Foxtel shook up the TV ratings system last year by announcing that it would be introducing its own TV measurement system, delivered via Kantar.
The move followed several difficulties between the News Corp-owned streamer and OzTam, which is owned by Nine, Seven, and Network 10.
A year ago the Sydney Morning Herald (owned by Nine) reported that an issue with the panels used by OzTam led to inaccuracies in ratings data. In some cases, the data was inflated by up to 40 per cent.
OzTam responded to Foxtel’s own measurements system by saying that another measurement system would create “confusion in the market”, however, Foxtel Media CEO Mark Frain told B&T that the move will mean that the Australian rating system will more closely resemble the US.
“The trends we’ve seen in the US with multiple alternative currencies, across television and video, probably were the catalyst for thinking about this.”
“I don’t think we’re going to get anywhere near the US in terms of the number of currencies. But I think any publisher with great first-party data that doesn’t use it for agencies and advertisers -they’re probably missing an opportunity”.
In the past, Foxtel was underutilising its existing data, Frain explained.
“We’ve been sitting on a million plus set-top boxes delivering every kind of data by every press of the remote. And we’ve probably not been using that to its full potential. I think when you’ve got something of that scale, in terms of a data property, it gives you a depth of data that we’ve never had before to give to our agency partners and advertisers”.
Frain doesn’t believe the industry needs more rating systems per se, but says advertisers will always welcome more insight when it comes to where they put their money.
“If there is a better option that gives you greater depth, and insight that gives you comfort that the value has been delivered on what you’re buying, then I think advertisers will buy into that. Particularly those advertisers that have their own first-party data – they know the importance of that data themselves”.
This could also help Foxtel match its data with that of advertisers in the future, he added.
Given Foxtel has included a third party in the form of Kantar to ensure that it isn’t “marking its homework”, is it Foxtel’s intention to bring other streamers to the platform it has created?
Frain says it is “early days” but discussions are underway.
“We’re in discussions with several streamers on a variety of topics, whether that be attention-based data or engagement-based data, all linked to the premium video experience which is certainly something we’ve hung our hat on”.
Getting to the stage where streamers and video platforms can be more accurately compared will help “level the playing fields,” Frain said.
Whilst the increase in metrics will “ultimately make both agency and client experience a better one”.
