 6 which constitutes the lower to middle income South Africans who are the largest consumers of free-to-air television.
For the full overview of their concerns, please see:
Shocker! SABC and e.tv ditch SAARF TV ratings.
Problems addressed and rectifiedBetween then and now various developments have taken place. Specifically, the problematic areas highlighted by the audit have been addressed and rectified.
Representatives from NAB, Nielsen and SAARF recently held an information day to convey the status of these changes to the advertising fraternity and the press.
TAMS panel:
increased size, more representative
Notable changes that have been made include an increase in the number of people on the TAMS panel i.e. the sample panel of people whose television viewing is measured. The panel has been increased from 1700 households to 2500. There are plus/minus 9500 individuals on the panel.
New, more sophisticated measurement metres have also been installed in each household.
Another important development on the panel is the introduction of many more Nguni speaking viewers as well as an increase in panelists who fall within the LSM 5-7 group.
What's happening next?The contract between SAARF, Nielsen and NAB expires at the end of 2014.
Nielsen is currently contracted by SAARF to operate the TAMS panel. Once the contract ends, Nielsen will be contracted by the NAB and SAARF will no longer be the custodian of the TAMS. This set-up will be in place from 2015 to 2019.
NAB representative Clare O’Neil has given TVSA an assurance that the viewership figures will still be available in the public domain once this change happens.
What can we expect to see?If you always follow the TAMS on TVSA you may see changes in the viewership figures and/or trends from 3 March onwards as a result of these changes. Please remember that we publish the figures when they're available so figures for 3 March will only be featured approximately two weeks later.
Right now it's impossible to say what changes might occur in the figures and trends - only the figures themselves will reveal this once they're released.
As always, TVSA will continue to publish the TAMS weekly.