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However as Lodestar Media's Nandini Dias puts it, "Most of
the leading media houses and channels are represented in the JIB.
They have selected Tam as the database for the industry. Hence we
would rather add value and work with the elected body to improvise
the Tam rating system than create a parallel rating system with
a different methodology.
"Besides there are lot of practical issues. The media industry
already works on thin margins. Within this we try to cover a lot
of fronts. Including investing in research. The industry doesn't
have the luxury of having two readership surveys and two TV rating
system. We would rather have research for a different medium than
have two databases for the same medium. For some clients KPIs are
connected to incentive remuneration. And changing the goal post
makes no sense."
Responding to this Pal says that the two readership surveys IRS
and NRS offer the same facilities. "There is no difference
between the two of them today. I have been on the technical committee
for both of them.
Earlier there was no concept of periodicity. But when NRS launched
quality changes came about in IRS. Both surveys added new features
and now there is no difference between the two of them. The data
dimension that aMap offers is more complex than the other system.
I believe that in the technology arena supply creates demand. If
you want to know about the television consumption patterns of an
executive is it enough to say c&s SEC A 25+? Of course not."
When this writer persisted with the cost factor as being a deterrent
Pal says, "Intam merged with Tam a few years back. After that
the payout by clients has grown without there being an improvement
in the service in terms of sample size.
The industry got marginalised as there was a monopoly. Just before
launching aMap a couple of years back I asked a few media people
how many peoplemeters Mumbai has. I was aghast to find that nobody
knew. Their answers varied from 150-300. That is basic knowledge
that one should have when one invests so much money.
"What we have tried to do is introduce transparency, which
is why we have organised this trip for the media fraternity. Now
if you notice the other system has come out with features like Elite
Panel, which could easily have been done earlier. Why was that?
Because when there is a monopoly you are not under pressure to improve.
The industry has to accept what is there. We are going out of our
way to show the media and clients that there is demonstrable quality
and not simply magic happening."
The Cas strategy: When asked about the strategy to monitor Cas
AMA director research and knowledge management Ravi Dixit says,
" Right now we are not measuring homes that have taken a set
top box. That is because the penetration level is low. Only one
per cent of homes in the notified areas in Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkatta
have taken boxes. We are conducting establishment surveys at the
end of each week.
Perhaps a little later we might come out with a survey on viewership
patterns in Cas homes if there are enough homes. In fact we will
talk with a major broadcaster in a few days time to examine the
best way to move forward. After all aMap is a service for the industry.
The survey might combine the three Metros."
Creating forecasts out of data: In terms of why Ahmedabad was chosen
Pal says that it allows aMap to work closely with DecisionCraft
Analytics. Also there is less of a problem of people turnover compared
to if it was based in Mumbai. And real estate is less expensive.
DecisionCraft Analytics started a few years back and its aim is
to build mathematical models to solve business problems. It does
price forecasts for many firms abroad one of which is a petroleum
firm based in the UK. Apart from aMap it does not have Indian clients
as too much time gets lost in terms of concept selling. It uses
both univerate and multiverate models.
The latter involves variable factors like the economy that can
affect price. It has also done online ad work in the US with client
SpecificMedia. Here it worked in the area of behavioural and demographic
targetting.
The challenge is in putting in ads that are relevant for the visitor.
That is what DecisionCraft Analytics has helped with. In India AMA
MD Raviratan Arora who co-founded DecisionCraft Analytics says that
aMap offers the opportunity to create magic out of data.
Right now it is working on prediction models for broadcasters.
He points out that there will be different models for different
genres as one size does not fit all. As of now it has built models
for deviant behaviour. So if a home has a 17-year-old boy and the
TV has not been switched on for a few days then aMap will ring up
the home and found out what has happened. Perhaps he has gone on
a holiday.
The prediction models will be rolled out in the coming months.
It will include whether a show is taking root. Also it could see
when a broadcaster should launch a certain show. DecisionCraft Analytics
has also worked in the area of finance. An instance of working with
a debt collection agency was given in terms of what debts were easier
to collect. DecisionCraft Analytics will also work on models for
advertisers in terms of how they can get the best bang for their
buck.
Meanwhile aMap is also looking to launch ethnic panels in the US,
UK a little later on this year. This will help give broadcasters
an understanding of what NRIs are watching. It is also in the process
concluding a deal in an Asian country to offer aMap for which it
beat out TNS and Nielsen.
Data Center: AMA's data center has 10 servers. One set receives
data from peoplemeters by placing a phone call by GSM into the peoplemeters
at the users homes from 2 pm to around 4 pm. Once the data is collected
the second set of servers picks up the data and then processes it.
A data health check is done. It then goes into a main database from
which clients can pick it up. Also the servers store work that DecisionCraft
Analytics' team has been working on.
There is also a screen to which a hard drive is attached. It records
channels, which are then transferred to different computers. Data
logs for ads are created. A bookmarking utility helps speed up the
process. From the clients point of view a report is generated using
a function called TC Reporter, which this writer has worked on.
It can be slinced and diced in a myriad of ways.
The users side: How does the process work from the users end? Dixit
explains that there is a remote control for the peoplemeter. When
a person switches on the TV he has to press a button on the peoplemeter
remote. If he does not then it will start beeping. The remote control
will have buttons and depending on which family member you are you
press that button.
If say the father presses the button and watches the news for 20
minutes it is fine. If however the mother comes in and changes the
channel to watch a film then she has to process her button on the
remote control. The peoplemeter can also track if someone is watching
a DVD or playing a game. The peoplemeter box will ask what the person
is doing. Is he watching the VCR? Is he watching the DVD? If so
what genre is being watched?
Each day five per cent of the homes are checked. Changes happen
if the home says that it does not want to participate or there is
fatigue or there is not enough compliance. Each year Pal says that
around 20 per cent of the homes are changed. Once a new home is
added there is a seven to 14 day waiting period to see how the home
is adjusting.
AMA is also collaborating with OMS on a facility at Mica. Here
there are nine screens, which can record nine channels. The aim
is to gain an insight into programming trends. For instance when
a tragedy happens how do news channels cover the same event?
Which channel did people gravitate towards? Also one can study
the effect of the success of one show on rival channels. The results
of a study could be published next month adds Dixit.
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