MultiChoice is immediately suspending the expanded viewer panel which is used to measure the viewership of the high definition (HD) channels which form a part of its DStv satellite pay-TV bouquet.
After an audit on television audience measurement in South Africa - done in South Africa by Nielsen Media Research under contract from the South African Audience Research Foundation (Saarf) - the audit found "factors that could possibly have affected the statistical efficiency" of the viewer panel.
Because the viewing panel could incorrectly skew viewership results, MultiChoice has decided to temporarily suspend the expanded panel which was instituted at the end of July 2012. The decision to suspend the expanded panel will be for at least three months and is effective immediately. The HD tracking portion could be reinstituted later and "will be reviewed at a later date". MultiChoice will now look for whether there is any changes in viewership reporting without the expanded panel.
While DStv does not believe the panel boost affected the statistical efficiency of the information, and has an independent audit report to support this, it fully supports all initiatives to improve the accuracy and reliability of audience measurement in South Africa," is said in a statement.
The HD extended panel boost was necessary since HD viewership has steadily grown in South Africa as the number of HD channels continues to expand. "The number of naturally occuring HD subscriber homes in the TAMS sample was insufficient to provide meaningful data. The additional homes not only allowed measurement of HD channels but measured allviewing behaviour within HD households."
The boost added 170 households with HD-PVR decoders to the 30 existing homes in the TAMS measuring panel. "While the expanded panel remains suspended, naturally occuring HD households will remain in the database but the sample size will be far reduced."
"Saarf plans to expand the TAMS panel from about 1 700 households to approximately 3 000 households over the next few months. The larger TAMS panel will eliminate many of the current shortcomings, ensure greater accuracy in audience measurement and provide broadcasters and advertisers with the reliable numbers that they need," says the statement.
