Australia will have an integrated database that will combine broadcast viewing on TV sets and connected devices, and support advanced audience targeting, with the launch of OzTAM’s new service, Virtual Australia (VOZ), in 2019.
VOZ brings together OzTAM TV ratings and OzTAM VPM connected-device viewing data to deliver an all-screen, de-duplicated picture of what Australians are watching, who is watching, and how they are watching (Total TV).
VOZ will incorporate viewing on 7 million connected devices plus minute-by-minute actual viewing behaviour of more than 12,000 individuals, 24/7/365, in OzTAM TV panel homes.
Conceived and being developed in Australia by OzTAM in conjunction with Nielsen, VOZ will be securely stored in the cloud and progressively roll out from the first quarter of 2019.
VOZ will crystalise Australia’s Total TV picture:
• 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. They will also be able to overlay other datasets on top of VOZ to support advanced audience targeting.
• TV networks can determine the incremental reach from viewing on connected devices, and optimise their inventory across all markets, platforms and devices.
• The media industry gains an objective, independent, consistent and transparent metric by which to evaluate the performance of TV content across all screens and platforms.
OzTAM CEO Doug Peiffer said: “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. Primetime is now any time and OzTAM is building VOZ to report Total TV viewing.
“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.”
Nielsen’s head of TV audience measurement David Ellem said this next stage in TV audience measurement is a significant one. “Nielsen is laser-focused on bringing to the Australian market the very best total audience measurement solutions available in the world. 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.”
OzTAM and Nielsen have for the past 18 months been developing, building and testing the components needed to deliver VOZ, including:
• Increasing the number of households in OzTAM’s TV ratings panel by 50% in 2017, to make OzTAM TV ratings even more robust as Australia’s population grows and people spread their viewing across many more devices and channels.
Every day, OzTAM samples the actual viewing behaviour of more than 12,000 individuals, minute-by-minute, 24/7/365. Together, OzTAM and Regional TAM’s panels make Australia the world’s largest per capita people metered market.
• Building out OzTAM’s Video Player Measurement (VPM) service, which provides minute-by-minute data on 7 million connected devices streaming participating broadcasters’ (currently ABC, Seven Network, Nine Network, Network Ten, SBS and Foxtel) TV content across all platforms and devices.
• Introducing demographics into OzTAM’s VPM Report – on track for delivery before the end of 2018.
• Installing streaming TV meters in approximately 1,300 TV panel homes, to provide valuable insights into cross-platform viewing by household members; enhance demographic modelling of device-based viewing on household connected devices, which is collected by OzTAM’s VPM service; de-duplicate and identify linked device use; and deliver greater perspective on how people use their TV sets for purposes other than watching live or playing back linear television within 28 days of original broadcast.
• Constructing the data handling, processing and production infrastructure to support VOZ.
• OzTAM is briefing media agencies, advertisers and broadcasters on VOZ, listening to their feedback, and will communicate further developments to market as VOZ progressively rolls out from Q1 2019.
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Top photo: OzTAM CEO Doug Peiffer