News & Views

Barb is commencing reporting of viewing figures for PVR playback from stored content on Sky+ devices.
This extra reporting information has been in development for a number of months, and is being activated across September 2005 in phases.

Barb has worked with its meter providers AGB Nielsen Media Research, and with BSkyB on dual developments to facilitate this reporting.

BSkyB have developed a means of extracting Service Information codes to identify the stored content from the hard disc PVR and output these so that a Barb meter can identify them.

AGB Nielsen Media Research has modified the Barb meters to accept this new code information and integrate the processing of the data into Barb reporting.

As well as the inclusion in the consolidated (live& seven-day timeshift) viewing figures, Barb’s VOSDAL (Viewing On Same Day As Live) reporting of overnight ratings, introduced on 1st July, will also incorporate Sky+ figures on a daily basis.

Sky+ playback will be subject to the same ‘rules’ of reporting as other consolidated viewing – for example fast forwarding is not included in viewing figures.

When the switch-on of Sky+ playback is completed, Barb will issue an official analysis of the first weeks of reporting. The first opportunity for a four-week analysis covering all Sky+ homes on the Barb panel is likely to be towards the end of October 2005. These will be initial figures and indicative for such devices. Results may be expected to change with seasonality, variations in programme schedules, as the take-up of the devices expands, and over longer periods of analysis.

“Sky+ reporting is a major development for the Barb system and will provide the first daily reporting of PVR usage” said Barb Chief Executive Bjarne Thelin “It’s part of the developments that were anticipated when Barb extended its research contracts with suppliers at the end of last year”.

Notes to Editors

Barb was set up in 1981 to provide the industry-standard audience measurement service for television broadcasters and the advertising industry. It is a not-for-profit limited company owned by BBC, ITV, Channel 4, five, BSkyB and the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising.

Barb provides in-home TV viewing measurement for the UK. This is obtained from a panel of 5,100 homes. These homes return data from around 11,500 viewers. Viewing from visitors to the home is included (Guest Viewing). Viewing figures are available to subscribers the morning after transmission. VCR playback is incorporated within 7 days of transmission (Consolidated Viewing). Audiences are reported on a minute-by-minute basis.

The panel design is representative of the whole of the UK. People are recruited from all sectors of the population. All viewing environments in the home are represented. Multiple TV sets are measured. Barb measures both analogue and digital delivery via cable, satellite and terrestrial distribution.