DStv PVR universe out of latest TAMS

Historically, TAMS has attributed viewership behaviour based on standard decoder homes to represent the total DStv platform (including PVR homes). This was acceptable whilst the PVR incidence was low. This has grown rapidly over the past three years and is now an important component that should be measured separately.

Its removal from the current universe is a necessary first step to take as SAARF moves to bring PVR and time-shift measurement into the TAMS panel within the next couple of months. The diagram below illustrates the current structure of the TAMS panel using the 2010A universes and the planned 2010B measurement structure.

click to enlarge

As PVR homes are mostly on the premium bouquet, their exclusion means the premium channels will show higher than average decreases.

Summary of changes

• The number of television homes in the meter universe will remain virtually constant
• All DStv homes reflect a 15% growth in AMPS10b. However, with the exclusion of PVR homes, TAMS will only reflect a 2% growth (from 2.437 million homes to 2.489 million)
• With the 356 000 PVR homes coming out of TAMS measurement, there is a negative impact on the size of LSM 7-10, which drops by 6% (from 4.287 million to 4.032 million)
• The exclusion of PVR homes impacts on premium channels, such as M-Net, kykNET and SuperSport 1 and 2, which will reflect greater than average declines (TVRs are down 8-10% against DStv Adults, and down 4-5% against LSM 8-10 adults
• With the ongoing growth of the compact bouquet channels such as Africa Magic and Mzansi show above average growth (TVRs are up 6-8% against DStv adults and up 8% against LSM 8-10 adults)
  
• On average DStv commercial channels will reflect a marginal 2.4% drop in DStv adults TVRs, but a 6% drop in LSM 8-10 Adult TVRs, once again reflecting the drop in PVR homes from the TAMS universe

SAARF recommends that August and September campaigns be relooked in light of these measurement changes.

When using June/July 2011 as source data, planners must take into account that the impact of the exclusion of PVR homes affects channels differently. Therefore, different down-weight rules should be applied.

• Compact channels require no additional down-weights beyond the standard 10% generally used

• Premium channels require additional 8% down-weight over and above the standard 10%.

This is a broad rule of thumb, and there will be variation by target market.

Finally, the industry should continue to plan DStv, using sound planning practices ie using break ratings and by ensuring their DStv sample sizes within TAMS are robust and stable. Ratings will still vary at spot-by-spot level, so overall campaign performance should be used to judge performance.