Cross-Platform Net ABC Measure Not Yet Needed In UK
The ABC in the UK is currently working with media owners to evolve the currency to provide an enhanced cross-platform report where required and appropriate, according to the organisation’s CEO, Chris Boyd.
However, Boyd said that at the moment there is no call from media buyers in Britain for the audited data across the various platforms to be provided on a net basis.
“The UK media industry, especially the buyers of advertising, have specifically stated in the recent past that they do not want ABC to aggregate different platforms, apart from the B2B sector where print and ‘exact replica’ digital editions are now allowed to be reported as one figure,” he said.
“Additionally the principle of adding audited and research data together would need detailed consideration before being adopted.”
Responding to an article in Sunday’s Observer, which called for reform in the measurement system in the UK and discussed changes Stateside, Boyd was keen to emphasise that the US model of ‘consolidated media reporting’ was in its early stages.
The US model takes into consideration copy sales, ‘pass along’ readership, website traffic and sundry auditable versions of the core paper, such as click-and-carry, in a single aggregate figure.
“The US development… has yet to be really accepted by the market. That is not to say that it will not,” said Boyd. “Key to any development of a currency is acceptance not only from the sellers of advertising, but most importantly from the buyers of advertising. After all the ABC currency has been developed over the years through consensus between these two disciplines.”
Boyd strongly believes that there is not the demand from media owners for a more detailed measurement system and that it is only possible to compare like for like.
“We already audit a large number of websites and other new media properties and release these figures into the market on a regular basis. This is on top of all the regular concurrent releases we do for the various print sectors. We have also offered media owners for a number of years the facility of the Group Product Report, but only a few media owners currently use this,” he said.
“The Guardian have used this GPR for a long time and News International have just received their first GPR for the Times, Sunday Times and Times online. Key to these reports is the fact that the headline figures of each element are not added together into one single headline figure. ”
Boyd was keen to stress that ABC in Britain is continually working with the media industry to evolve its currency. “ABC management will continue to investigate all the various ways of providing meaningful, transparent, independent and certified data that reflects the ever (and fast!) evolving media market,” he said.
ABC: 01442 870 800 www.abc.org.uk