MUMBAI: Last week, the Media Research Users Council (MRUC) held its first ever TV User Body Meet in Mumbai in order to discuss the need for a better television ratings system in the country.

Lintas Media Services director Lynn de Souza had stressed that the debate was "not for or against Tam," but more about what the industry needed at this point in time, which was basically a ratings system that could keep pace with the changing viewing habits.

However, Tam has issued a riposte to MRUC's initiative stating, "If MRUC really wanted to address these concerns, they should have invited Tam. We would have gladly participated and contributed towards a healthy and a well informed discussion."

Interestingly, at MRUC's meet, the question was popped by a media professional whether anyone from Tam was present there to present their views and counterpoints to what was being discussed. De Souza replied that they had deliberately left out the concerned parties (Tam and aMap).

Some of the key statements from the 'Communications Desk' of Tam Media Research with the backdrop of the MRUC initiative last week are presented below:

• One of the key issues discussed at the session was the need to increase sample size. Tam Media Research had already announced its expansion plans immediately after NRS 2005 findings reflected this need. Post the concern from last week’s MRUC meet, Tam would like to reassure the Council that as per the requirement reflected in NRS 2005, we are already working out the blue print for the panel expansion and that we are increasing the sample size to 7000 by Phase I and complete the figure of 10,300 in Phase II. Every process in this expansion plan is being worked under the constant supervision of the Joint Industry Body (JIB). The JIB is the industry representation of Indian Society of Advertisers (ISA), Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) and Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI).
• We are ever-ready to meet any industry requirement today or in the future. Tam is for the industry, of the industry, by the industry.
• The Tam India panel is the largest panel in the world in terms of the number of individual respondents in the panel. Further, this is wonderfully integrated with one of the largest number of media brands monitored through one of Tam’s divisions AdEx India.
• The research approaches, services and methodologies innovated by Tam India have received global attention and won accolades at ultimate global conferences like WAM and ESOMAR. ----- Tam is the only Asian media company to have presented papers in consecutive four forums of ESOMAR and ARF across Shanghai, Geneva, Tokyo and Montreal. The agency has won two consecutive awards at ESOMAR/ARF forums – Best Paper award at ESOMAR 2004 in Shanghai and Best Paper award at WAM 2005 conference in Montreal.
• With best of international tools like Xpert Optimisers, ViewerGraphics analysis package, Map AdEx package, Connectam distribution tracking software, made available to advertisers, broadcasters and media agencies, Tam has delivered to the industry tools that could enable creation of invaluable insights for the industry members.
• Tam India, under the supervision of JIB, should be able to fully operationalise world’s first ever Elite Panel specially designed to study the Power Consumers (Sec A1+) – Upscale (Elite) TV Audiences within the country and understand finer details of their TV Viewing habits. This initiative was a demand from the industry met by Tam.
• Tam is technology ready. It is ready to address any kind future changes in distribution platforms like CAS, DTH, Broadband or the Internet through its latest and digitised Peoplemeters – TVM5 – obtained through international venture partner AGB. This technology is going to be used for the Elite Panel.
• TAM will soon introduce state-of-the-art systems for capturing TV advertising spots, called TV Events.

The communiqué further states that the key objective of Tam is to help its clients (the industry) take effective media decisions. Tam will continue to be the the ‘Intelligence Provider’ for the entire media industry.