Quajou talk on the TV ratings debacle

The panelists were Dominik Kaiser, Managing Director 3+ TV Network, Christof Kaufmann, CEO Aegis Media Group and Marco de Stoppani, Chairman of the Board of Directors Mediapulse. Hannes Britschgi, Ringier publicist, and Urs Bühler, NZZ editor, shared the chairmanship of the discussion.

Marco de Stoppani explained why a new measurement method had to be found in the first place. On the one hand, this was due to pressure from the market because the previous Telecontrol system was unable to measure certain things that were becoming increasingly important (e.g. time-shifted use, use on a PC); on the other hand, however, it was also because the previous Telecontrol measuring devices had reached the end of their life cycle. Following an international tender, Kantar was awarded the contract. A new panel was set up. The surveys began in December 2012. Publication was originally planned for the end of January. However, this was repeatedly postponed by decision of the Mediapulse Board of Directors. Finally, it was made completely impossible by a super-provisional ruling from 3+.

The chaos is complete: there have been no TV ratings since the beginning of the year. Although broadcasters and marketers receive them, they are not allowed to pass them on to their customers. For Christof Kaufmann, this is a "very unsatisfactory situation." With gallows humor, he said, "the special thing about the situation is that something is missing that we don't even know what it actually is." But the situation is also unpleasant for Dominik Kaiser, whose channel 3+ won the super-provisional injunction because he is convinced that there are many unresolved methodological inconsistencies: "We are the only channel in Switzerland that continuously adjusts its program to the ratings. Although we have access to figures today, we believe that these figures are based on false foundations and therefore we cannot optimize our programming."

What happens next? There is a long list of demands from 3+, but Goldbach Media has also submitted one. Mediapulse has to comment on this. Marco de Stoppani now wants to talk to all parties involved to find a solution that should resolve most of the contentious points satisfactorily. Whether and when this will happen remains to be seen. Hannes Britschgi only said laconically at the end. "We'll keep at it." And so are we. (pcm)

On the subject:

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Werbewoche.ch/criticism-of-quotas
Werbewoche.ch/zeitung/zur-sache-alle-rein
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