Telesuisse works on alternative survey
Following the termination of their contracts with Mediapulse in mid-May, the regional TV stations that are members of the Telesuisse association are working on the future solution for collecting their user figures.
In doing so, they expect Mediapulse to actively participate in finding a solution, thus fulfilling its legal mandate, according to a statement.
In their notice, the ten Telesuisse broadcasters had stated that the figures provided so far by the new "Kantar" measurement system were not acceptable to them: The system shows large incoherencies and inexplicable fluctuations from one day to the next when measuring small stations and small geographical areas, which are typical for regional television. The confidence interval is unacceptably high, a statement said. Such figures did not allow any usable conclusions for programming and posed a serious economic risk for the stations if used in the advertising market.
In its order of May 23, the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC) stated that the new measurement system meets the "basic legal requirements", but also acknowledged that it is fundamentally difficult to measure regional stations with such a system. Literally, the order states, "It is therefore not surprising that Mediapulse and Swiss local television are currently jointly looking for an alternative survey method that better meets the circumstances and needs of this type of media than automated electronic measurement systems." In addition, the Uvek has obliged Mediapulse to implement a plan of measures for the "optimization" of the Kantar system.
This confirms Telesuisse's position: The new measurement system is only suitable for regional stations to a very limited extent. This means that Mediapulse is not yet fulfilling its legal mandate - at least in the area of regional stations. Telesuisse sees the following possible solutions in this situation:
- Development of an alternative survey method for the regional stations
- Measurement by the Kantar system at the language-regional level (advertising pools), but at the regional level by an alternative survey method
- Improving the Kantar system so that it is also suitable for regional stations
Telesuisse is currently examining all these possible solutions, in close cooperation with Mediapulse, but also with other providers in the area of usage research. The aim is to be able to provide the advertising industry and the public with user figures again as soon as possible.
