Two audit firms to investigate TV viewership

Decision to be taken in three months

Advertising and media agencies have decided to name two international auditing firms to investigate the ‘People Meter’ rates, or the rate of viewership of TV programs.

The firms will review the reasons for the dissimilar results between various statistics companies based on the procedures and mediums adopted by each among them. The audit firms will adopt the criteria mentioned in the Global Guidelines for Television Audience Measurement.

“The foreign audit firms will assure maximum credibility and will provide their recommendations concerning the statistics companies,” said George Jabbour, Chairman of the Advertising Agencies Association. Both audit firms will work in parallel and will deliver their results within at least three months.

Jabbour said that based on the recommendations, they will decide what strategy will be adopted in the future for people metering.

Advertising and media agencies said that they do not rely only on the results of these statistics to allocate media budgets, but take into consideration other criteria, such as geographic distribution, purchase power, and the targeted markets, among others.

Agencies that issued the declaration are: Advertising Agencies Association, HAVAS, Impact BBDO, Initiative, Intermarkets, International Advertising Association, JWT, Leo Burnett, Lowe Pimo, MEC, M&C Saatchi, Mindshare, Ogilvy, OMD, Optimedia, Pro Ad, Rizk Group, Vivaki, and Young & Rubicam.