Walmsley Takes Over From Phillips As New BARB Chairman
Nigel Walmsley has been appointed chairman of BARB, replacing Nick Phillips who is believed to have stepped down following pressure from shareholders over the delay in installing the new audience measurement system (see BARB Chairman Rumoured To Be Stepping Down).
BARB has suffered a series of set-backs since it introduced its new audience panel earlier this year (see BARB Data Suspended Until 15 January). There have been notable regional variations in the strength and demographic make-up of the panel (see BARB Figures Show TV Viewing Increase), which is still not yet up to full-strength and ITV and Channel 4 have complained of significant changes in audience figures, with ITV making specific reference to BARB’s figures for Coronation Street (see BARB Defends New Ratings System).
It has been widely speculated that Walmsley, who was previously chairman of Carlton up to September 2001, would replace Phillips as chairman. Prior to joining Carlton, Walmsley worked as the managing director of Capital Radio where he helped establish the RAJAR diary system.
Commenting on his appointment, Walmsley said: “I am looking forward to this role. Accurate and comprehensive TV ratings have never been more important. BARB has served the industry, programme makers, broadcasters, advertisers and ad agencies over many years. As chairman I want to work closely with the Board of BARB, its management and subscribers to ensure its continued effectiveness.”
In July this year Adam Phillips, managing director of the company behind the new BARB ratings systems, resigned amid continuing controversy over the accuracy of TV viewing figures generated under the new panel. Phillips was responsible for setting up and overseeing the new measurement system and was replaced by Peter Wilcox, a former director at the marketing research specialist AC Nielsen (see MD Of Company Behind New BARB Ratings System Resigns).
BARB recently issued a newsletter to the media industry insisting that the new audience panel is robust and that it is focussing on “quality control” (see BARB Emphasises Quality In Newsletter Update).
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