Television Audience Studies

Since the middle of the 1990s, the television audience surveys have been conducted by telemetric techniques (e.g. TVM-2 telemeter). Two audience research firms compete: TNS/OBOP and AGB. TNS/OBOP conveying surveys mainly for Polish Television (TVP SA) and the newly-established, catholic station TV Puls. AGB Polska does research for major commercial and advertising agencies, recently contracted to measure the audience of the digital television (Wizja TV platform) and still conducts negotiations with Cyfra+.

Lack of one commonly accepted standard of television audience research method leads to confusion experienced by agencies and television stations themselves. Both sides lose money, because customers have doubts whether their money for advertising campaigns was spent appropriately. The results may differ depending on the contractor and his method.

The 1998 audit showed that both firms fulfil the European standards, but from 2000 the differences in the results have become more visible as far as statistic error tolerance is concerned. The need for carrying a new audit has been stressed recently. Whereas the idea of setting one standard of television surveys failed. The idea of establishing a supervisory body/institution (provided that all representatives connected with the media and interested in such surveys agreed to join in) has also been stressed. It would be similar to the British JIV (Joint Industry Committee), and would represent broadcasters, agencies, and advertisers.

Weekly tv audience shares ś telemetric surveys

Source: AGB Polska http://www.agb.pl/data/index.html;
              TNS OBOP http://www.obop.com.pl/