TAM reconfirms its preparedness for digital homes

The research firm has released an industry guide to help the industry to settle down and understand the on-going nuances of this consumer shift.

While a lot is being discussed about the temporary deferment of the TAM data, the audience measurement firm has confirmed the news and has announced its plans, going forward.

With reference to the DAS implementation across India, TAM has confirmed that the TV viewing data will be temporarily deferred for all India market for a period of nine weeks starting Week 41 (October 7) and ending Week 49 (December 8). This deferred data will be released on December 19, along with data for Week 50.

It may be noted that the research company had started working on the digitisation way ahead in 2007. It was then that TAM had implemented the platform-neutral TVM5 Peoplemeter system and started reporting data in July, 2008. Before that, the research was performed on the basis of the analog peoplemeters.

These peoplemeters adjust in the heterogeneous market and hence any change, such as switch-over of homes from analog to digital - will be reflected in the TAM TV Home Panel. This will eventually help maintain TAM TV viewership data stability for the four metros.

"Ever since the government announced the digitisation initiative, TAM has been focussing on the key steps required to manage the panel transition from analog to digital efficiently. TAM has proactively prepared an industry guide that will be released soon," says L V Krishnan, CEO, TAM Media Research.

According to TAM, the industry guide will help the industry to settle down and understand the on-going nuances of the consumer shift. TAM will, hence, support the various industry custodians such as advertisers (ISA-Indian Society of Advertisers), agencies (AAAI- Advertising Agencies Association of India) and broadcasters (IBF- Indian Broadcasting Association). Alongside, it will continue to keep a close watch on the on-ground dynamics to adjust its course, whenever needed.

Krishnan adds, "This specific request of data deferment by the industry is purely to aid digitisation and we, as the central and neutral media research service provider, are ready to partner in this exercise for the benefit of the industry."

The research firm adds that soon after the government notification on DAS, in May 2012, TAM commissioned a special DAS Establishment Survey (DASES) across four metros. These survey waves will continue through November 2012, even after the DAS deadline.

In addition to DASES, TAM will conduct an all India Digital Establishment Survey (DES), spanning both urban (including the four metros) and rural markets in December 2012, which will give a confirmation of digital proportions for all India.

This will also help TAM to project the data to the right digital universe on an all India basis on Week 1 of 2013.