Nielsen's 3 Screens project takes off

"Through each facet of the project, we'll be able to build up a comprehensive picture of how South Africans are using TV, computers and handheld devices to make their viewing choices," says Chris Eyre, MD of AGB Nielsen.

As part of the 3 Screens Project, the company will also be covering the 2010 FIFA World Cup with Live360, a mobile-powered project where respondents keep a digital diary using Blackberry Smartphones, about where and on which device or screen they watched the soccer.

It is also rolling out its Internet Panel, which will be converged with the PVR panel to give a look into how homes divide their time across the two media, while giving a user-centric view of people's internet activities.

Concert peaks in viewers

The first viewing figures for SAARF TAMS for the inaugural FIFA World Cup Kick-off Celebration Concert show that peak viewing for the concert topped out at just under 8,5-million South African viewers, with an average of just over 6,7-million viewers on national broadcaster SABC 1 and satellite channel SuperSport 3 combined.

"Few events in recent years have managed to achieve these kinds of local audience figures," adds Eyre. The only special event broadcasts to come close were the 2008 SAMA Awards on SABC 1, with almost 5-million viewers, the 2007 SAMA Awards with just over 4,3-million viewers, and free-to-air broadcaster e.tv's August 2009 screening of a 30th anniversary celebration for Michael Jackson, when 3,88-million viewers tuned in.

Eyre expects the viewing figures for the Kick-off Celebration Concert to rise even further, once the company adds in the first results from its time-shifted viewing panel, which is a research first for South Africa.

"In nine days time, we will release figures from our time-shifted panel, after giving people a window of seven days to catch up on their time-shifted viewing. Once overlaid onto SAARF's TAMS data, the company will be able to assess 90% of time-shifted viewing," he concludes.