Call For Change In Media Research

Speaking at the MRG conference, Lynne Robinson, research director of the IPA, criticised the NPA’s attitude towards press research developments. She believes that research into newspaper readership sections needs more co-operation from the NPA. Robinson felt that the NPA were unjustified in failing to include this much researched data within the national readership survey. She had further harsh words for the NPA over ‘Quality of Reading’ data; she said that the research might have made more progress, but for an ‘unco-operative’ NPA.

Robinson anticipates a full review of national newspaper auditing following the recent public rows over ABC figures. Looking to the future, she feared that initiatives by ABC Electronic were possibly too new and entrepreneurial to get an industry status. She referred to the first audit data from VNU, which was released this week VNU First UK Internet Site To Receive ABC Audit, but thought that the ABC appeared ‘rather coy’ on the subject of future releases. Robinson called on the conference to ‘shape industry research or it will shape us.’ Robinson ended on a positive note saying: “There has never been a better time for change.”

Jonathan Durden, managing director of New PHD, went on to predict some of the changes that are likely to sweep the industry in the next few years. He forecasts more media multi-branded spin-offs, the creation of many new research houses and more investment from agencies into bespoke research.