Integrated TV, online viewing data planned for Australia

Integrated TV, online viewing data planned for Australia
Rebecca Hawkes
| 30 July 2018

Australia will have combined ratings data from broadcast viewing on TV sets and connected devices in 2019 with the launch of the Virtual Australia (VOZ) service, says OzTAM, the country's official source of subscription TV audience measurement.

ozviewing 30July2018VOZ will incorporate viewing on 7 million connected devices plus minute-by-minute actual viewing behaviour of more than 12,000 individuals, every day of the year, in OzTAM TV panel homes.

The system is being developed in Australia by OzTAM in conjunction with Nielsen. It will be securely stored in the cloud and progressively rolled out from the first quarter of 2019.

VOZ promises TV networks the ability to determine the incremental reach from viewing across all platforms, and optimise their inventory accordingly. While advertisers and media agencies will be able to create media plans encompassing TV inventory across all broadcast channels and devices, and manage cross-screen campaigns – including overall audience reach goals.

Additionally, the media industry will be able to objectively evaluate the performance of TV content across all screens and platforms, said the companies.

“There are 1.8 TV sets but a total of 6.6 screens, on average, in Australian households, and people are using them to watch television throughout the day – inside and outside the home. Prime time is now any time and OzTAM is building VOZ to report total TV viewing,” said Doug Peiffer (pictured), CEO, OzTAM.

“We’re proud to be working with Nielsen on this world-leading development. The positive feedback we’re receiving from media agencies, advertisers and broadcasters as we present VOZ indicates we’re meeting a significant industry need,” he added.

Nielsen’s head of TV audience measurement, David Ellem said: “Delivering VOZ will enable this market to better understand audience targets across and between all devices, as well as provide the opportunity for advanced audience targeting for TV”.